NPO Kyoto Free University
Established in 2005

　Cont.                　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　�T. Purpose (adopted in March 6th 2005)

　�U. History
　　�V. Main projects in education and culture

　　�W. Address

　�X. Web site

　�Y. Account of postal transfer

　�Z. Staff members of Kyoto Free University

�T．Purpose (adopted in March 6th 2005)

There are over 1,200 universities in Japan which include 87 national, 77 public and over 1000 private ones. They have enlightened society and supplied a lot of special knowledge and also produced many talented professionals. Most people recognize that universities worked well. But now they are facing the difficult situation in an historical turning. The point is the problem of public benefit of the university.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which was adopted in 1966 at the general assembly of the United Nations, says ‘Higher Education shall be made generally available and accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education’ in the article 13 (c).
On the contrary, universities in Japan, without exception, have consistently raised tuition fee since World War�U- much more than the raise of wages and cost-of-living index.
So in a way we can say that all universities in Japan violate the rule of the International Covenant. But Japanese government ratified the Covenant in 1979 with a reservation about article 13(c) and some other articles. Universities of Japan followed the way different from which international community wanted to go. And from the viewpoint of tuition, they selected the direction totally opposite to the ideal of free education.
We established Kyoto Free University in the center of Kyoto city against the deviation from article 13 and we want to make our university open to district and citizen. And especially Kyoto Free University, based on International Covenant, World Declaration on Higher Education For the Twenty-First Century of UNESCO 1998 which developed the Covenant, also on the Constitution and a Fundamental law of Education of Japan, will engage the project for free education and open culture. We want to contribute to develop them in local district, and also to re-vitalize peace, freedom , democracy of Japan as well as international community.

�U．History

In 2004 Japanese government took the privatization policy on higher education. All national and public universities have been cut off the public funds for working budget. It has urged the efforts for national, public and private universities to earn the money independently. Correspondingly it makes them to raise tuition higher than ever. People who want to study are confronted with great difficulties. It means the crisis of the rights to the higher education. Universities are going far from citizens.
In this historical context we prepared to make an open cafe university at a coffee shop in the center area of Kyoto city. We started in March 2005.Free University offered 83 lectures on every Friday and Saturday night during that year. Instructors consisted not only of university professors but also artists, activists and many kind of intellectuals. From 2006 to 2008 it also provided about over 60 lectures. Instructors work as volunteers. It means they do it without pay. Voluntary work is a condition for people to get lecture in low admission fee. It is the part of practice on the idea of‘the progressive introduction of free education’.
The first president of Free University Masukawa Toshihide accepted the Nobel Prize of physics in 2008.
In 2009 we have got the Machiya which is a kind of Japanese traditional house. It offers a new place for giving lectures as well as other activities. We have prepared 32 general lectures and 21 special lectures this year. Lectures cover the themes about peace, democracy and human rights.

�V．Main projects in education and culture

(1) Management of Kyoto Free University
(2) Engagement in the project to make educational and cultural space.
　　In addition the cooperation with international groups especially of South Korea.
(3) Management of intellectual property and publishing project based on the lectures of Free University

�W．Address

308 Higuchicho Shimogyoku Kyoto city,600-8458,Japan

�X．Web site

http://www.opencafekyoto.jp/

�Y．Account of postal transfer

Account number 　　00950−7−297800
Account name　　　 　NPO Kyoto Free University