Osaka Institute of Technology


Osaka Institute of Technology, abbreviated as Dai kōdai, Han kōdai, or Osaka kōdai is a private university in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. OIT has 3 campuses, Omiya campus located in Asahi-ku, Osaka City, Umeda campus located in Kita-ku, Osaka City and Hirakata campus located in Hirakata City.

History

OIT was originally founded in 1922 as Kansai Engineering Technical School by business man Kyosaburo Honjo, together with architect Yasushi Kataoka, who graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and also served as the school's first principal. The Mission is "For the World, for the People and for the Community", to develop specialists with science-based practical skills who play an important role in society.
In 1940, the school foundation established Kansai Advanced Technical School, a three-year college for men. Kansai Advanced Technical School was renamed to Setsunan Advanced Technical School in 1942, further renamed Setsunan Engineering Technical School in 1944.
In April 1949, Setsunan Engineering Technical School was upgraded to Setsunan Institute of Technology, a four-year university under Japan's new educational systems. In October 1949, it was renamed to Osaka Institute of Technology.
At first, OIT had one faculty: the so-called Faculty of Engineering, which consisted of three departments. Later on, OIT added several departments, three faculties, and a graduate school which includes doctoral-level courses.
As of April 2017, OIT has four faculties. The Faculty of Intellectual Property was the first-ever and is still the only one of its kind in Japan. Moreover, the Faculty of Robotics and Design provides design thinking education to stress an innovative and creative approach towards design.
OIT has three campuses:
The Umeda campus was opened in 2017 near Osaka station and is housed in the 21-storey OIT Umeda Tower, located in the central business district.

Education

From Academic Year 2017, OIT offers 16 undergraduate degrees and 6 master's degrees in the field of engineering, robotics and design, information science and technology, and intellectual property. It also offers 5 doctoral degrees in the fields of engineering, robotics and design, information science and technology.
OIT offers a number of project-based learning opportunities, including:

Faculties (undergraduate schools)

Graduate schools

Research centers

Omiya campus:
Umeda campus:
Hirakata campus:

Rankings

Focusing on the field of Engineering & Information Technology, OIT was ranked 801–1000th in the World University Rankings 2021 and ranked in TOP10 Private Universities in Japan. Especially in terms of the Score of “Citations”, OIT was placed next to Osaka University in Japan Universities and higher ranking than Tokyo University of Science and Shibaura Institute of Technology in the Private Universities. Moreover, OIT was ranked 401+ in the Asia University Rankings 2021 as well.
OIT was ranked 58th in the Japan University Rankings 2019 focusing on the field of “Innovation” and
75th in Japan University Rankings 2018 focusing on the field of “Research”.
OIT was ranked 2nd in the Japan University Rankings 2020 and it was the higher ranking than Tokyo University of Science and Shibaura Institute of Technology in the Private Universities. Especially focusing on the field of Information Technology & Digital media, OIT at Faculty of Information Science and Technology was ranked No.1 in 2019 from Institute of technology in Japan.

Innovations

Research

2025: A research group led by OIT Professor at Faculty of Robotics and Design developed a robot system that operates by rearranging multiple pieces of equipment to investigate and restore river channel blockages that occur in mountainous areas due to earthquakes or heavy rain. Previously, it relied on manual intervention to avoid the risk of secondary damage, but now remote control is possible, making a significant contribution to disaster prevention and mitigation.
2024: OIT researchers at Department of Applied Chemistry and INRAE developed soap-like air bubbles stabilized with cinnamon particles. The gas marbles are edible capsules that make sounds when you bite into them, and they can also be used to decorate cakes and other items.
2023: According to “Scientist Database based on Standardized Citation Indicators” updated by Stanford University and Elsevier as a comprehensive list that identifies “TOP 2% of the world's most influential researchers”, OIT's 4 professors from Department of Applied Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering were selected.
2022: OIT researchers at Department of Applied Chemistry and UMET that is the joint research unit of Lille University of Science and Technology and French National Centre for Scientific Research developed an innovative ‘Micro reaction vessel’ that can initiate a reaction by irradiating light using droplets.
This research was supported by JSPS, and the research paper was published in ‘ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces’.
2021: An international collaborative research group of OIT at Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo Institute of Technology and National [Yang Ming Chiao Tung University] developed an innovative method for preparing ‘Chiral Silica’ consisting of a molecular-scale helical structure by an extremely simple process.
This research was promoted by the moonshot-type research and development project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, and was published in the Open Access Journal ‘JACS Au’ of the American Chemical Society.
2020: A research group of University of Tokyo at Department of Applied Physics, RIKEN and OIT at Faculty of Information Science and Technology succeeded in developing an innovative “Transportable Optical lattice clock with Ultra-precise measurements“ for the first time in the world through a verification testing on validity of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity at Tokyo Skytree. Compared to conventional space experiments, using the transportable OLC on satellite and rocket, the equivalent experiments are available with a height difference of 10,000 times less.
2019: OIT researchers at Department of Applied Chemistry discovered that poly-3-hexylthiophene, a conductive polymer widely used as a material for solar cells and transistors, has a new ability to convert light into heat. Since P3HT dissolves in organic solvents, it can be used as a paint, and can be applied to substrates of various shapes. Also it can be expected to be applied to local heating in a vacuum space or a fine space, such as hyperthermia, which uses heat in an outer space or kills cancer cells by heat. This innovative research was highly evaluated and published by the American Chemical Society in the field of polymer.
2018: OIT researcher at Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Information Science and Technology participated in “KAGRA” Project, a national project managed by Institute for Cosmic Ray Research of University of Tokyo and National Institutes of Natural Sciences/National Astronomical Observatory of Japan/High Energy Accelerator Research Organization for Astrophysics & Information systems research on Gravitational-wave observatory. From Institute of technology in Japan, only Tokyo Institute of Technology and OIT were engaged in the project.
2017: OIT researcher at Department of System Design, Faculty of Robotics and Design jointly developed an innovative Odor Measuring Platform that allows them to analyze and evaluate different kinds of odors objectively together with Konica Minolta through open innovation. Based on the platform, Konica Minolta unveiled "Kun Kun" body. "Kun Kun" body, simply consisting of a device and a smartphone application, can measure odors of the scalp, armpits, skin behind the ears, and feet. Measured odor data are sent via Bluetooth and displayed in the smartphone app in 20 seconds or so. Odors are classified into 10 levels, allowing users to objectively decide whether they need to take some deodorizing measures. OIT has been researching ways of distinguishing different odors through neural network-based AI technology using gas sensor.
2016: OIT researcher at Department of Applied Chemistry jointly developed an innovative material transfer technology combining Liquid droplets covered with solid particles and Light together with Asahikawa Medical University and Max Planck Institutes. As it makes the Light directly convert into propulsion force, there is no power conversion process like photovoltaic power generation. It is eco-friendly and low-cost as well. The research paper was published in German scientific journal "Advanced Functional Materials".
2015: OIT researcher at Department of Applied Chemistry jointly developed an innovative technology, so-called "Non-sticky powdery adhesive" in the field of Biomimetics materials together with Max Planck Institutes. It was developed with hint that Aphids covers the surface of honey which they discharge by solid wax particles and prevents drowning due to honey in the nest by liquid marble. It was introduced to journal cover published by the Royal Society of Chemistry and Chemistry World in UK.
2012: An innovative Small satellite with Pulsed plasma thruster, named PROITERES was developed by OIT researcher and students mainly from Department of Mechanical Engineering and it was launched in Sep 2012 on PSLV-C21 Rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre operated by Indian Space Research Organisation in India.

Business

2020: For acceleration of start-up business from Kansai region in Japan, OIT and Kobe University started a joint collaboration to support the University-led ventures in formulating Intellectual Property strategies and business models toward innovation with their venture funds.
2017: Japan's first "Robot Service Business School" was launched by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization at OIT's Robotics & Design Center in OIT Umeda campus in order to provide an integrated education in the technology, design, and business expertise necessary with robotics innovation.

Achievements and awards

Moreover, OIT's own team ”OIT Trial” from Faculty of Robotics and Design together with Faculty of Information Science and Technology won the “World's No. 7 place” in RoboCup 2017 in Nagoya.
In addition, back to the Asia Regional competition 2006, only Tokyo Institute of Technology and OIT were in the “Top 10” from Institute of technology in Japan, and also OIT was the only ranked from private universities in Japan. The OIT graduates who experienced this event joined Google, Yahoo and Information technology companies.
  • *Graduate student from Electronics, Information and communication Engineering won the "Student Award" in the International symposium on ALC 2015 for New Materials and Devices in Nagoya. The topic was "Surface potential distribution of insulating film on a conductive substrate irradiated by electron beam with an application of the bias-voltage". From the private universities in Japan, it was awarded only to Tokyo University of Science and OIT.
  • *Graduate student from Electronics, Information and communication Engineering won the "Best Paper Award" in Photomask Japan 2014 organized by SPIE. The topic was "Electron beam current dependence on a surface potential distribution at a resist film on a conductive substrate".
  • *Graduate student from Electronics, Information and communication Engineering won the "Student Travel Award" in the International Conference on EIPBN 2012 organized by IEEE Electron Devices Society in Hawaii. The topic was "Measurement of Surface Potential Distribution at an Insulating Film Produced by Fogging Electrons in a Scanning Electron Microscope". A variety of universities, countries, and topics were represented among the students receiving support. Students from 10 countries and 33 universities were among the recipients of student travel financial support. From the universities in Asia, it was awarded only to National University of Singapore, Peking University and OIT.
  • *Student from Department of Architecture got through to "The 3rd Asian Contest of Architectural Rookie's Award" in Dalian as a member of Japan national team after winning the “1st prize” in "Kenchiku SHINJINSEN"2014 in Japan.

Notable alumni



Membership/Cooperating organization

OIT is one of the "University member" and "Business supporting member" as well as The University of Tokyo, Tohoku University, Hokkaido University, Yokohama National University, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo University of Science and Waseda University. Especially from the universities in Kansai region, OIT is only listed as "Business supporting member" who can receive foreign trainees.
OIT accepts a limited number of international research students under this program each year, and also dispatches students to other universities.
- Trainees Accepted in OIT from; 2018: Slovak University of Technology
2017: Gdańsk University of Technology, Lodz University of Technology
2016: Brno University of Technology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics
2015: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlín
2014: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Federal University of Minas Gerais
- Trainees Dispatched from OIT to;
2017: Manipal University
2016: University of Information Science and Technology "St. Paul The Apostle"
2014: Karunya University
OIT cooperates with WIPO on organizing the conferences in order to evangelize the Intellectual Property in Asia. For instance, “Conference for Presidents/Vice-Presidents and Technology Transfer Officers of Universities and Research Institutions on Creating an Enabling Intellectual Property Environment for Technology Development, Management and Commercialization” in 2017.
The overseas participants were mainly from Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
OIT supports as Training Institution for JICA Training Course mainly related to Intellectual Property, such as "Japan-Mexico Strategic Global Partnership Training Program - Intellectual property rights".
Other than Mexico, OIT received the trainees from Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

Overseas Partner Universities