[Kansai Gaidai] Overseas Partner Universities Expand to 428 Institutions in 55 Countries and Regions

It has been half a century since Kansai University of Foreign Studies (Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture) began concluding agreements with overseas universities and dispatching its students abroad while accepting international students. In May 2026, agreements were signed with universities in Turkey and Vietnam, bringing the total number of overseas partner universities to 428 institutions in 55 countries and regions as of the end of June. The network of partner universities, which began with two institutions in the United States in 1972, has been expanding year by year.

▲ Chairman Eiko Tanimoto signs at the signing ceremony (left)

Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University is a national comprehensive university with a rare Japanese language education department in Turkey, which trains Japanese language teachers. Chairman Eiko Tanimoto attended the signing ceremony for the agreement held on-site in May, with Consul General Ryoji Iwama of the Consulate General of Japan in Istanbul in attendance. The Faculty of Education at the university was holding its "Day of Japan" event, and attendees were able to observe club activities introducing Japanese culture and converse with students from the Japanese language education department.

FPT University in Vietnam offers cutting-edge IT and practical business education and currently accepts 1,000 international students annually. The university aims to further deepen exchanges with Vietnam, which is experiencing remarkable economic growth in the Asian region.

Kansai University of Foreign Studies currently dispatches approximately 1,300 of its students to overseas universities annually, while accepting approximately 1,100 international students from overseas universities.

▲ Send-off ceremony for long-term dispatched international students (December 2025) ▲ Orientation for international students (January 2026)

▲ International students who studied at Kansai Gaidai in the Spring 2026 semester

Looking at the partner universities by country and region, the United States with 197 institutions and Canada with 38 institutions stand out significantly. The two North American countries account for a total of 235 institutions, representing over 50% of the total.

Meanwhile, the number of partner universities in the Asian region has been increasing in recent years. Due to the establishment of the "Asian Co-creation Studies" program in the Faculty of International Liberal Studies in April 2025, the total number of partner institutions in Asia, including 27 in China, 16 in South Korea, 5 in Thailand, and 4 in India, has reached 66, accounting for 15% of the total.

Over the past decade, the GDP of the entire Asian region has doubled, and the middle class, which forms the core of economic activity, is said to have seen approximately 2.1 billion people newly enter the global economy from Asia. Kansai University of Foreign Studies aims to foster global Asian leaders by having international students from various countries and regions in Asia learn and interact with its own students, thereby gaining knowledge and insights into Asian culture and business.

Number of partner institutions by country (5 or more institutions)

▽ United States 197

▽ Canada 38

▽ China (including Hong Kong) 27

▽ Australia 18

▽ South Korea 16

▽ Spain 12

▽ Germany, France 8

▽ Netherlands 7

▽ New Zealand 6

▽ Mexico, Finland, Sweden, Italy, United Kingdom, Thailand 5

【Contact Information】

Kansai University of Foreign Studies Public Relations Department

Phone: 072-805-2817 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, excluding Sundays and public holidays)

E-mail: press@kansaigaidai.ac.jp

Kansai University of Foreign Studies

Official Website https://www.kansaigaidai.ac.jp

▲ The flags of countries with partner universities line up in front of the International Exchange Center. Students learn daily while engaging with multiculturalism.

"GO FOR it! Beyond Language."

Kansai University of Foreign Studies utilizes its overseas network, which spans 428 universities in 55 countries and regions (as of June 2026), to send approximately 1,300 students abroad annually. Its two campuses in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture, host approximately 1,100 international students each year, fostering daily international exchange.

Building on language proficiency, the university has established an educational system that allows students to learn diverse specialized fields such as culture, politics, and economics as "+α." It offers various learning opportunities, including the "USCPA Pathway Program" aimed at obtaining the U.S. Certified Public Accountant qualification, tailored to individual student interests. Students acquire specialized skills beyond language proficiency, developing the solid capabilities needed to meet the demands of the evolving era and society.