Osaka City University, which had been established by the Osaka Municipal Government, and Osaka Prefecture University, which had been established by the Osaka Prefectural Government, merged in 2022 to form Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU). Osaka City University started out as the Osaka Commercial Training Institute, and Osaka Prefecture University as a training school in veterinary science. The histories of both universities date back around 140 years, and their development tracked that of the major city of Osaka as the “City of Water,” a strategic transportation hub, while the city itself has developed alongside these two universities. While covering educational fields as diverse as commerce, agriculture, engineering, and medicine, among others, both universities have utilized their respective geographical advantages to contribute to the development of the spiritual culture required by residents of Osaka as a major city as well as the vitalization of its industry and economy, through the organic fusion of theory and practice.