The Japanese government announced today that it has approved Tohoku University's Research System Strengthening Plan, the final step in a two-year journey to become the country's first University for International Research Excellence.
The approval paves the way for Tohoku University to start receiving extra funds from the government - revenue from a 10 trillion JPY investment - and begin implementing the plan that would see significant changes to its academic and research structure.
A new Management Policy Council has already been set up, led by the former CEO of Tokyo Electron Tetsuro Higashi. The council - which comprises Tohoku University President Teiji Tominaga, Provost Takafumi Aoki, CFO Yasuhiro Miyata as well as a diverse group of experts from academia and industry - is tasked with providing oversight as the university works towards its stated goals for the next 25 years.
At a separate media conference in Tokyo today, Tominaga described being Japan's first University for International Research Excellence as a great honour. "Our plan is ambitious and there is a lot of work to do, but we are looking forward to the challenge and excited for what I know we can achieve".
The university's early strategies, he said, will focus on structural changes, fostering talent and social impact. "We will increase the number of high-level researchers by recruiting globally, and reform our governance to better reflect our global readiness".
To empower research, the university will shift to a unit-based system, moving away from traditional hierarchical relationships.
As for education reforms, the university will launch a Gateway College in 2027 - where Japanese and international students will learn together in English - and an Advanced Graduate School to manage multidisciplinary research fields, allowing students to easily combine courses across different departments. It will also explore ways to further support students financially.
To facilitate these changes, Tohoku University plans to hire more faculty with international experience and collaborate with other universities through the cross-appointment system. It has also set a long-term goal of having a bilingual Japanese-English campus and will appoint former INSA Lyon Vice President Marie Pierre Fauvre as its Chief Global Officer (CGO).
The Japanese government first announced its Universities for International Research Excellence initiative in 2022 as a means to enhance Japan's research capabilities and boost innovation. Under the initiative, profits from a 10 trillion JPY investment will be used to support qualifying universities for up to 25 years.
Tohoku University officially received its accreditation as a University for International Research Excellence on November 8, following confirmation by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in June that it was the only candidate to pass the final review of the programme's inaugural selection cycle.
The university is expected to receive some 15 billion JPY for its first-year allocation of funds.
