Nation's first Net-based university opens

FUKUOKA (Kyodo) Cyber University, the nation's first university that provides courses via the Internet, opened Sunday with an entrance ceremony in Fukuoka -- transmitted in real time to students' computers.

Sakuji Yoshimura, a popular Egyptologist who heads the school, and Ken Miyauchi, head of Japan Cyber Educational Institute, which operates the school, attended the ceremony together with some students.

The four-year university has two departments -- information technology and world heritage -- each taking about 600 students.

Students can receive classes any time and any place via personal computers connected to a broadband network. The school offers four-year bachelor's degrees.

Japan Cyber Educational Institute is a nonlisted stock company with capital of 500 million yen. Internet and telecommunications conglomerate Softbank Corp. owns 71 percent of the institute while the remainder is held by Kyushu Electric Power Co., RKB Mainichi Broadcasting Corp. and other businesses.

The school was approved last November as part of deregulation in designated areas aimed at revitalizing economic and business activities.

According to the institute, most of the students are in their late 20s and early 30s, with many holding jobs.