About NUFS
University History
Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies is an independent, co-educational four-year liberal arts university.
The school’s roots go back to the months after the city had been reduced to ashes by the atomic bomb. It was founded as Nagasaki College of Foreign Languages on December 1, 1945, by the Reverend Takeo Aoyama, Mr. Sumio Ogata, and other members of the Uma-machi Church in downtown Nagasaki.
The little school in a church stood as a symbol of the will that characterized Japan’s postwar recovery: to rebuild its shattered world as a society dedicated to peace and understanding.
Both the study of languages and Christianity have played an important part in the history of this international city. During the period of national isolation from 1641-1859, ambitious young people came to Nagasaki from all over the country to study Dutch. Their aim was to absorb advanced Western civilization, especially technology, through the foreigners who were allowed to live only in Nagasaki. Also, after the country was opened again, Nagasaki regained its position as the center of Christianity in Japan.
After the end of World War II, the founders set up a language school to revive Nagasaki as a center of language learning. The school hoped to provide the surviving youth with the opportunity to study foreign languages, which had been forbidden during wartime, in order to promote peace and mutual understanding with other nations. They chose for their educational ideal a Christian emphasis in preparing students to make a significant contribution to society, fostering respect for themselves and for others.
1986 marked the opening of another classroom and auditorium building to bring the Izumi campus to its completion.
In 1958 the original site in the YMCA in central Nagasaki City was taken over by the city to make way for the new Civic Auditorium. The college moved to a new campus in the north part of town, in Izumi-machi, with the construction of new facilities. A five-story addition was added in 1965 to house an expanded library and an Audio-Visual section. When the dormitory was destroyed in the great flood of 1982, a new dormitory for 100 students was constructed.
As the school continued to grow, it was evident that even more facilities were needed, but space in the Izumi campus was limited. Plans were undertaken to move the college once again. The 1996 school year opened in an entirely new facility in Togitsu-cho, a suburb of Nagasaki City. The present campus boarders on the City of Nagasaki on two sides, and its location atop a hill allows it a spectacular view of Omura Bay and the surrounding community. The new buildings include a gymnasium, an expanded Multi-Media Library, and an extensive Multi-Media Center with computer-assisted instruction rooms.
Christian Education
Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies was established to carry out the spirit of Christian education (School Regulations, First Article). For this reason, the school offers programs in Christianity (School Regulations, Second Article). A brief outline is listed below. The school chaplain and committee on religion are responsible for the implementation and management of these programs.
Timeline
| December 1945 | United Church of Christ in Japan’s Umamachi Church opens temporary YMCA offices, makes preparations for new YMCA activities and the founding of Nagasaki School of Foreign Languages |
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| April 1947 | MCA Nagasaki inherits former maintenance organization, reorganizes as Nagasaki School of Foreign Languages (39 Umamachi, Nagasaki City) and is licensed by prefectural governor |
| September 1948 | School moves to new building in 1 Motodaikumachi, Nagasaki City |
| April 1950 | Nagasaki College of Foreign Languages established |
| April 1959 | School moves to new building in 243 Sumiyoshi (now Izumimachi) |
| February 1960 | YMCA Nagasaki School Corporation name formally changed to Nagasaki School Corporation |
| December 1965 | Celebration of 20th anniversary since school’s foundation |
| April 2001 | Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies established, Department of Foreign Languages merged into Department of English |
| December 2005 | Celebration of 60th anniversary since school’s foundation |
| April 2009 | Department of Modern English established |
| October 2011 | Celebration of 10th anniversary since?Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies foundation |
| December 2015 | Celebration of 70th anniversary since school’s foundation |