International Initiatives
In an age when overseas travel was an enormous hardship, Keio founder Yukichi Fukuzawa visited the United States and Europe on three occasions. What he gleaned from his trips abroad was a belief that Japan needed to adopt elements of the Western educational system in order for the nation to progress into the modern era. Keio was formed, thereby, on the notion that an international perspective is essential.
In 1964, Keio University moved ahead of the other Japanese universities in establishing an organization that would manage international-exchange-related business. This organization, called the International Center, has continued to make contributions to the development of Keio University's international relations.
This Center has provided students from around the world with the opportunity to learn not only the Japanese language, but also its unique customs and culture. For regular undergraduate and graduate students who are not native speakers of Japanese, a Japanese as a Foreign Language program is available.
