Keio has a proud history as Japan’s very first private institution of higher learning, which dates back to the formation of a school for Dutch studies in 1858 in Edo (now Tokyo) by founder Yukichi Fukuzawa. Since the school’s inception, the students of Keio have risen to the forefront of innovation in every imaginable academic field, emerging as social and economic leaders. In today’s internationally interdependent world, Keio places great effort upon maintaining the finest teaching faculty and superlative facilities. Building on the knowledge and experience of their predecessors, today’s Keio students strive to develop the leadership qualities that will enable them to make valuable contributions to tomorrow’s society.