Muroran Institute of Technology

Muroran Institute of Technology can trace its origins back to schools that were founded in 1887 and 1939. The schools were merged by the Japanese government in 1949 and the university now occupies a 213,813 m² site in Muroran, Japan.

With a population of over 90,0000, Muroran is one of Japan’s leading industrial cities and is situated in the southwestern part of Hokkaido, the northern island of the country. While the main industrial activities continue to be iron and steel manufacturing, a growing number of SMEs are growing in the port area.

Despite the industrial nature of the city, Muroran boasts a clean and green environment. The campus of Muroran Institute of Technology takes full advantage of this, with its location at the foot of Mount Muroran.

Currently, the university has a roll of 3,300 students (500 of which are graduate students). The undergraduate school breaks down into: department of civil engineering and architecture; department of mechanical, aerospace and materials engineering; department of applied sciences; department of information and electronic engineering. Meanwhile, graduate courses (master's) range over: division of sustainable and environmental engineering; division of production systems engineering; division of information and electronic engineering. Graduate school programmes (PhD) consists of advanced sustainable and environmental engineering, advanced production systems engineering, advanced information and electronic engineering.

The university’s research activities range over a number of colleges: college of environmental technology; college of design and manufacturing technology; college of information and systems and the college of liberal arts.Some of the research topics include manufacturing areas, including the aerospace plane and environment/energy material fields. The university’s Organization of Advanced Sustainability Initiative for Energy System/Material is Japan’s only research institute researching and developing new materials using rare earth elements.

Student activities at Muroran IT include: archery, tennis, gym, boating and a number of other student clubs and societies.