Nagoya University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nagoya University

名古屋大学
Motto	勇気ある知識人 (courageous intellectual)
Type	Public (national)
Established	1871; 154 years ago (1871) (Chartered 1939)
President	Naoshi Sugiyama
Academic staff	3,847 (2020)
Undergraduates	9,585 (2020)
Postgraduates	6,187 (2020)
Location	Nagoya , Aichi , Japan 35°09′17″N 136°58′01″E / 35.15472°N 136.96694°E / 35.15472; 136.96694
Campus	Urban, 3.2 km²
Colors	Pine Green

Nagoya University (名古屋大学, Nagoya daigaku) is a top-ranked national university in Nagoya, Japan. People often call it Meidai (名大) or NU. It is known for its excellent research, especially in science.

The university was officially founded in 1939 as one of Japan's Imperial Universities, which were the most important universities in the country at the time.

Nagoya University is famous for its achievements in physics and chemistry. As of 2021, seven people connected to the university have won the Nobel Prize. This is the third-highest number for any university in Japan and Asia.

History

Nagoya Imperial University was one of the most important universities in Japan.

The Toyoda Auditorium is a famous landmark at Nagoya University, designed by architect Fumihiko Maki.

The Higashiyama Campus at Nagoya University. The university has produced seven Nobel Prize winners in science.

Nagoya University officially began in 1939 as Nagoya Imperial University. After World War II, in 1947, it was renamed Nagoya University.

Even though it became a university in 1939, its story started much earlier. Its roots go back to a temporary medical school and hospital that opened in 1871.

The university is famous for major scientific discoveries. These include the Okazaki fragment (which helped explain how DNA copies itself), Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation (a way to make important chemicals), and the invention of the Blue LED.

In 2020, Nagoya University joined with Gifu University to form the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System. This created the largest national university group in Japan.

Nobel Prizes

Nagoya University is a powerhouse for science. Many of Japan's Nobel Prize winners in the 21st century have studied or worked at the university.

Out of the seven Nobel winners linked to the university, four were professors and three were students. The 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, Syukuro Manabe, was a special professor at the university for several years.

What the University is Like

Main Ideas

Nagoya University encourages its students to be "courageous intellectuals." This means they want students to think for themselves and be brave in their ideas. The university is known for its "freedom, openness, and enterprising" spirit.

Students

Most students at Nagoya University come from the Tōkai region of Japan. However, many students also come from other parts of the country.

The university is also very international. As of 2021, it had over 1,900 students from more than 110 different countries.

Departments and Schools

Faculties (for undergraduate students)

The name monument at Nagoya University.

• Humanities
• Education
• Law and Political Science
• Economics
• Informatics (the study of information and computers)
• Science
• Medicine
• Engineering
• Agriculture

Graduate Schools (for advanced studies)

Nagoya University Hospital is part of the university.

• Humanities
• Education and Human Development
• Law and Political Science
• Economics
• Informatics
• Science
• Medicine
• Engineering
• Bioagricultural Sciences
• International Development
• Mathematics
• Environmental Studies
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research Institutes

Nagoya University has many world-class research centers where scientists make amazing discoveries.

• Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM): Scientists here study "bio-molecules," which are the tiny building blocks of living things. They work on solving problems related to plants, health, and biology.
• Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE): This institute studies the environment of our planet and outer space. The goal is to help solve global environmental problems.
• Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability (IMaSS): Researchers here create new materials and systems to help save energy and build a greener society.
• Kobayashi-Masakawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe (KMI): Named after two Nobel Prize winners, this institute studies the smallest particles in the universe to understand how everything began.

Campus Life

Clubs and Circles

Nagoya University has a Federation of Liberal Arts Circles, which started in 1961. "Circles" are student clubs. There are over 60 official circles for activities like tea ceremony, art, music, dance, and volunteering.

Sports

The university has an Athletic Association with more than 50 sports clubs. Every year, Nagoya University competes against Osaka University in a big sports event. It also takes part in the Seven Universities Athletic Meet, a competition between the seven former Imperial Universities.

Meidai-sai Festival

Every June, the university holds a big festival called "Meidai-sai." It's been a tradition since 1960. The festival has about 100 different events, including tours of the science labs, presentations, and fun activities. Clubs also set up food stalls selling treats like yakisoba (fried noodles) and kakigōri (shaved ice).

Academic Rankings

Nagoya University is known as one of the best universities in Japan and around the world.

General Rankings

In 2021, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) ranked Nagoya University as the 3rd best in Japan and 84th in the world. The QS World University Rankings for 2022 placed it at 118th in the world.

Research Performance

Nagoya University is a top research university. It is ranked 6th in Japan for the quality of its scientific research. It is especially strong in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The university also has a high number of patents, which are special rights given for new inventions.

International Education

Global 30 Project

Nagoya University offers special programs where all classes are taught in English. This is part of the Global 30 (G30) International Programs, which started in 2011. This allows students from other countries to study subjects like science, engineering, and law without needing to know Japanese at first. International students in these programs are still required to take Japanese classes to help them learn the language.

Exchange Programs

The university has many exchange programs for students. One of the biggest is NUPACE, where students from partner universities around the world can study at Nagoya for up to a year. There are also special programs for students interested in engineering, law, and Japanese language.

Students from Nagoya University can also study abroad at hundreds of partner universities.

Famous People from Nagoya University

Physics and Materials

• 

  Shoichi Sakata, a physicist who studied the tiny particles that make up atoms.

• 

  Makoto Kobayashi, won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on particle physics.

• 

  Toshihide Maskawa, also won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics with Makoto Kobayashi.

• 

  Isamu Akasaki, won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing the energy-saving blue LED light.

• 

  Hiroshi Amano, also won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for the blue LED.

• 

  Syukuro Manabe, won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics for creating models of Earth's climate.

• Sumio Iijima, a physicist who is famous for discovering carbon nanotubes.

Chemistry and Biology

• 

  Koji Nakanishi, a chemist who studied chemicals found in nature. He was a professor at Columbia University.

• 

  Ryōji Noyori, won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He spent most of his career at Nagoya University.

• 

  Osamu Shimomura, won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering the green fluorescent protein (GFP), a tool used in biology.

• 

  Yoshito Kishi, a famous chemistry professor at Harvard University.

• 

  Tsuneko Okazaki, a biologist who discovered Okazaki fragments, which are important for understanding how DNA copies itself.

• 

  Masatoshi Takeichi, a biologist who discovered Cadherins, molecules that help cells stick together.

• Reiji Okazaki, a biologist who worked with Tsuneko Okazaki to discover the Okazaki fragments.

Mathematics

• 

  Masayoshi Nagata, a mathematician who solved a famous math problem called Hilbert's fourteenth problem.

• 

  Shigefumi Mori, won the Fields Medal in 1990, which is like the Nobel Prize for mathematics.

• 

  Masaki Kashiwara, a mathematician who won the 2025 Abel Prize, another top award in math.

Business and Politics

• 

  Shoichiro Toyoda, the former CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation.

• 

  Uichiro Niwa, a former Japanese Ambassador to China and CEO of major companies.

• Tang Jun, President and CEO of a large Chinese company.
• Le Thanh Long, the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Nagoya para niños