Introduction to the University History and Milestones

Konan Women's Academy was established in 1920 under the name of Konan Girls' High School. The effort to establish the school was led by Yakichi Ataka, who made extensive and energetic efforts to promote education while working as an industrialist. After various changes through the years, in 1964 Konan Women's University was opened, leading to the development of Konan Women's Academy in its current form consisting of three institutions - a junior high school, senior high school, and university.

Since its establishment, Konan Women's University has strived to realize its founding spirit - in accordance with its educational policy of "education for the whole person, respect for individuality, learning with an independent and creative spirit" - and it has graduated a large number of well-informed and confident women, thereby earning the trust and meeting the expectations of today's society. The school motto - "be pure in heart, be truthful, be kind, and be strong" - expresses our philosophy of humane education and reflects our wish that the students we serve develop the ability to serve others and contribute to world peace and the welfare of humanity.

1920	Konan Girl's High School was founded.
1921	November 27: Main school building was completed. (Anniversary of the academy's founding.)
1924	School motto, "Be pure in heart, be truthful, be kind, and be strong", was established.
1927	The high school song was established.
1929	School flag was launched and ceremony was held.
1948	September: Foundation name was changed to Konan Women's Academy.
1955	Konan Women's Junior College was opened with Dept. of Home Economics. Student union, "Seikokai", was founded.
1964	April: Konan Women's University was opened with Dept. of Japanese Literature and Dept. of English Literature.
1966	First Shakespeare Festival was held (Dept. of English).
1968	April: Junior and senior high schools were relocated to a new building.
1975	April: Graduate School of Letters (Master's Program) was opened. Dept. of Human Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, and Education majors) was added to the Faculty of Letters.
1977	Doctoral Programs in the Graduate School of Letters were launched. (Japanese Literature and English Literature)
1978	Dept. of French Literature was added to the Faculty of Letters.
1985	Crown Prince and Crown Princess (current Emperor and Empress) visit the school.
1987	English name of institution changes from "college" to "university".
1988	Construction of Ashihara Hall was completed.
1995	Pipe organ in Ashihara Hall was completely destroyed in the Great Kobe-Hanshin Earthquake (later restored in 1998).
2001	Dept. of Multicultural Coexistence was added to the Faculty of Letters. Names of departments in the faculty were changed. Dept. of Japanese Literature: Dept. of Japanese Language and Literature Dept. of English Literature: Dept. of English Language and Literature Dept. of French Literature: Dept. of French Language and Literature Faculty of Human Sciences was established. (Dept. of Psychology, Dept. of Human Education, Dept. of Behavioral Sociology, Dept. of Human Environments)
2001	Masayuki Matsushita was appointed the 7th Chairman of the Board of Directors.
2003	Name of the graduate school was changed from Graduate School of Letters to Graduate School of Humanities and Human Sciences.
2005	Graduate School of Humanities and Human Sciences was restructured into 3 departments and 9 courses.
2006	Dept. of Creative Media Studies was added to the Faculty of Letters. Dept. of Childhood Development and Education was added to the Faculty of Human Sciences.
2007	Faculty of Nursing and Rehabilitation (Dept. of Nursing, Dept. of Physical Therapy) was established.
2008	April: Name of departments were changed. Dept. of Japanese Language and Literature: Dept. of Japanese Language and Culture Dept. of Multicultural Coexistence: Dept. of Multicultural Communications Dept. of Behavioral Sociology: Dept. of Cultural Sociology Dept. of Human Environments: Dept. of Human Life Environments
2011	Yasuaki Matsubayashi was appointed as the 6th president.
2012	Graduate School of Nursing (Master's Program) was opened. Names of department in the Faculty of Letters was changed. Dept. of English Language and Literature: Dept. of English Language and Culture
2014	Hitoshi Nakauchi was appointed the 8th Chairman of the Board of Directors.
2016	Katsuaki Morita was appointed as the 7th president.
2018	Graduate School of Nursing (Doctor's Program) was opened. Faculty of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics (Dept. of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics) was established.
2020	Faculty of Global Studies( Dept. of English for Global Communication, Dept of Multicultural Communication) was established.
2022	Noriko Akimoto was appointed as the 8th president.
2023	Takehiro Sugiyama was appointed the 9th Chairman of the Board of Directors.
2025	Faculty of Psychology (Dept. of Psychology) was established.