Kyoto, Japan
In Kyoto
Campus life is set in an international city that draws tourists and expatriates from all over the world. In Kyoto, so much can be learned: history, traditional culture, high-tech, and international relations in collaboration with overseas students. Rediscover Japanese culture in depth, and you will grow as a cosmopolitan individual.
Learning about Kyoto
The Kyoto Project is a website created by the students and faculty of Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. Students choose topics related to the city of Kyoto (Japan), research their chosen topics (often visiting the sites in person), and then write articles with the guidance of a tutor. Students do this in 9 different languages.
Walk Within & Beyond Cultures (WWBC)
Project：KUFS 「文化をあるく」 Bunka-o Aruku (Walk Within & Beyond Cultures) Project started in 2012 in collaboration with teachers, students, graduate students and citizens who seek better communications BEYOND linguistic & cultural boundaries in today's "Global Society" to help raise our awareness on the culture we live in and the language we speak with.
International Activities
Imperial Visitors and Domestic & Overseas VIP Visitors
With PAX MUNDI PER LINGUAS (World Peace Through Languages) as the motto encapsulating our desire, KUFS has welcomed members of the Imperial Family as well as top government officials and scholars from both home and abroad, which testifies to the spirit and universality of our motto.
Recent Notable Events
| 2023.06 |
Mr. Gregory Dolan, Honorary Stage Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, UK, and Mr. Jason James, Executive Director of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation visited The University Library.  |
| 2023.04 |
Vitor Paulo da Costa SERENO, Ambassador of the Republic of Portugal to Japan, and Tiago MAURÍCIO, First Secretary, visited the University.  |
| 2022.10 |
Ms. Sandy Anabell Davila Sandoval, the Ambassador-Designate of the Republic of Nicaragua, paid an online courtesy call.  |
| 2022.10 |
Mr. Vitor Paulo da Costa Sereno, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Portugal visited the University.  |
| 2022.7 |
Mr. Victor Javier Almengor Caballero, Consul General of the Republic of Panama in Kobe visited the University.  |
| 2022.6 |
Mr. Jules Irrmann, Consul-General of France in Kyoto and Director of Institut français du Japon-Kansai, Mr. Airy Quilleré, Attaché de coopération universitaire et de coopération pour le français of the Embassy of France in Japan, Ms. Fanny Delorme, Director of Campus France Japon, and Ms. Miho Oyagi, in charge of the Kansai Office of Campus France Japon, visited the University.  |
| 2021.7 |
Mr. Victor Javier Almengor Caballero, Consul General of the Republic of Panama in Kobe, and his wife visited the University.  |
| 2020.12 |
Mr. Ricciardo Vivas, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the Republic of Nicaragua visited the University.  |
| 2020.11 |
His Excellency Mr. Miguel Ángel Ramírez Ramos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba visited the University.  |
| 2020.10 |
His Excellency Mr. Cristóbal Adalberto Herrera Dubón, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Guatemala visited the University.  |
| 2020.9 |
Her Excellency Mrs. Roxane de Bilderling, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium visited the University.  |
| 2019.12 |
His Excellency Mr. André Spiteri, the non-resident Ambassador of Malta to Japan, visited the university.  |
| 2019.5 |
His Excellency Mr. Harold W. Forsyth, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Peru to Japan, visited the university and held an on-campus lecture.  |
| 2018.7 |
His Excellency Mr. Rodrigo CORONEL KINLOCH Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Nicaragua, visited the university.  |
| 2017.9 |
Held an University-Community Engagement Conference (UCEC) 2017 on the topic, "Navigating Community Engagement: Charting a Course for the 21st Century."  |
| 2016.6 |
Dr. Yasushi Akashi Chairman, The International House of Japan and Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, visited the university and receives Honorary Doctorate.  |
| 2015.3 |
Pedro Passos Coelho, The Prime Minister of Portugal, visited the university and receives Honorary Doctorate  |
| 2013.12 |
Held an international symposium on the topic, "Central Asia Today and Japan" with ambassadors from various central Asian countries in attendance  |
| 2012.11 |
Held an international symposium on the topic, "Southern African Nations: Growing Together Towards a Bright Future" with ambassadors from various Southern African countries in attendance  |
| 2012.6 |
Held an international symposium on the topic, "The Challenge of Regional Integration in Latin America" with ambassadors from various Latin American countries in attendance  |
| 2011.12 |
Laura Chinchilla, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, visited the university and receives Honorary Doctorate  |
| 2011.6 |
Mario Vargas Llosa, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, visited the university  |
Collaboration with the United Nations on the Atomic Bomb Survivor Interviews Video Project
In an effort to educate the world on the importance of eliminating nuclear weapons, the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs had a collection of video interviews of atomic bomb survivors living in the Americas subtitled in multiple languages and placed online. Kyoto University of Foreign Studies provided the translations for seven languages. As a result, 49 people - among them undergraduate students, international students, graduate students, alumni, and faculty - received letters of appreciation from the DDA..
Diverse Volunteer Activities
In the spirit of our motto and philosophy, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies is engaged in a diversity of international volunteer efforts. One example is the "Picture Books for Cambodian Children" project. In Cambodia, many textbooks and picture books have been destroyed due to civil war, and there are a large number of children don't have the chance to receive an education and cannot read or write. In order to support these children's desire to learn, students make picture books in English and Khmer by hand, and then pass them out to children in Cambodia every year. In the "Kyoto Gaidai Habitat" program, students travel to developing countries and work alongside engineers and carpenters there to help build houses. Students take advantage of extended leaves to travel to countries facing housing problems, like Thailand and the Philippines. This Global Village Program provides an opportunity to interact with staff on-location while helping to build housing.
Special Events (made possible by being a foreign studies university where 19 languages and cultures are studied)
Oratorical Contest
Every fall, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies holds its Oratorical Contest in 7 different languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Chinese, and Italian. The best and the brightest from around the country participate, sharing their thoughts in impassioned speeches. Participants work to improve through friendly competition, developing new relationships through foreign languages that expand far beyond the walls of the university.
National Week
During National Week, students from each department introduce the cultures of the countries of their respective language majors, bringing the campus to life with everything from decorations to the food, clothing, and housing of those cultures. Events like these - unique to foreign studies universities - occur often, allowing one to have cross-cultural exchanges and experiences without ever leaving the campus.
Efforts to Stop Harassment
Kyoto University of Foreign Studies respects the rights of all of its students, staff, and faculty. In order to provide a comfortable, harassment-free environment for education and research, we have established "Harassment Guidelines" and constantly strive to ensure that harassment does not happen, whether sexual or academic.
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