The University of Tsukuba, founded in October 1973, is one of Japan?s leading comprehensive universities. Three Nobel Prize laureates have served as either president or faculty. The University of Tsukuba is a relatively new university, yet in fact, it has a long and distinguished history in the Japanese university system. Its origin dates back more than 130 years to the Meiji era when Japan started its modernization. What is now the University of Tsukuba was founded in 1872 as the Normal School (which later became the Tokyo Higher Normal School), the first teachers? college in Japan. Its successor, the Tokyo University of Education, founded in 1947, moved to the Tsukuba area, which is about 60 km (36 miles) northeast of Tokyo, in 1973.The planners of the University of Tsukuba aspired to create a new kind of institution at a time when scholars in Japanese universities were still reluctant to break down disciplinary barriers. As such, since its inception, Tsukuba has been a forerunner in university reform in Japan.

　　筑波大学创立于1973年10月，是日本顶尖的综合性大学之一。三位诺贝尔奖得主曾担任该校校长或任教于此。筑波大学虽属较年轻的学府，但在日本高等教育体系中却拥有悠久而卓越的历史渊源。其前身可追溯至130多年前的明治时代——日本开启现代化进程的时期。现今筑波大学的前身可追溯至1872年创立的师范学校(后改称东京高等师范学校)，这是日本第一所师范院校。其继承者东京教育大学于1947年创立，1973年迁至东京东北方向约60公里(36英里)的筑波地区。筑波大学的规划者们立志创建新型学府，当时日本大学学者仍不愿打破学科壁垒。因此自创立之初，筑波大学便成为日本大学改革的先驱。

　　For example, our academic and research units were designed in such a way as to enable interdisciplinary research and education. Moreover, it was here that Japan?s first graduate-level evening courses for professionals were offered in such areas as law and international business. Located at the center of Tsukuba Science City, the university grew simultaneously with the development of the city. This science city is well known internationally for its large concentration of major research institutes such as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). The name ?Tsukuba? has attained high international esteem for its multitude of research accomplishments. Our campus is quite distinctive. The main Tsukuba campus covers an area of 258 hectares (636 acres), making it the largest single campus in Japan. Moreover, both the campus and the city are surrounded by beautiful nature. It is, however, not far from the metropolitan district. The Tsukuba Express, the new train system that began its service in the summer of 2005, now connects downtown Tsukuba with Akihabara, Tokyo, in 45 minutes.

　　例如，我校的学术与研究单位在设计之初就旨在促进跨学科研究与教育。此外，日本首个面向专业人士的研究生级夜校课程正是在此开设，涵盖法律与国际商务等领域。这所坐落于筑波科学城核心地带的大学，与城市发展同步成长。这座科学城因聚集了日本宇宙航空研究开发机构(JAXA)、高能加速器研究组织(KEK)等重要研究机构而享誉国际。“筑波”之名因其丰硕的研究成果而获得全球高度赞誉。本校校园特色鲜明。筑波主校区占地258公顷(636英亩)，是日本规模最大的单一校园。校园与城市均被秀美自然环抱，却与都市区相距不远。2005年夏季开通的筑波快线，现已实现筑波市中心至东京秋叶原仅需45分钟的便捷连接。