The history of Shigakkan can be traced back to Chukyo Sewing Girls’ School, founded by Tamae Naiki in 1905 with an aim to enhance the economic independence and social status of women. Chukyo Girls’ High School was established as an annex in 1921, and the unique educational program focusing on housekeeping and physical exercise made the institution the pioneer in female teacher education in the Chukyo region.
The educational philosophy of the institution was inherited by the Chukyo Women’s Junior College and Chukyo Women’s University, which were inaugurated in 1950 and 1963, respectively. They produced several Olympic medalists in wrestling and became highly acclaimed in the field of physical education. In 2010, the institutes were renamed Shigakkan University and Shigakkan University Junior College and opened their doors as coeducational institutions. Shigakkan’s educational philosophy is ”Capacity Building for Global Citizenship”, which encompasses 5 different areas: ”Wellness”, ”Intellectual Insight”, ”Social Ability”, ”Self Development”, and ”Effective Citizenship”. We place importance on providing thorough education to equip the students with both knowledge and “practical skills.” Our objective is to foster students with independent ideas, the energy to take action, and challenging spirit.
Today, the tendencies toward low birth rate and aging, globalization, and advanced information society are increasing more rapidly. All of us engaged in the field of education must strive to meet the needs of the times and fulfill the responsibility forward society. Therefore, Shigakkan University will continue to move forward, “challenge,” and “grow together” with the students.