Hokkaido University is one of the seven Japanese national universities founded in 1876. The institution is a world leader in various subjects ranging from social and natural sciences to humanities. In 2015, Reuters included the organisation in top 100 world’s most innovative universities.
Its main campus is located in the heart of picturesque Sapporo, one of the four biggest cities in Japan that is surrounded by national parks and a World Heritage Site.
Firstly operating as Sapporo Agricultural College, the university has a good reputation for welcoming international students from more than 85 countries to combine best practices and stimulate cultural exchange. Its teaching is based on the idea to turn the institution into a place, which will bring positive change to the world.
Hokkaido University operates in 34 faculties, which include law, medicine and economics and business administration. Hokkaido’s strongest research fields are chemistry, earth and ocean sciences and material sciences. The institution's facilities range from hospitals, childcare centres, gardens and parks to experimental forests and parks.
The university motto translates as "frontier spirits, global perspectives, all round education, practical learning". The symbol of the university is the wake-robin that grows on campus. Its petals represent the long-lasting legacy created by the university.
Hokkaido University most famous alumni include the Nobel Laureate for Chemistry Akira Suzuki, the astronaut Mamoru Mohri and the oldest climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest Yuichiro Miura.
