[Okayama University] Sharing Needs and Know-how Between Private and National Universities: Meeting Held with Tokyo University of Science on Developing and Managing Research Development Personnel

Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Tomohiro Nasu) visited the Tokyo University of Science Kagurazaka Campus (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) on March 10, 2026, together with Osaka University, to hold a meeting regarding the development and management of research development personnel.

This meeting was held as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) project, "Development of Systems for Research Development Management Personnel," which aims to strengthen the research capabilities of universities across Japan. The project promotes the active participation of research development management personnel, addresses the quantitative shortage and qualitative improvement of such personnel, and promotes the establishment of appropriate treatment and career paths. Okayama University and Osaka University serve as training providers, while the Tokyo University of Science serves as a training dispatch institution (system strengthening institution). The meeting was held from the perspective of better operation and strengthening cooperation for the project implementation from fiscal year 2026 onwards.

Participants from the Tokyo University of Science included Makoto Yamamoto, Director of the Research and Industry-University Collaboration Organization, and the Department Manager of the Research Promotion Center. From Okayama University, participants included Norihiro Sato, Vice President (in charge of Research and Industry-University Co-creation), Vice President (in charge of Academic Affairs), and Senior URA, as well as Yuichi Iida, Manager of the Public Relations Division.

At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President Sato provided a detailed explanation of the training content offered by Okayama University. Subsequently, the training content offered by Osaka University was also explained by the person in charge.

During the Q&A session, detailed points of the training menu were confirmed. Following this, the Tokyo University of Science explained its organizational structure and personnel system reforms, as well as its needs for training providers. While Okayama University and Osaka University are national universities and the Tokyo University of Science is a private university, the participants shared their respective needs, know-how, and challenges, which will be utilized to enhance future training menus.

Regarding the meeting, Vice President Sato stated, "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Director Makoto Yamamoto and everyone for their time during this busy end-of-fiscal-year period. The needs identified in this meeting have led to the construction of a better training menu. Although there are differences in needs and know-how between national and private universities, I believe that research development management personnel who possess knowledge of both methods will become highly valuable assets. In that sense, the collaboration with the Tokyo University of Science is very exciting. I would like to work together to promote the development and strengthening of research development management personnel who support Japan's science, technology, and innovation."

Okayama University will continue to strengthen cooperation with various stakeholders and promote the sophistication of the development and management of research development management personnel. To utilize this, the university will rapidly proceed with flexible organizational and institutional reforms that are not bound by conventional frameworks. Please look forward to the challenges of Okayama University, an open regional core and distinctive research university that co-creates the future of the region and the earth to realize social transformation, and the Tokyo University of Science.