Beppu University

What Beppu University does

Beppu University (別府大学) is a private Japanese university founded in 1914, headquartered in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, operating the main university division and a junior college division (established 1951), with graduate programs added in 1962. The institution offers undergraduate degrees across five faculties: Letters (International Language and Culture, History and Cultural Properties, Human Sciences), International Management, Food and Nutritional Science (registered dietitian and fermented foods tracks), and Nursing; a junior college division offering Food Nutrition and Elementary Education; and graduate programs in Letters and Food and Nutritional Science. The university also operates an affiliated Oita Fragrance Museum (大分香りの博物館) used for student training in food fermentation science and cultural heritage, and an e-learning platform (mdl.mc.beppu-u.ac.jp).

The university's core technology infrastructure is centered on ICT-based nursing education with simulation training facilities and a certified Math/Data Science/AI Education Program, alongside an online learning management system. It maintains a unique archivist training curriculum (one of the first in Japan) and a library system. Primary partnerships include the National Hospital Organization (which hosts the Nursing Department campus on its medical center site for clinical training), Beppu City and Hinode Town for regional community programs, Coop Oita for food education initiatives, Taiwan partner universities and Ireland for international exchange, and local fermentation companies (Kinka Shoyu Brewery, Kojiya Honten) for hands-on food science training.

Beppu University's business model is subscription/recurring tuition from domestic Japanese students as the primary customer segment, supplemented by entrance examination fees, graduate student tuition, and ancillary program revenue. It sells through an event-driven motion: open campus events, multiple entrance examination pathways (school recommendation, general selection, comprehensive selection), and 高大連携 (high school-university collaboration) programs that include guest lectures and experience-based learning at partner high schools. Marketing is conducted through a comprehensive website, multiple social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LINE, X), the Be-News newsletter, and regional PR/media. Tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed; prospective students are directed to request materials. The university is governed under Japanese private school law with no public listing, parent company, or external investment identified.

Name

Beppu University

Legal name

別府大学・別府大学短期大学部

Website

https://beppu-u.ac.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Beppu University is a private Japanese university in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, offering undergraduate, graduate, and junior college programs across Letters, International Management, Food and Nutritional Science, and Nursing, serving primarily domestic Japanese students seeking professional qualifications and regional career pathways.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Junior Colleges (6112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition & Dietetics Schools (EDAHAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Healthcare & Nursing Universities (Allied Health, RN-to-BSN, etc.) (EDAHALAF)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Nursing education
• Food science programs
• International management studies
• Liberal arts college

Headquarters

HQ city

Oita

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: As a private university, Beppu University generates revenue primarily through tuition fees from undergraduate, graduate, and junior college students, as well as entrance examination fees and other enrollment-related charges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Beppu University provides higher education services through undergraduate faculties (Letters, International Management, Food and Nutritional Science, Nursing), a graduate school, and a junior college division, training students for professional qualifications such as registered dietitian, nurse, archivist, librarian, teacher, and museum curator. Instruction is delivered through on-campus programs in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, supplemented by an e-Learning platform and clinical training at the National Hospital Organization Medical Center. The institution also operates the affiliated Oita Fragrance Museum for practical training and research in food fermentation science and cultural heritage.

Product overview

Beppu University is a Japanese higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, and junior college programs. The university operates through five main academic divisions: the Faculty of Letters (with International Language/Culture, History/Cultural Properties, and Human Sciences departments), Faculty of International Management, Faculty of Food and Nutritional Science (including Food Science and Fermented Foods departments), Faculty of Nursing, and a Junior College Division. The university also maintains affiliated facilities including a library system, the Oita Fragrance Museum (used for practical training), and provides e-learning platforms. Graduate programs cover literature, history, clinical psychology, and food/nutrition sciences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Faculty of Letters (文学部) Three departments covering International Language and Culture (Japanese literature, English literature, art expression), History and Cultural Properties (Japanese history, world history, archaeology, cultural heritage science), and Human Sciences (social welfare, psychology, education). Prepares students for careers in education, cultural preservation, and welfare services.
• Faculty of International Management (国際経営学部) Department of International Management offering courses in international business management, accounting, and tourism/regional management with three specialized tracks. Targets students seeking business careers in international, accounting, or regional tourism contexts.
• Faculty of Food and Nutritional Science (食物栄養科学部) Comprises the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (registered dietitian training with 87.7% national exam pass rate) and the Department of Fermented Foods Science (brewing, fermentation, biotechnology). Industry partnerships with local fermentation companies provide hands-on training.
• Faculty of Nursing, Department of Nursing (看護学部 看護学科) Provides nursing education integrating ICT with human skills, offering simulation-based training and preparing students for national nursing examinations. Campus is located within the National Hospital Organization Medical Center for clinical practice.
• Beppu University Junior College (別府大学短期大学部) Two-year programs including Food and Nutrition (食物栄養科) and Elementary Education (初等教育科), plus a post-graduate specialization course (専攻科初等教育専攻). Targets students seeking shorter professional credentialing pathways.
• Graduate School (大学院) Graduate programs including Letters (Japanese literature, history, clinical psychology) and Food and Nutritional Science. Includes the certified archivist program (アーキビスト養成プログラム) as a graduate-level credential.
• Japanese Language Non-Degree Program (別科日本語課程) Japanese language education program for international students seeking cultural and language acquisition. Pairs with international exchange activities.
• Teacher Training Course (教職課程) Accredited teacher certification program preparing students for teaching credentials; offered alongside undergraduate faculties.
• Librarian Certification Course (司書課程) Certified librarian training program for students seeking professional library credentials.
• Museum Curator Certification Course (学芸員課程) Certified museum curator (学芸員) training program, supported by practical training at the affiliated Oita Fragrance Museum.
• Archivist Training Course (文書館専門職（アーキビスト）養成課程) Archivist professional training program, recognized as a pioneering program in Japan, using the university's accumulated research materials and historical archive holdings.
• Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (日本語教員養成課程) Certification program to train Japanese language teachers for educational settings.
• Oita Fragrance Museum (大分香りの博物館) Affiliated museum dedicated to fragrance culture, serving as a practical training site for the Food Science Department's Food Fragrance course and museum curator programs. Features 17 original fragrance materials developed with perfumers.
• e-Learning System (e-ラーニングシステム) Online learning platform (Moodle-based) available at mdl.mc.beppu-u.ac.jp for delivering digital course content to enrolled students.
• Clinical Psychology Counseling Room (臨床心理相談室) Provides psychological counseling services to the public and serves as a training site for clinical psychology graduate students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87.7% pass rate on 40th Registered Dietitian National Examination (vs 47.6% national average)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hinode Town (日出町)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Hinode Town and Beppu University signed an internship agreement on April 22, 2026 (Reiwa 8). The town mayor and officials visited the Oita Fragrance Museum, an affiliated museum of the university, demonstrating collaborative regional engagement and educational opportunities.
• National Hospital Organization (国立病院機構)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe nursing department of Beppu University is located within the National Hospital Organization Medical Center campus. Students benefit from clinical practice opportunities at affiliated national hospitals across Japan including Beppu Medical Center, Oita Medical Center, and Nishi-Beppu Hospital. This partnership provides hands-on clinical training and employment pathways for nursing graduates.
• Coop Oita (生活協同組合コープおおいた)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the 'Beppu ni Koisuru Hellgorimoge Bento' (べっぷに恋する♡地獄めぐり弁当) project - a regional food education initiative developed by food nutrition students under Professor Kaiku Rumi's guidance, in partnership with Beppu City's health promotion division. Products were sold at multiple Coop Oita stores.
• Beppu City Health Promotion Division (別府市いきいき健幸部健康推進課)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Locomotive Syndrome Prevention and Dementia Prevention classroom programs, and the 'Beppu ni Koisuru Hellgorimoge Bento'健幸 lunchbox initiative. Joint food education and community health promotion activities.
• Oita Fragrance Museum (大分香りの博物館)coreOthersA unique fragrance-themed museum operated as an affiliated museum of Beppu University. It preserves valuable materials transferred from Oita Prefecture and serves as a practical training venue for students in the Food Fermentation Science Department's Food Fragrance course, as well as for museum studies programs. Features 17 original fragrance materials developed with perfumers.
• Taiwan Partner Universities (台湾協定校)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShort-term exchange programs with Taiwanese universities, including study trips where students participate in cultural and academic exchange activities.
• Ireland Study Abroad ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverseas study program to Ireland with study abroad reporting sessions, providing international educational opportunities for students.
• Local Fermentation and Food Companies (金芳醤油醸造元, 糀屋本店, etc.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnerships for hands-on fermentation education including sake brewery visits, miso making workshops, and soy sauce production experiences. Partner companies include Kinka Shoyu Brewery, Kojiya Honten, and other local food manufacturers.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kinki University (Kindai University): A large private Japanese university with a long-standing Faculty of Agriculture featuring brewing and fermentation science. Directly comparable to Beppu University's Department of Fermented Foods Science, with substantially greater scale and brand recognition.
• Tokyo University of Agriculture: A larger, established private Japanese university with deep programs in food science, nutrition, and fermentation. Overlaps with Beppu University's Food and Nutritional Science faculty and competes for students interested in food science credentials nationwide.

Regional players

• Oita University: A national (public) university located in Oita Prefecture offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple faculties. Competes directly with Beppu University for the same regional student base but is differentiated by public-university status and lower tuition.
• Kyushu Women's University: A private women's university in Fukuoka with programs including nutrition and life sciences. Comparable in scale and type to Beppu University as a regional private institution with overlapping program areas such as food and nutritional sciences.
• Shikoku University: A private Japanese regional university with programs in literature, management, and nursing. Similar in scale, structure, and regional mission to Beppu University, providing a useful comparison point for small private Japanese universities outside major metropolitan areas.
• Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences: A specialized private nursing university in Oita Prefecture. Operates in the same regional and healthcare workforce market as Beppu University's nursing faculty and competes for the same applicants and clinical training partnerships.

Direct peers

• Ferris University: A private Japanese university with a strong nutrition/dietitian training program and a notable 100+ year history. Directly comparable to Beppu University in mission, private-university structure, and food/dietetics credentialing emphasis.
• Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU): A private Japanese university located in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, with a strongly internationalized student body. Operates in the same geographic market and competes for the same regional and international student pool as Beppu University.
• Yamanashi Gakuin University: A medium-sized private Japanese university offering programs in food science and nutrition. Comparable to Beppu University in scale, private-institution positioning, and dietitian credentialing pathway.
• Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare: A specialized private Japanese university focused on nursing and social welfare education located in Kumamoto. Directly comparable to Beppu University's Faculty of Nursing in terms of mission, target students, and graduate credentialing focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/betudai_koho
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/beppuu-u
• Facebookfacebook.com/beppudaigaku
• Instagraminstagram.com/beppu_gakusei_koho_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beppu-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Beppu University