Founded in 1911, Kyushu University is one of Japan's leading research-oriented institutes of higher education, consistently ranking as one of the top ten Japanese universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World Rankings. The university is one of the seven national universities in Japan, located in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu—the most southwestern of Japan's four main islands with a population and land size slightly larger than Belgium. Kyushu U's multiple campuses—including the largest single campus in Japan—are located around Fukuoka City, a coastal metropolis that is frequently ranked among the world's most livable cities and historically known as Japan's gateway to Asia. Kyushu U has around 19,000 students, with over 2500 international students from 102 countries, reflecting the university's steadfast commitment to internationalization. As a Designated National University, Kyushu U is working towards its VISION 2030, transforming into a "university that drives social change with integrative knowledge." Through fusing the spectrum of knowledge, from the humanities and arts to engineering and medical sciences, Kyushu U aims to strengthen its research to compete at the highest level in the world. By leveraging its strengths in the key areas of decarbonization, medicine and health, and environment and food, Kyushu U is resolved to tackle the most pressing social and global issues facing us today, while innovating new systems for a better future.