Address: Karasuma-higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, 602-8580 Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Science & Engineering (Mechanical; Electrical; Chemical; Information), Life & Medical Sciences (with tech focus)
Doshisha began in 1875 as the Doshisha English School in Kyoto, founded by Niijima Jō, also known as Joseph Hardy Neesima. The university marked its 150th anniversary in 2025.
Today Doshisha is a private university in Kyoto with 14 faculties and 16 graduate schools. The faculties include Theology, Letters, Social Studies, Law, Economics, Commerce, Policy Studies, Culture and Information Science, Science and Engineering, Life and Medical Sciences, Sports and Health Science, Psychology, Global Communication and Global Area Studies.
Teaching is divided between the Imadegawa campus in central Kyoto and the Kyotanabe campus in southern Kyoto. About 29,000 students are enrolled across undergraduate and graduate levels. The university’s English website holds the history pages and the statements marking its 150th anniversary.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Numerous international partnerships. Strong alumni network.
Research:
Advanced materials and nanotechnology, Intelligent information systems and AI, Biomedical engineering and regenerative medicine, Environmental science and sustainable technology.
Famous Alumnis:
Masayoshi Son (attended briefly)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1500
Current students***:
28000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Prestigious private comprehensive university, strong liberal arts tradition combined with growing science and engineering, located in Kyoto.
Cons
Private university with tuition fees, engineering faculty is one among many.
Best For
Prestigious private comprehensive university with strong science and engineering programs.
Ritsumeikan University, also in Kyoto, is a private university covering science and engineering, information science and robotics, much like Doshisha.
Kansai University in Osaka is a private institution with mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering in its listing.
Sophia University in Tokyo is a private university with a science and technology programme in mechanical fields.
Rikkyo University, a private university in Tokyo, lists physics, chemistry and mathematics among its science fields.
Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo is a private university whose science and engineering side covers mechanical and electrical subjects.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Durham University in the United Kingdom is a public university with arts and humanities, sciences and social science.
University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom is a public university offering arts, divinity, medicine and science.
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen in Germany is a public university with cognitive science and machine learning among its fields.
Soochow University in China, based in Suzhou, spans materials, chemistry, medicine, law and business.
Xiamen University in China is a public university in Xiamen with chemistry and marine science.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Who started Doshisha and when?
Niijima Jō, known in English as Joseph Hardy Neesima, founded the Doshisha English School in Kyoto in 1875. It later developed into Doshisha University.
How many faculties does it have?
There are 14 faculties and 16 graduate schools. They span theology, humanities, social sciences, law, economics, science and engineering, life and medical sciences, sports and psychology.
Which campuses do students use?
Study takes place mainly at Imadegawa in central Kyoto and at Kyotanabe. Which one applies depends on the faculty.
Roughly how many people study at Doshisha?
About 29,000 students attend in total, from undergraduates to doctoral candidates. That count changes slightly with each intake.
Is Doshisha a public university?
No, it is a private university. Fee levels differ by faculty and are published by the university each year.
When did Doshisha mark its 150th anniversary?
The anniversary of the 1875 founding was marked in 2025. The university's English website carries statements about its history.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Engineering, Innovation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Robotics, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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