Gunma University, abbreviated to Gundai, is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Aramaki-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture.
History
Gunma University was established in 1949 by integrating the national colleges in Gunma Prefecture: Maebashi College of Medical Science, Kiryu Technical College, Gunma Normal School and Gunma Youth Normal School. Below are the histories of the predecessors of Gunma University :
Maebashi College of Medical Science
Maebashi College of Medical Science was founded in 1943 as Maebashi Medical College, a men's college, to meet the growing need of doctors during World War II. In 1948, the college was reorganized into Maebashi College of Medical Science, a four-year college. In 1949 the college was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Medicine. The campus was located in Showa-machi, Maebashi.
Kiryu Technical College
Kiryu Technical College was founded in 1915 as Kiryu Higher Dyeing and Weaving Vocational School, a men's college. The college was located in the town of Kiryu, whose main industry was textile manufacturing. In 1920 the college was renamed Kiryu Technical College with the Department of Applied Chemistry added. Departments of mechanics and electronics were also later added. In 1944 the college was renamed, in Japanese, Kiryū kōgyō semmon gakkō. In 1949 the college was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Engineering. The campus was located in Tenjin-cho, Kiryu. The former main building of the college is partly preserved as the Alumni Memorial Hall.
Gunma Normal School
Gunma Normal School was founded in February 1873 as the Training Center For Elementary School Teachers by Gunma Prefecture government. The center was located in Maebashi. In June 1873 Gunma Prefecture was merged with a part of present-day Saitama Prefecture to constitute Kumagaya Prefecture. The training center was renamed Chohatsu School and removed to Honjo, and then to Kumagaya. In September 1876 the school was removed to Takasaki and renamed Normal School of Gunma Prefecture, for the present-day Gunma Prefecture was established in August 1876. In October 1876 the school was removed again to Maebashi, from then on Maebashi was home to the school. The normal school underwent several removals and renamings. In 1901 Gunma Girls' Normal School was established, and the Normal School of Gunma Prefecture became a boys' school. In 1943 the two prefectural normal schools were merged into Gunma Normal School, a national college: the men's department was located in Hiyoshi-cho, Maebashi and the women's department was in Wakamiya-cho, Maebashi. In 1949 the normal school was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Liberal Arts. The Faculty of Education was removed to newborn Aramaki Campus in 1970, and former Hiyoshi Campus was abolished; former Wakamiya Campus is used by the GU-attached Elementary School and the School for Children with Special Needs.
Gunma Youth Normal School
Gunma Youth Normal School was founded in 1918 as Agricultural Training School, which was attached to the Normal School of Gunma Prefecture. The purpose of the school was to nurture agricultural teachers. The school was later renamed Gunma Prefectural Training Center for Teachers of Adolescent Youth in 1935. The purpose of the center was to nurture the teachers of youth schools, which were the institutions to train working youths. In 1944 the Training Center was reorganized into Gunma Youth Normal School, a national college. The school was removed to Takasaki to have an independent campus. Finally in 1947 the school got its campus in the former site of the Army. In 1949 the normal school was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Liberal Arts. In 1951 Takasaki Campus was abolished.
