Ehime University was established in 1949 as a new national university by consolidating the Matsuyama National High School, the Ehime Prefectural Teachers School, the Ehime Prefectural Youth Teacher's School and the Ehime Prefectural Niihama Technical School. The university has three faculties: Humanities and Science; Education; and Engineering. In 1954, the Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Agricultural College joined as the Faculty of Agriculture. The School of Medicine was founded in 1973. Currently the university comprises six undergraduate schools: Law and Letters; Education; Science; Medicine; Engineering; Agriculture; and seven graduate schools. The university is the largest in Shikoku with about 8,000 students. During this time, the university has contributed to raising the intellectual and cultural level of society, developing many highly talented people in various fields. In 2004, Ehime University became the National University Corporation Ehime University and began anew as an independent management body separate from government control. As part of this transformation, Ehime University established the Ehime University Charter, aiming to be a beacon of the community.