Hokkaido University

Hokkaido University, also known as Hokudai, is a Japanese national university in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

The history of Hokkaido University dates back to 1876, with the founding of Sapporo Agricultural College. The college was established by the Japanese government to promote the development of Hokkaido, which was then a relatively undeveloped frontier region. The college was modeled on American agricultural colleges, and its first president, William Smith Clark, was an American agricultural scientist.

Sapporo Agricultural College quickly became a leading institution of agricultural education and research in Japan. In 1886, the college was expanded to include a department of engineering. In 1907, the college was renamed the Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University.

In 1918, the Japanese government established Hokkaido Imperial University as the fifth Imperial University in Japan. The new university was formed by merging the Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University with the Sapporo Higher School.

Hokkaido Imperial University played a major role in the development of Hokkaido and Japan as a whole. The university's graduates and faculty members made significant contributions to agriculture, industry, and science in Japan.

After World War II, Hokkaido Imperial University was renamed Hokkaido University. The university underwent a major reorganization in 1947, when it was divided into eight schools: agriculture, engineering, fisheries sciences, law, letters, medicine, science, and education.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, Hokkaido University is positioned as the #173 top university in the world, which makes it the #8 top university in Japan. The university's global rank is improved by 23 points from last year.