Osaka University to Rebrand as the University of Osaka Next Year to Boost Global Recognition

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:12 JST, November 30, 2024

SUITA, Osaka — Osaka University will change its English name to the University of Osaka starting next April. The abbreviation, currently OU, will also be changed to UOsaka.

The change was prompted by a naming dispute with Osaka Metropolitan University, a new university established in 2022 after the merger of Osaka Prefecture University and Osaka City University. In 2020, the public corporation of the new university applied for the trademark for “University of Osaka.” This was opposed by Osaka University, ultimately leading the new university to settle on its current English name.

Seizing this opportunity, Osaka University acquired the trademark for “University of Osaka.” After careful consideration, the university decided to align its English name with internationally renowned institutions such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge by adopting the “university of” format. The timing of this change, set for April 2025, coincides with the lead-up to the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, and aims to strengthen the university’s presence as a “university rooted in Osaka.”

A related example is Kindai University, which changed its English name from Kinki University in 2016 to avoid the unfortunate association with the word kinky. “Dai” means university, and Kindai corresponds to the university’s Japanese abbreviation. Similarly, the University of Tokyo switched its English abbreviation from Todai to UTokyo in 2013 to avoid confusion.