Rikkyo University

Rikkyo University is a private university focusing on liberal arts in the Japanese capital of Tokyo. The institution began life in 1876 as an Episcopalian Christian private school for bible and English studies. It is now home to over 20,000 students and 2,500 staff members. Some of the most popular courses for undergraduates at Rikkyo include arts, economics, sociology, and law and politics. The campus at Ikebukuro has several buildings that have been designated as of historical interest by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. This includes the ivy-lined main building called Morris Hall, which was constructed in 1918. The university has another campus in the city of Niiza, about 25 kilometres north-west of Ikebukuro. Rikkyo University remains aligned to the Anglican Episcopal Church in Japan. There are chapels on both campuses and the university is a member of the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion. The university was selected as part of the “Top Global University Project” by the Japanese government in 2014. The initiative identified and provided support to universities that are attempting to internationalise. As part of the project, by 2024, Rikkyo aims to increase the number of international students to 2,000, expand its network of international partners, and increase the ratio of international staff members to one in five. The university has also launched a new four year undergraduate degree completely in English called Global Liberal Arts. A team from Rikkyo University competes in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball league with five other universities based in the Japanese capital. Rikkyo last won a championship in Spring 2017.