Shinshu University is a national university with eight faculties (Arts, Education, Economics and Law, Science, Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, and Textile Science and Technology) and six graduate schools. The University offers courses and conducts research across a broad range of academic disciplines on its five campuses located in Matsumoto, Nagano, Ueda, and Ina. Employing a total of 1,100 teaching staff, it has a student body of around 11,000 (including about 300 international students). The University takes full advantage of its multidisciplinary character by encouraging collaboration between its various academic departments, resulting in internationally recognized research and innovative approaches to teaching. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Japan Alps mountain range-the "roof of Japan"-the University is a local center of knowledge, actively forging collaborative relationships with the local community and industry as it seeks for new ways to contribute to the goal of building a sustainable society. ◆A World-Class International Research Center The Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting-Edge Research was established in order to bring together resources in five research areas in which the University has unique and world-class strengths: carbon science, energy and environmental science, fiber engineering, mountain science, and biomedical sciences. Our aim in pursuing this multi-faceted approach that transcends the traditional barriers separating academic fields is to nurture the next generation of researchers and position the University at the forefront of innovation and creativity in science and technology. In addition, we have established the "Global Aqua Innovation Center for Improving Living Standards and Water-sustainability (COI)", a national project designed to promote social systems innovation. In the Reuters university rankings, Shinshu University was highly rated as one of the most innovative universities in Asia. ◆The Appeal of Being the "Only One": the Faculty of Textile Science and Technology The Faculty of Textile Science and Technology is the only faculty in Japan with "Textile" in its name. Since the time of the once-flourishing silk industry, it has been recognized as an international research center in fiber engineering, and in 2010 celebrated the centenary of its establishment. In 2012, we joined the European-based "Association of Universities for Textiles (AUTEX)" in order to stimulate international exchange and collaboration. We are proud of the way that in recent years our fiber engineering research has contributed to the worldwide development of material sciences. ◆Ranked No.１for University Local Community Contribution Shinshu University was ranked top overall for four years running from 2012 to 2015 in the Nationwide University Local Contribution Survey conducted by the Nikkei Research Institute of Industry and Regional Economy. Collaboration with local governments and local industries, offering open courses and symposia for the public, and providing local volunteers, are some of the ways in which the University's human resources and research activities contribute to local development. ◆Education and Research Born from the Rich Natural Environment of Shinshu Nagano Prefecture is located in the center of Japan, a region blessed with abundant natural resources such as clear air, pure water, blue skies, and beautiful mountains. Local folk crafts, historical assets, and traditional culture are kept alive throughout the prefecture at many popular sites such as Zenkoji, Matsumoto Castle, and Ueda Castle. The University has five campuses turning out outstanding graduates in a wide range of fields. As a local center of knowledge, publishing the results of our unique research programs both in Japan and overseas, we proudly see our mission as that of "remaining rooted in the community, while opening up the world".