History

The path Shibaura Institute of Technology has taken

Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) was founded by Shiro Arimoto in 1927 as Tokyo High School of Engineering and Commerce with the aim of “nurturing engineers who learn from society and contribute to society.” Since then, it has been committed to nurturing engineers who can search for truths through practical learning; encouraging students to have a strong sense of ethics and comprehensive knowledge; and engendering in them a spirit of independence, and thus contributing to social development.
This is a brief outline of SIT’s nearly 100-year history, as well as an introduction to books that describe that history in more detail.


  • The first 25 years
    1927-1952
  • 26 to 50 years from founding
    1953-1977
  • 51-75 years from founding 1978-2002
  • 76-100 years from founding
    2003-
1927 May Tokyo High School of Engineering and Commerce is founded by Shiro Arimoto. Its Omori School Building opens in Omori-machi, Ebara-gun, Tokyo Prefecture (now Ota Ward, Tokyo) and offers three courses: commerce, civil engineering and architectural engineering.
Sept. A second school building (Shibaura School Building) opens in Shiba Ward (now Minato Ward) by renting a building that previously housed an American school.
1928 Nov. A ceremony to launch an alumni association of Tokyo High School of Engineering and Commerce is held on Nov. 4, which would later become the anniversary date of SIT’s founding.
1929 July The commerce course is abolished, the school name’s is changed to Tokyo High School of Engineering, and a mechanical engineering course is added.
　 　 Some teachers and students leave the school to establish Musashi Senior Engineering School.
1930 April A general course affiliated with Tokyo High School of Engineering begins at the Omori School Building.
1931 April A mechanical engineering course is added to Tokyo High School of Engineering.
1933 March The general course affiliated with Tokyo High School of Engineering is renamed as Engineering School Affiliated to Tokyo High School of Engineering and is relocated to the Shibaura School Building.
April The Omori School Building closed.
1934 April An applied chemistry course is added to Tokyo High School of Engineering.
1939 Feb. An advanced course is added to the Engineering School Affiliated with Tokyo School of Engineering.
1943 March A juridical foundation to operate Tokyo School of Engineering is established.
Oct. Thejuridical foundationis renamed Shibaura Gakuen.
Dec. Tokyo High School of Engineering is renamed Shibaura High School of Engineering.
1944 April Shibaura Technical School and Shibaura School of Technology are established.
1945 May The three-story wooden school building burns down due to the bombing of Tokyo.
1946 Oct. Engineering School Affiliated to Shibaura High School of Engineering is abolished.
1947 March Shibaura High School of Engineering is abolished.
April Shibaura Junior High School (under the old education system) is established
1948 April Shibaura Senior High School (under the new education system) is established.
　 The board of directors rejects a plan to establish a university by merging with Chiba Institute of Technology and decides to apply to establish a university on its own.
1949 March Shibaura Junior High School and Shibaura School of Technology abolished.
April Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) is founded as a university with two departments: Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering. Thirty-two students apply for admission.
　 Shinta Matsunawa becomes first SIT president.
　 A part-time course is added to Shibaura Senior High School.
1950 April Department of Electrical Engineering added to SIT.
　 Shibaura Junior College of Technology founded with Mechanical and Electrical departments.
1951 Feb. Juridical Foundation Shibaura Gakuen reorganized as an educational corporation.
1952 April Shibaura Junior College of Technology renamed Shibaura Junior College (transportation course added).
1953 July Shibaura Gakuen absorbs Tetsudo Ikuei-kai, an educational corporation, and takes over the management of Tokyo Ikuei Senior High School (part-time high school).
1954 Feb. The general course of Shibaura Senior High School is abolished and renamed Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School of Engineering
March Industrial Research Institute established.
April SIT adds the departments of Architecture and Industrial Chemistry.
April Tokyo Ikuei Senior High School adds a full-time course.
Aug. Tokyo Ikuei Senior High School obtains approval to rename itself Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School from April 1954.
1955 March Shibaura Technical School abolished.
　 First Kogaku (engineering) Festival held at SIT.
1956 April SIT’s College of Engineering II (five-year program) established (Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering).
　 SIT’s handball team wins the All Japan Indoor Championship for the first time.
1959 April SIT’s College of Engineering I adds the departments of Metal Engineering and Electronic Engineering.
1961 　 SIT’s rubber-ball baseball team wins the championship in the first section of Tohto University Baseball League for the first time.
1962 April Shibaura Gakuen, an educational corporation, renamed Shibaura Institute of Technology, an educational corporation.
1963 April SIT establishes the graduate school for Master’s program (Electrical Engineering, Metal Engineering and Industrial Chemistry courses)
1964 March Shibaura Junior College abolished.
Nov. SIT joins the Japan Association of Private Universities and Colleges.
1965 　 SIT installs a large electronic computer (TOSBAC3400) on campus.
1966 April The College of Engineering I adds the departments of Mechanical Engineering II; Electrical Communication; Architecture and Building Engineering; and Industrial Management.
April SIT opens Omiya Campus in Omiya (now Saitama City) in Saitama Prefecture.
April Shibaura Junior College of Technology is established.
1968 Feb. The SIT president meets students and promises to accept students’ 15-point demand for democratization.
Sept. Teachers’ union launched.
1969 Jan. A meeting of proxies representing directors, members of the board, approves a list of 11 democratization demands from students.
1970 April Industrial Research Institute is renamed Engineering Research Institute.
　 The faculty council intensifies its conflict with the president (administration) over a criminal complaint filed by students. The faculty council splits in two.
1971 March The part-time course of Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School of Engineering abolished.
Oct. The Tokyo District Court appoints three attorneys to take over the duties of the chairman of board of directors, and directors.
1972 　 The two faculty councils reconcile.
1973 March The part-time course of Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School of Engineering abolished.
Nov. First Shibaura Festival (university) held.
1975 April SIT Senior High School of Engineering renamed Shibaura Institute of Technology No. 1 Senior High School.
1976 April The Graduate School’s Master’s Program adds Mechanical Engineering and Architecture and Civil Engineering courses.
　 Graduation ceremony held for the first time in eight years. (at Hibiya Public Hall)
1977 　 The first athletic festival (university) held.
1980 April Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Senior High School opens in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture.
1982 April Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School relocated to Itabashi from Ikebukuro and opens a Junior High School.
1983 March Shibaura Junior College of Technology abolished.
1985 March Shibaura Institute of Technology No. 1 Senior High School abolished.
　 Shiro Arimoto Memorial Award, named after the founder, launched.
1987 July The first alumni scholarship winner is named (the scholarship is created through a donation from alumnus Mitsutatsu Kasuya).
Sept. Education and Research Center established.
1990 April Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Senior High School becomes co-ed.
1991 April SIT adds the College of Systems Engineering with new departments of Electronic Information Systems, Machinery and Control Systems, and Architecture and Environment Systems.
1995 April The Graduate School establishes a Doctoral Program with Regional Environment Systems and Functional Control Systems courses.
April The College of Engineering II adds the Department of Electrical Equipment and changes the College of Engineering II from a five-year program to a four-year program.
1996 April The Department of Metal Engineering of the College of Engineering renamed the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Graduate School’s Metal Engineering course renamed Materials Science and Engineering course.
1997 April Research Organization for Advanced Engineering established.
1998 June SI Tech Co., Ltd. established as the business arm of Shibaura Institute of Technology.
1999 April Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Junior High School established.
　 The College of Engineering’s Department of Industrial Chemistry renamed the Department of Applied Chemistry; its Department of Industrial Management renamed the Department of Information Science and Engineering; and Graduate School’s Industrial Chemistry course renamed the Applied Chemistry course.
2003 April Engineering Management (MOT) course established at the Graduate School (professional degree program).
2004 April The Graduate School’s Electrical Engineering course renamed Electrical Engineering and Computer Science course.
2006 March Shibaura Campus closed.
April Toyosu Campus opens in Koto Ward, Tokyo (the administrative headquarters relocated to the campus as well as third- and fourth-year undergraduate students of the entire College of Engineering).
2008 March The College of Engineering II abolished.
April The College of Systems Engineering establishes the Department of Bioscience and Engineering.
2009 April New Shibaura Campus opens.
　 SIT establishes the College of Engineering and Design, under which the Department of Engineering and Design opens.
April The College of Systems Engineering renamed the College of Systems Engineering and Science, and adds a Department of Mathematical Sciences.
April The College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical Engineering II renamed the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics.
2011 April The Graduate School of Engineering renamed the Graduate School of Engineering and Science and adds a Systems Engineering and Science course.
2013 April Global Dormitory established on Omiya Campus.
2014 Sept. SIT adopted for the Top Global University Project sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
2015 May Third sports ground opens at Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Senior and Junior High School.
2017 April The School of Architecture and the Department of Architecture open.
　 The College of Engineering and Design’s Department of Engineering and Design reorganized.
　 The Graduate School establishes the Global Course of Engineering and Science.
　 Shibaura Institute of Technology Junior and Senior High School relocated from Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, to Koto Ward, Tokyo. (The Japanese name changed)
　 The Architecture Plaza, featuring architectural blueprint drawing facilities, opens on Toyosu Campus.
　 Multi-purpose sports ground opens on Omiya Campus.
2018 April The Department of Communications Engineering renamed the Department of Information and Communications Engineering.
2019 March The Graduate School abolishes the Engineering Management (MOT) course (professional degree program).
April A second sports ground is opened at Omiya Campus.
Nov. Construction of Second Toyosu School Building (tentative name) starts.
2020 Oct. SIT establishes the Innovative Global Program at the College of Engineering.
2021 April Jun Yamada, Ph.D in engineering, becomes SIT president.
　 SIT Graduate School of Engineering and Science establishes the Civil Engineering course and Architecture and Architectural Engineering course.