About KOBE DU

TOWARD KOBE, KOBE DESIGN ON THE MOVE

Kobe is an international port. It has accepted diverse cultures. It’s an urban space where people and cultures integrate. As a symbol of the integration, students from the inside and outside of the country come together at Kobe Design University.

Urban and Nature

The city faces Osaka Bay and is blessed with abundant nature, with the Rokko Mountains in the background forming a backdrop. Its many people have created the city’s unique spaces, from uptown to downtown, and from the port town to the new town.

Practicality

This international city offers an abundance of potential fields for Kobe Design University. These include architecture, fine art, design, fashion, photography, computer graphics, film, manga and animation. The university cultivates artists who have a comprehensive mind.

Totalization

People who develop new values. People capable of collaborating with others. The time you spend in Kobe can be a big stepping stone for your future development. Toward Kobe, Kobe design on the move.

University Outline

Kobe Design University intends to contribute to the promotion of social and cultural development through the use of knowledge, state-of-the-art technology, and expression. The institution is also involved in education and research to create new artistic expressions through practices to be carried out in collaboration with various industries. The university was founded in 1989 by the Tanioka Gakuen Educational Foundation, under the motto, “Training people who contribute to our world.”

  • Chairman : Dr.TANIOKA Ichiro
  • President : Dr.MATSUMURA Shuichi

Greeting from the President

New Challenges for Arts and Design

The field of Arts and Design at Kobe Design University, or Design-Arts are currently facing a great change. Until a little while ago, Design-Arts was thought of as a world of techniques based on artistic sensibilities. Of course, that is one of the important elements. In contrast, Arts and Design has established a new academic field by advocating the fusion of art and engineering, or the fusion of sensibility with science and technology.

It is said that both conscious thinking centering on logic and unconscious thinking centering on sensitivity operate simultaneously and in parallel. This point is the very philosophy of Arts and Design. The scientific process and the inventive approach of Design-Arts work in unison to demonstrate new ideas and possibilities.

Recently, the four major mass medias have been in rapid decline. Instead, selectable online information has been widely spread to the world. In addition, the boundary for traditional fields of art and design is blending, and new forms of expression are being presented that are capable of eliciting sympathy and empathy that had not previously been considered. While adhering to traditional expression, it is essential to challenge pioneering fields beyond the boundaries. Arts and Design responds to these social changes, and in addition to creativity and leadership, so that we will also refine the ability to develop new relationships and fields in the future.

The fields of Arts and Design and Design-Arts have been expanding remarkably. Kobe Design University will always strive to improve and progress. We hope to play an important role in creating a new era, and to add value to ever changing societal needs.

President
Kobe Design University

General Information(As of May 1,2021)

  • Founded: in 1989
  • Total area of campus: 114,139㎡
  • Total floor area of campus buildings: 33,120㎡
  • Number of students: 1,706 (1,620 Undergraduates, 86 Graduates)
  • Number of faculty members: 280 (incl. 181 part-time members)
  • Number of administrative staff members: 78 (incl. 19 part-time members)

After graduation: Typical career options

  • Auto manufacturing
  • Home electronics
  • Optical equipment
  • Housing manufacturing
  • Housing materials
  • Construction facilities
  • Fashion
  • Apparel
  • Textiles
  • Furniture
  • Sundry manufacturing
  • Architecture
  • Designs
  • Urban planning
  • Landscape
  • Interior
  • Visual designs
  • Mass media
  • Broadcasting
  • Event planning
  • Audio-visual planning
  • Information processing
  • Communications services
  • Arts and cultural facilities
  • Teachers at high school (arts and crafts) and junior high school (arts)
  • Creators
  • Artists

Academic Staff (As of May 1,2021)

Position Age
Professor Associate Professor Lecturer Assistant Professor Assistant under 24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 Over 70
Graduate School of Arts and Design (32)※ (24)※ (0)※ (8)※ 0 0 0 (5)※ (17)※ (20)※ (20)※ (2)
School of Arts and Design 33 26 0 11 17 2 8 14 18 22 21 2
　└ Department of Environmental Design 8 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 4 3 4 1
　└ Department of Product and Interior Design 4 4 0 1 2 0 0 2 4 2 3 0
　└ Department of Visual Design 5 4 0 1 4 1 2 2 1 5 3 0
　└ Department of Image Arts 4 3 0 2 3 0 1 4 1 3 3 0
　└ Department of Manga Media 4 3 0 3 3 0 3 1 2 5 1 1
　└ Department of Fashion and Textile Design 4 4 0 0 3 0 1 2 2 3 3 0
　└ Department of Arts and Crafts 4 4 0 2 2 1 1 1 4 1 4 0
Center for Arts and Design Education 9 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 4 7 0
Total 42 28 0 11 18 2 9 14 18 26 28 2

※Academic staff (excluding assistants) belonging to both Graduate and Undergraduate Schools
“Professors” includes “Guest Professor”

Number of Openings, Capacity and Current Students(As of May 1,2021)

Openings Enrollments (2021) Enrollment Ratio Capacity Current Students University Students Ratio International Students Transfer Students Adult Students ※1 Dispatched Students Male to Female Ratio
Graduate School of Arts and Design 33 41 1.24 72 86 1.19 56 0 1 0 4:6
　└ Arts and Design Division(Doctoral Degree Course) 6 3 0.50 18 12 0.67 8 0 1 0 3:7
　└ Integrated Arts and Design Division (Master’s Degree Course) 27 38 1.415 54 74 1.37 48 0 0 0 4:6
School of Arts and Design 400 356 0.89 1600 1616 1.01 136 33 0 0 5:5
　└ Department of Environmental Design 70 68 0.97 280 302 1.08 14 13 0 0 6:4
　└ Department of Product and Interior Design 70 47 0.67 280 280 1.00 27 7 0 0 5:5
　└ Department of Visual Design 80 71 0.89 320 327 1.02 28 7 0 0 3:7
　└ Department of Image Arts 45 517 1.13 180 228 1.27 20 1 0 0 6:4
　└ Department of Manga Media 45 47 1.04 180 182 1.01 20 1 0 0 4:6
　└ Department of Fashion and Textile Design 50 30 0.60 200 143 0.72 12 0 0 0 3:7
　└ Department of Arts and Crafts 40 42 1.05 160 158 0.99 15 4 0 0 4:6
Total 433 397 0.92 1672 1706 1.02 192 33 1 0 4:6
  1. Adult Students: Students who enrolled through the Adult Entrance Examination Process

Enrollment Trends

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Graduate School of Arts and Design 41 39 53 33 22 21 18 27 33 28 33
　└ Arts and Design Division(Doctoral Degree Course) 3 5 3 1 1 4 1 0 6 4 3
　└ Integrated Arts and Design Division
(Master’s Degree Course)(※2		 38 34 50 32 21 17 17 18 16 13 19
0 9 11 11
School of Arts and Design(※3 356 464 439 391 409 393 453 – – – –
School of Design(※3 – – – – – – – 284 305 283 280
School of Progressive Arts(※3 – – – – – – – 156 139 140 140
　└ Department of Environmental Design 68 74 93 72 87 75 81 101 75 72 69
　└ Department of Product and Interior Design 47 82 77 68 72 80 73 58 79 69 44
　└ Department of Visual Design 71 90 77 91 77 65 103 80 99 98 111
　└ Department of Image Arts (※1 51 68 67 55 59 53 56 66 56 55 53
　└ Department of Manga Media (※1 47 53 48 35 49 36 50 50 48 54 55
　└ Department of Fashion and Textile Design 30 44 39 41 34 42 51 45 52 44 56
　└ Department of Arts and Crafts (※3 42 53 38 29 31 42 39 40 35 31 32
Total 397 503 492 424 431 414 471 467 477 451 453
  1. Started since April, 2010
  2. Integrated Arts Division and Integrated Design Division in Master’s degree course have ceased enrollment, and Integrated Arts and Design Division in Master’s degree course has started since April 2015.
  3. School of Progressive Arts and School of Design have combined and been renamed School of Arts and Design. In the School of Arts and Design, there are seven Departments; Department of Environmental Design,Product and Interior Design, Visual Design, Image Arts, Manga Media, Fashion and Textile Design, and Arts and Crafts.

Alumni (As of May 1,2021)

2020 Graduates Graduates since school opening
Graduate School of Arts and Design 49 661
　└ Doctoral Degree Course 1 65
　└ Master’s Degree Course 48 596
School of Arts and Design (※1 (※3 345 5477
　└ Department of Environmental Design 82 1544
　└ Department of Industrial Design – 938
　　Product Design Course
　└ Department of Industrial Design – 246
　　Apparel Design Course
　└ Department of Industrial Design – 280
　　Fashion Design Course
　└ Department of Product Design – 235
　└ Department of Product and Interior Design 66 188
　└ Department of Fashion and Textile Design 32 244
　└ Department of Visual Design(~2005/3/31) – 1288
　└ Department of Visual Design(2015/4/1~) 59 197
　└ Department of Image Arts 47 119
　└ Department of Manga Media 34 102
　└ Department of Arts and Crafts 25 96
School of Design(※3 0 2336
　└ Department of Visual Design 0 752
　└ Department of Fashion and Textile Design 0 428
　└ Department of Product Design 0 577
　└ Department of Environmental Design 0 579
School of Progressive Arts (※2 (※3 1 829
　└ Department of Media Arts 0 245
　└ Department of Plastic Arts 0 133
　└ Department of Manga Media 0 170
　└ Department of Image Arts 0 160
　└ Department of Crafts and Arts 1 121
Total 395 9303

※1………
・Apparel Design Course in the Department of Industrial Design has been renamed Fashion Design Course since April, 1994.
・School of Arts and Design has been renamed School of Design since April, 2005.
・Department of Environmental Design(~2005/3/31) has been renamed Department of Environmental Design since April, 2005.
・Department of Visual Design(~2005/3/31) has been renamed Department of Visual Design since April, 2005.
・School of Arts and Design Department of Industrial Design has ceased operation since March 3, 2009.

※2………
・Department of Manga Media, Image Arts and Arts and Crafts have started since April, 2010.
・Department of Plastic Arts, Department of Plastic Arts have ceased enrollment since April, 2010. School of Progressive Arts and School of Design have combined and been renamed School of Arts and Design. In the School of Arts and Design, there are seven Departments; Department of Environmental Design,Product and Interior Design, Visual Design, Image Arts, Manga Media, Fashion and Textile Design, and Arts and Crafts.

※3………
・School of Progressive Arts and School of Design have combined and been renamed School of Arts and Design since April, 2015 . In the School of Arts and Design, there are seven Departments; Department of Environmental Design,Product and Interior Design, Visual Design, Image Arts, Manga Media, Fashion and Textile Design, and Arts and Crafts.

School and Research Institute :

Organization Chart(PDF)