Osaka Prefecture University, also abbreviated to Fudai, is one of the largest public universities in Japan. The main campus is among big Kofun tombs in Sakai, Osaka. .
History
OPU was established in 2005 in its current form by integrating three prefectural universities: University of Osaka Prefecture, Osaka Women's University and Osaka Prefecture College of Nursing. In June 2020, OPU announced that it would be merging with Osaka City University to become the University of Osaka. However, after the name was announced on June 26, 2020, Osaka University President released a statement pointing out that the English version of the new university's name was "remarkably similar" to that of Osaka University, adding, "It will cause confusion among our students, and work as a great obstacle for the future of both universities, which are reaching out to the world."
University of Osaka Prefecture
UOP was originally established in 1949 as Naniwa University by mingling several national and public technical colleges. Among them was Osaka National College of Engineering. Since then the faculties in the field of engineering have been very competitive. In 1955 the university was renamed University of Osaka Prefecture. The history of the precedent colleges of Naniwa University is as follows: In 1883, the prefectural government founded the Veterinary Training Institute attached to Osaka Prefectural Medical School. In 1888, the institute was moved to Osaka Prefectural School of Agriculture in Sakai, which had two courses of agriculture and veterinary science. In 1942, during World War II, the course for Veterinary Medicine was reorganized into Osaka Higher School of Veterinary Medicine, which was renamed Osaka College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry in 1945. This prefectural college, together with Osaka Agricultural College, constituted NU Faculty of Agriculture. The main origin was founded as Osaka National Higher School of Engineering in 1939, which was renamed Osaka National College of Engineering in 1944. Its site is now the main campus of OPU. The college was merged with four prefectural technical colleges to constitute NU Faculty of Engineering. In 1950, the two of the former prefectural colleges constituted Junior Technical College Division. Still other origin was established as Osaka Youth Normal School in 1944. This teachers college constituted NU Faculty of Education, which was later abolished and reorganized into Division of Liberal Arts. The Junior College of Agriculture, University of Osaka Prefecture was a junior college in Mihara-ku, Sakai. It was established in 1953, and closed in 1964. It offered courses in agriculture and food chemistry.
Osaka Women's University
OWU was established in 1949 by developing Osaka Prefecture Women's College, which was established in 1924 under old educational systems. Its campus was originally located in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka. In 1976, the university was moved to Sakai. The campus was next to Daisen-kofun. OWU at first had one faculty: Faculty of Liberal Arts and Education, which included:
OPCN was founded as Osaka Prefecture Junior College of Nursing in 1978. Its campus was located in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka. In 1994, the junior college developed into Osaka Prefecture College of Nursing.
OPU has one of the largest campus areas in Japan, and it has a very nice relaxing atmosphere especially in the parks where children often come to play during holidays. There are four cafeterias which are popular among the students and also the professors. OPU is specially superior in the engineering science field. All information about classes and student's results are administered using an IT System and there are lots of computers that all students can use freely. OPU has four school festivals namely "Yuko festival", "Tanabata festival", "Anju festival" and "Shirasagi festival." The Yuko festival is held in May, where many freshmen set up refreshment booths and make friends in this festival, since "Yuko" means "friendship" in Japanese. The Shirasagi festival is held in November and is a big festival that has been a tradition for more than 60 years. Every year, in this festival there are many booths and four stages for some events, where famous singers and artists are invited to perform. Among all the refreshment booths, the one that sells "Churros" is the most popular. Each festival, many people come and check out the booths and enjoy the events and OPU. OPU has two large famous gates: Nakamozu gate and Shirasagi gate. Those gates are used by most people who go to OPU. OPU has facilities such as library, U Function hall and grassy areas where people can have picnics, so in weekdays most students enter the university through those gates in order to take lessons, and in the weekends, people who live near OPU enter through those gates in order to play or just walk around in the parks inside of the university.
