Gunma University was established in 1949 by integrating the national colleges in Gunma Prefecture: , , and . Below are the histories of the predecessors of Gunma University (GU):
Maebashi College of Medical Science Maebashi College of Medical Science was founded in 1943 as , a men's college (age 17-21 or above), to meet the growing need of doctors during
World War II. In 1948, the college was reorganized into Maebashi College of Medical Science, a four-year college (age 19-23 or above). In 1949 the college was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Medicine. The campus was located in Showa-machi, Maebashi (GU Showa Campus today).
Kiryu Technical College Kiryu Technical College was founded in 1915 as , a men's college (age 17-20 or above). The college was located in the town of
Kiryu, whose main industry was textile manufacturing. In 1920 the college was renamed with the Department of Applied Chemistry added. Departments of mechanics and electronics were also later added. In 1944 the college was renamed, in Japanese, (桐生工業専門学校). In 1949 the college was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Engineering. The campus was located in Tenjin-cho, Kiryu (GU Kiryu Campus today). The former main building of the college is partly preserved as the Alumni Memorial Hall (removed to the present position in 1972 to allow construction of a new building with
RC).
Gunma Normal School Gunma Normal School was founded in February 1873 as the Training Center For Elementary School Teachers by Gunma Prefecture government. The center was located in Maebashi. In June 1873 Gunma Prefecture was merged with a part of present-day
Saitama Prefecture to constitute
Kumagaya Prefecture. The training center was renamed and removed to
Honjo, and then to Kumagaya. In September 1876 the school was removed to
Takasaki and renamed , for the present-day Gunma Prefecture was established in August 1876. In October 1876 the school was removed again to Maebashi, from then on Maebashi was home to the school. The normal school underwent several removals and renamings. In 1901 Gunma Girls' Normal School was established, and the Normal School of Gunma Prefecture became a boys' school. In 1943 the two prefectural normal schools (boys' and girls') were merged into
Gunma Normal School, a national college: the men's department was located in Hiyoshi-cho, Maebashi and the women's department was in Wakamiya-cho, Maebashi. In 1949 the normal school was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Liberal Arts (renamed Faculty of Education in 1966). The Faculty of Education was removed to newborn Aramaki Campus in 1970, and former Hiyoshi Campus was abolished; former Wakamiya Campus is used by the GU-attached Elementary School and the School for Children with Special Needs.
Gunma Youth Normal School Gunma Youth
Normal School was founded in 1918 as Agricultural Training School (one-year school), which was attached to the Normal School of Gunma Prefecture. The purpose of the school was to nurture agricultural teachers. The school was later renamed Gunma Prefectural Training Center for Teachers of Adolescent Youth (a two-year school) in 1935. The purpose of the center was to nurture the teachers of , which were the institutions to train working youths. In 1944 the Training Center was reorganized into
Gunma Youth Normal School, a national college. The school was removed to Takasaki to have an independent campus. Finally in 1947 the school got its campus in the former site of
the Army. In 1949 the normal school was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Liberal Arts (renamed Faculty of Education in 1966). In 1951 Takasaki Campus was abolished (see
Takasaki City University of Economics). == Faculties ==