Kyoto University was founded in 1897 as Japan’s second imperial university and describes itself as one of the country’s leading comprehensive research universities. Its first president, Hiroji Kinoshita, set the founding principle of self-reliance and self-respect. It has 10 faculties and 18 graduate schools on three campuses in Kyoto. Yasuto Tachikawa became President on 1 October 2026 for a term ending on 30 September 2032.
Its 2026-2027 introductory brochure gives 22,700 students as of 1 April 2026, 12,800 undergraduates and 9,900 graduate students, including 3,000 international students, and 8,800 faculty and staff as of 1 May 2026. In July 2026 the university was selected for the Japanese government’s Universities for International Research Excellence programme; its plan under the programme, which introduces a Department System, was approved in August. It lists overseas centres in Heidelberg, Bangkok and Washington, DC.