Tohoku University was early to usher in international teachers, with German philosopher Karl Löwith and others taking up teaching duties. In the present, too, it reaches out to foreign researchers in various ways, such as academic promotion conferences, and they conduct lectures, collaborative research, and other scholarly activities. The doors are also open to international exchange students, with many students from Asia studying here.
The GSAL has also made academic agreements with foreign universities and engages in exchange of graduate student researchers; the promotion of joint research projects; the exchange of source materials, scholarly information, and publications; and other cooperative activities.