Okayama University Holds Meeting with Shimane University on Training and Operations of R&D Management Personnel to Improve Research Capabilities with Regional and Global Perspectives
On March 27, 2026, Okayama University and Osaka University met with Shimane University to discuss the training and utilization of University Research Administrators (URAs) as part of a MEXT project.
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- 📰 Published: April 6, 2026 at 11:11
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April 6, 2026
Okayama University (National University Corporation)
https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/
◆ Overview
Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu), along with Osaka University, visited the Shimane University Matsue Campus (Matsue City) on March 27, 2026, to hold an exchange of views regarding the training and operation of research and development management personnel.
This meeting was held as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) "Project for Developing the System for R&D Management Personnel." The project aims to strengthen the research capabilities of universities nationwide by promoting the active role of R&D management personnel, resolving the quantitative shortage and improving the quality of such personnel across the country, and promoting appropriate treatment and the establishment of career paths. Okayama University and Osaka University serve as training providers, while Shimane University serves as a trainee dispatching institution (system strengthening institution). The meeting was held with a view to better operations and strengthening collaboration for project implementation from FY2026 onwards.
From Shimane University, attendees included Vice President Shingo Matsumoto, Research and Regional Revitalization Director Takatoshi Fukuda, and Research Promotion Division Head Kenji Takahashi. From Okayama University, participants included Makoto Shobo, General Chief of the Research Cooperation Division, Research and Innovation Co-creation Management Department. Additionally, Akinori Takeda, Assistant Section Chief of the Research Planning Division, Research Promotion Department, attended from Osaka University.
At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President Matsumoto expressed his expectations for the training providers along with initiatives at Shimane University. Following that, General Chief Shobo explained in detail the content of the training provided by Okayama University. Subsequently, the representative from Osaka University also explained their training provisions.
During the Q&A session, discussions covered not only details of the training menus provided by each university but also the duration of trainee secondments, communication between the dispatching and receiving universities during training, and how internal R&D management personnel contribute to improving the university's research capabilities. There were also explanations about the status and prospects of URA positions at Shimane University, and opinions were exchanged on securing and training young and mid-career personnel, as well as the ideal state of international collaborations. Through the meeting, the universities were able to share their respective needs, know-how, and challenges, which will be utilized to enrich future training provisions.
Regarding this meeting, Vice Executive Director (in charge of Research and Industry-Academia Co-creation), Vice President (in charge of Academic Affairs), and Senior URA Sato, who is responsible for project implementation at Okayama University, commented: "We sincerely thank Vice President Matsumoto and the others for taking the time to meet with us during the busy end of the fiscal year. We will steadily build a training menu based on the knowledge gained this time. Okayama University and Shimane University share the same position as regional national universities in the Chugoku-Shikoku area, and we have collaborated in various ways so far. In terms of these R&D management personnel as well, we hope to work together to train and produce human resources capable of looking out over both the region and the world."
Okayama University will continue to strengthen collaborations with various stakeholders and promote the advancement of the training and operation of R&D management personnel. Please continue to look forward to the challenges taken on by Okayama University—an open, regional core and distinct research university co-creating the future of the region and the earth to realize social change—and Shimane University.
This information was published by Okayama University on April 1, 2026.
Okayama University (National University Corporation)
https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/
◆ Overview
Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu), along with Osaka University, visited the Shimane University Matsue Campus (Matsue City) on March 27, 2026, to hold an exchange of views regarding the training and operation of research and development management personnel.
This meeting was held as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) "Project for Developing the System for R&D Management Personnel." The project aims to strengthen the research capabilities of universities nationwide by promoting the active role of R&D management personnel, resolving the quantitative shortage and improving the quality of such personnel across the country, and promoting appropriate treatment and the establishment of career paths. Okayama University and Osaka University serve as training providers, while Shimane University serves as a trainee dispatching institution (system strengthening institution). The meeting was held with a view to better operations and strengthening collaboration for project implementation from FY2026 onwards.
From Shimane University, attendees included Vice President Shingo Matsumoto, Research and Regional Revitalization Director Takatoshi Fukuda, and Research Promotion Division Head Kenji Takahashi. From Okayama University, participants included Makoto Shobo, General Chief of the Research Cooperation Division, Research and Innovation Co-creation Management Department. Additionally, Akinori Takeda, Assistant Section Chief of the Research Planning Division, Research Promotion Department, attended from Osaka University.
At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President Matsumoto expressed his expectations for the training providers along with initiatives at Shimane University. Following that, General Chief Shobo explained in detail the content of the training provided by Okayama University. Subsequently, the representative from Osaka University also explained their training provisions.
During the Q&A session, discussions covered not only details of the training menus provided by each university but also the duration of trainee secondments, communication between the dispatching and receiving universities during training, and how internal R&D management personnel contribute to improving the university's research capabilities. There were also explanations about the status and prospects of URA positions at Shimane University, and opinions were exchanged on securing and training young and mid-career personnel, as well as the ideal state of international collaborations. Through the meeting, the universities were able to share their respective needs, know-how, and challenges, which will be utilized to enrich future training provisions.
Regarding this meeting, Vice Executive Director (in charge of Research and Industry-Academia Co-creation), Vice President (in charge of Academic Affairs), and Senior URA Sato, who is responsible for project implementation at Okayama University, commented: "We sincerely thank Vice President Matsumoto and the others for taking the time to meet with us during the busy end of the fiscal year. We will steadily build a training menu based on the knowledge gained this time. Okayama University and Shimane University share the same position as regional national universities in the Chugoku-Shikoku area, and we have collaborated in various ways so far. In terms of these R&D management personnel as well, we hope to work together to train and produce human resources capable of looking out over both the region and the world."
Okayama University will continue to strengthen collaborations with various stakeholders and promote the advancement of the training and operation of R&D management personnel. Please continue to look forward to the challenges taken on by Okayama University—an open, regional core and distinct research university co-creating the future of the region and the earth to realize social change—and Shimane University.
This information was published by Okayama University on April 1, 2026.