National Seven Universities

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The National Seven Universities (全国七大学 zenkoku shichidaigaku?) is formally used to refer to seven public institutions of higher education in Japan. The term "Former Imperial Universities" (旧帝大 kyūteidai?) is commonly used for these seven universities, as they once constituted the Japanese Imperial University system, formed prior to World War II.

The term is also used to refer to the annual athletic competition among these seven schools, similar to the Ivy League. The athletic competition started under the sponsorship of Hokkaido University, formerly known as Seven National Universities Athletic Competition (国立七大学総合体育大会 kokuritsu shichi daigaku sōgō taiiku-taikai ?) in 1962. The Japanese name of the athletic competition was later recoined as 全国七大学総合体育大会 (zenkoku shichidaigaku sōgō taiiku-taikai) in 2002.

In a wider sense, the term is used to refer to the social group once strongly associated with these seven schools, including Gakushikai, the alumni / alumnae clubs.

[edit] Members

Institution Location Full-time enrollment Founded Chartered
Hokkaido University Sapporo, Hokkaidō 11,153 1918 as Hokkaido Imperial University
Kyoto University Kyoto, Kyoto 13,064 1897 as Kyoto Imperial University
Kyushu University Fukuoka, Fukuoka 11,689 1911 as Kyushu Imperial University
Nagoya University Nagoya, Aichi 9,818 1939 as Nagoya Imperial University
Osaka University Suita, Osaka 12,229 1931 as Osaka Imperial University
Tohoku University Sendai, Miyagi 10,692 1907 as Tohoku Imperial University
University of Tokyo Bunkyo, Tokyo 14,711 1877 as Tokyo University

The total number of full-time enrollment of all seven universities amounts to 83,356.

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