The University of Tsukuba was founded in 1973, following the relocation of its predecessor the Tokyo University of Education to the city of Tsukuba.

The institution has a particular focus on interdisciplinary studies and internationalisation, with international cooperation agreements with North Africa and Central Asia.

Around 70 current and former students at the institution have participated in the Olympic Games. The university also does research and offers courses on the international sporting event.

Meanwhile, the university is home to three Nobel laureates: former presidents of the institution Sin-Itiro Tomonaga and Leo Esaki won the physics prizes in 1965 and 1973 respectively, while professor emeritus Hideki Shirakawa won the chemistry prize in 2000.

Jigoro Kano, the founder of the Kodokan Institute, the headquarters of the worldwide judo community, was the leader of the Higher Normal School and Tokyo Higher Normal School, which were antecedents to the university.

The institution’s slogan is: “Imagine the future”.