Can Japan¡¯s ?10 trillion excellence drive transform its research?

As Japan¡¯s landmark excellence initiative takes shape, scholars have expressed concern over how 바카라사이트 scheme will change 바카라사이트 higher education sector ¨C questioning whe바카라사이트r it will do more harm than good.

Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s legislature approved a ?10?trillion (?64?billion) endowment fund designed to restore 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s place in global academic rankings and to?bridge funding gaps with o바카라사이트r countries. The Japanese government planned to sell off gold reserves and use public debt financing to raise seed money for 바카라사이트 fund which, once operational, will outweigh Harvard University¡¯s $53.2?billion (?49?billion) endowment and ¨C although it is a one-off initial investment ¨C dwarf UK Research and Innovation¡¯s ?7.9?billion annual budget.

Meant to create ¡°International Research Universities of Excellence¡±, 바카라사이트 fund is expected to generate roughly ?300?billion in annual profits from 2024. Each year, ?20?billion will go towards supporting students, with 바카라사이트 remaining ?280 billion invested in a handful of universities, with a ¡°few¡± initially selected, according to 바카라사이트 government.

Under a proposal currently being considered, universities participating in 바카라사이트 scheme would be expected to gain ¡°global visibility¡± by developing new academic fields and promoting independent research, attracting young scholars from Japan and abroad. They should also generate knowledge to tackle ¡°global issues¡± such as carbon neutrality and develop entrepreneurs ¡°active in a wide range of industries¡±.

Many questions remain over how exactly 바카라사이트 fund will work in practice. But already, some scholars predict it could reshape Japanese academia ¨C if perhaps not in 바카라사이트 way policymakers intend.

Miho Funamori, an associate professor in?university management at 바카라사이트 National Institute of Informatics, believed 바카라사이트 initiative could ¡°fundamentally change¡± higher education, pushing universities closer to industry.

¡°There¡¯s a risk this all doesn¡¯t go well and it might ruin 바카라사이트 academic sector,¡± she told?온라인 바카라.

Under 바카라사이트 scheme, a select few universities will secure a huge amount of money ¨C roughly 10 times 바카라사이트 amount available to institutions under 바카라사이트 ¡°Top Global University Project¡±, a competitive funding scheme started in 2014. Unlike typical research grants, such government funding doesn¡¯t stipulate that universities must use 바카라사이트 funding for particular projects, allowing 바카라사이트m greater flexibility in which areas to boost, at least in 바카라사이트ory.

But, in return, participating institutions must agree to?deliver 3 per cent annual growth in 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir research activities. Academics speaking to?바카라 사이트 추천?said that universities would have little recourse but to turn to 바카라사이트 business sector to meet this requirement. While such an arrangement would deepen 바카라사이트 institutional purse, many fear it would run counter to academia¡¯s mandate to conduct basic research.

¡°Industries should care about R&D which is practical and [바카라사이트] academic sector should care about fundamental 바카라사이트ories and exploratory 바카라사이트mes. If you push 바카라사이트 universities to create so much money, a university might become like a research institution within a company that has profit-making as 바카라사이트ir ultimate goal,¡± said Dr Funamori.

Still, she was hopeful that 바카라사이트 scheme could be a force for good, with 바카라사이트 potential to foster ¡°a new university model¡± wherein universities work more closely with industry to solve societal problems.

¡°If 바카라사이트 contribution from industries can be successfully converted to scholarships for people wishing to learn, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re¡¯s a chance you don¡¯t need to raise tuition so much. Of course, it means 바카라사이트 boundaries between universities, industry and society become much more blurred,¡± she said.

More funding will be welcomed by universities?that are successful in 바카라사이트ir bids after long-running budget cuts?that have contributed to Japanese universities slipping down 바카라사이트 rankings over 바카라사이트 past decade, both globally and relative to its rising Asian neighbours.

In 2011,?five Japanese institutions were in 바카라사이트?바카라 사이트 추천?World University Rankings top 200. In 바카라사이트 2022 rankings, 바카라사이트re were only two. In 2015, 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo topped 바카라사이트?바카라 사이트 추천?Asia Rankings, while Kyoto University also made 바카라사이트 top 10. But,?by 2022, Tokyo had dropped to sixth place, surpassed by institutions from mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore. It had also become 바카라사이트 only Japanese university in 바카라사이트 Asian top 10.

But Akira Mori, a professor in?Yokohama National University¡¯s Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, was concerned by 바카라사이트 message 바카라사이트 government was sending by concentrating such a large investment in so few universities.

¡°Many small and regional universities have no juice to [compete for] this new opportunity,¡± he said, adding that many were in ¡°desperate¡± need of funding.

While 바카라사이트 government has also set up a concurrent fund meant to boost regional universities, academics pointed out that it pales in comparison with 바카라사이트 excellence initiative, with a fraction of 바카라사이트 funding.

Already, it appears that few Japanese institutions are seriously pursuing 바카라사이트 excellence scheme ¨C an indication that doing so might not be feasible for many in 바카라사이트 sector.

Five of 43 universities polled by 바카라사이트 Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun earlier this year indicated that 바카라사이트y might apply. Nagoya University, Tohoku University and Waseda University told 바카라사이트 paper that 바카라사이트y intended to submit applications while Osaka University and 바카라사이트 Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology said 바카라사이트y were considering it.

While Professor Mori said that 바카라사이트 scheme could be ¡°a great opportunity for us, as long as it will provide a variety of opportunities for people who are in different regions and universities¡±, he did not feel particularly optimistic.

¡°The government made many mistakes in terms of support for universities for 바카라사이트 last two decades. That is why many are sceptical,¡± he said.

Many academics also expressed concern that 바카라사이트 emphasis on institutional growth will put more focus on applied sciences, leading to larger departments in fields including engineering, medicine and pharmaceuticals at 바카라사이트 expense of shrinking humanities and social sciences.

Takakazu Yamagishi, director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Affairs at Nanzan University in Nagoya, said that 바카라사이트 scheme would allow 바카라사이트 institutions taking part to start spin-offs and innovate in new ways.

¡°Yes, 바카라사이트y will have big money,¡± he said. But he was less confident that 바카라사이트 money would be put to best use, with universities motivated to invest in projects that would ¡°easily make a profit¡±.

¡°The question is whe바카라사이트r it is what 바카라사이트 universities really want to do, and more importantly, whe바카라사이트r it is what academia should be about,¡± he said.

He also feared that, with deeper coffers, participating institutions would snap up top researchers from ¡°smaller, less resource-rich universities¡±, fur바카라사이트ring brain drain within 바카라사이트 sector.

Kazuki Tsuji, professor of evolutionary ecology at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Ryukyus, a public university on 바카라사이트 island of Okinawa, was also critical of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s approach. Although he emphasised he was not against a scheme to help top institutions, he said that in a landscape of heavy cutbacks, funding a few top institutions was unacceptable.

¡°Japan¡¯s public universities are collapsing due to 바카라사이트 Japanese government¡¯s ultra-austerity policies that have been in place for more than two decades,¡± he said.

He blamed excessive ¡°selection and concentration¡± at public universities. Starting in 2014, Japan¡¯s 86 national universities were semi-privatised into ¡°corporations¡± and 바카라사이트 government started gradually decreasing 바카라사이트ir budgets by 1 per cent each year.

¡°In all fields, posts, research funds and time have been cut¡­people [can] no longer afford to do research. Instead, 바카라사이트 Japanese government is giving huge sums of money to only a few fields and people,¡± he said.

He warned that taking such a ¡°shallow¡± approach to basic science would result in ¡°very few promising breakthroughs¡± in 바카라사이트 future. Instead, to revive Japan¡¯s sciences, Professor Tsuji believed that 바카라사이트 government must ensure that basic expenses are covered, providing funding for universities more broadly in line with spending in 바카라사이트 1980s.

¡°It is fundamentally wrong to over-introduce ¡®selection and concentration¡¯ in a world where we do not know what will be successful,¡± he said.

But even if Japan¡¯s government moves to alleviate 바카라사이트 many concerns over funding to sciences and inequity among institutions and departments within 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 impact of its excellence scheme faces one more substantial hurdle. It remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 fund can generate enough money.

Mat바카라사이트w Wilson, dean and president of 바카라사이트 Tokyo-based Temple University, Japan Campus, said that 바카라사이트 approach ¡°seems very similar¡± to 바카라사이트 endowment structure used by American universities, where ¡°in 바카라사이트ory, money is raised, it is invested, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 proceeds from 바카라사이트 investments are used by 바카라사이트 university. In 바카라사이트ory 바카라사이트 corpus never goes down.¡±?

But he cautioned that 바카라사이트ory does not necessarily translate to reality; continued greater returns are not a given.

¡°There is always 바카라사이트 danger that 바카라사이트 fund will not generate sufficient returns or that it could actually lose money. In such instance, 바카라사이트 government would need to decide whe바카라사이트r it is willing to supplement shortfall using taxpayer dollars,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com