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History
The predecessor of Hokkai-Gakuen University : From Hokkai English School to the establishment of the University
In 1872, the Meiji government established Japan's first school system, modeled on the French system. Accordingly, the first elementary school was founded in Sapporo.
In 1875, a temporary school of the Kaitakushi (Hokkaido Development Commission) relocated from Tokyo to Sapporo, where it reopened as Sapporo Agricultural College the following year. This was Japan's first institution of higher education specializing in agriculture. It was modeled after Massachusetts State Agricultural College. However, until Hokkaido's first junior high school was established in 1883, it was virtually impossible for students graduating from local elementary schools to enter Sapporo Agricultural College. Also, it was difficult to recruit students from Japan's mainland, because they considered Hokkaido too distant and underdeveloped. To address this problem, Sapporo Agricultural College established a preparatory course to enable elementary school graduates to prepare for college entrance. However, the entrance examination was so difficult that only a few applicants were admitted.
Amidst such circumstances, Hokkai English School, the predecessor of Hokkai-Gakuen, was established in 1885. This school conducted all lessons using English textbooks and attracted not only students wishing to enter Sapporo Agricultural College but also those hoping to receive secondary school education.
In 1901, the Middle School Division of Hokkai English School was founded. The middle school changed its name to Hokkai Middle School in 1905, marking the birth of Hokkaido's only private middle school at the time. Shizuka Asaba took office as the first president of Hokkai Middle School. It is said that he dreamed of establishing a university in Hokkaido.
In 1950, Hokkai Junior College, the predecessor of Hokkai-Gakuen University, opened its Department of Economics (day and evening courses). Upon the establishment of the junior college, preparations began for application to reorganize as a four-year university. In 1952, Hokkai-Gakuen University opened its Department of Economics in the Faculty of Economics (day course). Tetsusaburo Uehara took office as the first president, and 259 first-year undergraduates were admitted. Though small in scale, with 17 regular instructors and two administrative assistants, Hokkaido's first private university was born.
1885 | Hokkai English School is established. |
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1905 | Hokkai Middle School, a private five-year school, is established. |
1949 | Sapporo Hokkai Gakuin is established. |
1950 | Hokkai Junior College is founded with the establishment of the Department of Economics (day and evening courses). |
1952 | Hokkai-Gakuen University (a four-year school) is founded with the establishment of the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Economics (day course). |
1953 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes an evening course in the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics. |
1957 | The Center for Development Policy Studies is established. |
1962 | Hokkai Junior College establishes the Department of Civil Engineering (day and evening courses) at the present Yamahana school building. |
1964 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Law in the Faculty of Law (day and evening courses). |
1965 | Hokkai Junior College is renamed Hokkai-Gakuen Junior College. |
1966 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Business Administration in the Faculty of Economics (day and evening courses). |
1968 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Architecture and Building Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering. |
1970 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Economic Policy Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Economics. |
1986 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Law Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Law. |
1987 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Electronics and Information Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering. |
1991 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Civil and Architectural Engineering Major and the Electronics and Information Engineering Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Engineering. |
1992 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Law Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Law. |
1993 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Japanese Culture and the Department of English and Cultures in the Faculty of Humanities (day and evening courses). |
1995 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Economic Policy Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Economics, and the Civil and Architectural Engineering Major and the Electronics and Information Engineering Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Engineering. |
1999 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Law (day and evening courses), and the Japanese Culture Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Letters. |
2000 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Business Administration Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Business Administration. |
2001 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Japanese Culture Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Letters. |
2002 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Business Administration Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Business Administration. |
2003 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Regional Economics in the Faculty of Economics (day and evening courses), the Department of Management (day and evening courses) and the Department of Management Information (day course) in the Faculty of Business Administration, the Political Science Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Law, and the English and Cultures Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Letters. |
2005 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Law School and the Political Science Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Law, and the English and Cultures Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Letters. The Department of Civil Engineering is renamed the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering. |
2012 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Department of Life Science and Technology in the Faculty of Engineering. |
2016 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Electronics, Information, and Life Science Engineering Major in the Master's Program, Graduate School of Engineering. |
2018 | Hokkai-Gakuen University establishes the Electronics, Information, and Life Science Engineering Major in the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Engineering. |
2019 | Hokkai-Gakuen University starts the "Hokkai-Gakuen University Press". |