[Okayama University] Four Staff Members Certified as "Okayama University Research and Development Management Personnel"! ~Promoting Research-Focused Environments and Staff Professionalization~

Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Tomonobu Nasu) has newly certified four individuals as Okayama University Research and Development Management Personnel: Masahiro Kamoto (Manager, Research Promotion Division, Okayama University Hospital), Kazuki Matsushima (Chief, Research Cooperation Division, Research and Innovation Co-creation Management Department), Masaru Fujikawa (Administrative Staff, International Planning Division), and Machiko Matsushima (Administrative Staff, Hospital Management Division). This certification is part of a system designed to foster personnel capable of proactively managing research and development and to enhance the professional capabilities of staff, based on the "Regulations Concerning the Certification of Okayama University Research and Development Management Personnel." Certification is granted after a review process for those who meet specific criteria, such as obtaining "Certified URA" status from the Research Administrator Skill Certification Organization or accumulating points based on various qualifications. These certified individuals are expected to play active roles as research and development management professionals, including as Research Administrators (URAs). The four new recipients, along with the previous recipient, Takamichi Matsumoto (Chief, Research Cooperation Division), have all been certified as "Certified URA" by the organization. These professionals are defined as highly specialized personnel with deep understanding and insight into research, involved in the overall management of research and development within the university. This system is a key part of the university's reform as a research university utilizing the J-PEAKS project. This certification is an important initiative to foster an environment where researchers and management personnel collaborate to tackle research challenges, and the university plans to increase the number of certified personnel in the future. Okayama University continues to strive toward its "Okayama University Long-term Vision 2050" to become a research university that co-creates the future of the region and the planet, contributing to global innovation, and leads the promotion of the "J-PEAKS" project.