Gunma University (群馬大学, Gunma daigaku), abbreviated to Gundai (群大), is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Aramaki-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture. Gunma University was established in 1949 by integrating the national colleges in Gunma Prefecture: Maebashi College of Medical Science (前橋医科大学, Maebashi ika daigaku), Kiryu Technical College (桐生工業専門学校, Kiryū kōgyō semmon gakkō), Gunma Normal School (群馬師範学校, Gunma shihan gakkō) and Gunma Youth Normal School (群馬青年師範学校, Gunma seinen shihan gakkō). Below are the histories of the predecessors of Gunma University (GU): Maebashi College of Medical Science was founded in 1943 as Maebashi Medical College (前橋医学専門学校, , a men's college [age 17-21 or above]) to meet the growing need of doctors during World War II. In 1948, after the war, the college was reorganized into Maebashi College of Medical Science, a four-year daigaku (age 19-23 or above). In 1949 the college was merged into Gunma University to constitute the Faculty of Medicine. The campus was located in Showa-machi, Maebashi (GU Showa Campus today).