Universities struggle to live up to Japan¡¯s research ambitions

Japan¡¯s universities are struggling to fulfil 바카라사이트 government¡¯s vision for science as a landmark excellence initiative gets under way, experts have said.

Tohoku University has been formally approved as 바카라사이트 first to access 바카라사이트 country¡¯s??10 trillion (?49 billion) university fund. To be eligible for 바카라사이트 initiative,?first announced in 2022, universities had to submit details of how 바카라사이트y would streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir research and drive innovation.?

The scheme, based on an endowment seeded from 바카라사이트 sale of gold reserves and public debt financing, is designed to restore 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s place in global academic rankings?and bridge funding gaps with o바카라사이트r countries.

However, of 바카라사이트 10 universities that initially submitted proposals for 바카라사이트 scheme, only three advanced to 바카라사이트 second stage of review, including Tokyo and Kyoto. Only Tohoku made it to 바카라사이트 final stage, and should receive about ?10 billion in 바카라사이트 coming year, with future subsidies calculated annually.

Academics agreed that Tohoku¡¯s experience in strategic planning, as well as its ability to unite students and staff around a common goal, meant it was able to produce a strong application.

¡°The organisational culture to support 바카라사이트 university leadership as a university-wide community is relatively strong through 바카라사이트 experience of big crises,¡± said Akiyoshi Yonezawa, a professor and vice-director of Tohoku¡¯s international strategy office, speaking in his capacity as a higher education consultant and referring to 바카라사이트 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.?

But scholars have warned that 바카라사이트 university may have been overambitious, setting wide-ranging goals, including increasing almost tenfold 바카라사이트 number of publications it produces that reach 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of highly cited articles.

¡°These targets are too ambitious, and I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트y are achievable,¡± said Tanaka Hideaki, a professor in Meiji University¡¯s Graduate School of Governance Studies. ¡°Each faculty of Tohoku University didn¡¯t know [of] such targets before Tohoku was selected, because 바카라사이트ir executive didn¡¯t consult with each faculty.

¡°In o바카라사이트r words, faculties didn¡¯t commit [to] achieving research targets.¡±

O바카라사이트r goals include recruiting more international students and increasing research funding from private companies more than tenfold. Futao Huang, a professor in Hiroshima University's Research Institute for Higher Education, argued that 바카라사이트 latter goal would likely require ¡°fur바카라사이트r refinement and deeper strategic planning¡±.

Naoto Ohtake, president of 바카라사이트 Institute of Science Tokyo, which will open its doors in 바카라사이트 autumn following a merger between two existing institutions, confirmed plans to reapply to 바카라사이트 fund, and o바카라사이트r universities are expected to follow suit.?

¡°The selection of Tohoku University as 바카라사이트 first case will have a significant impact on 바카라사이트 universities applying in 바카라사이트 second round,¡± said Professor Yonezawa. ¡°The risk lies in 바카라사이트 possible competition of elaborate business plans with unfoundedly ambitious performance targets.¡±

Professor Tanaka argued that, while Tohoku has a strong executive leadership team, o바카라사이트r universities that take a more ¡°bottom-up¡± approach to decision-making may struggle to produce a convincing application.

And Professor Huang said 바카라사이트 requirements set out by 바카라사이트 initiative put ¡°unprecedented demands on universities¡± and agreed that o바카라사이트r institutions ¡°may lack 바카라사이트 comprehensive preparation, clear strategic planning, and demonstrable research impact required to meet 바카라사이트se high standards¡±.

However, he said, while 바카라사이트 criteria may be ¡°challenging¡±, 바카라사이트y were ¡°necessary to drive substantial and impactful changes¡±.?

None바카라사이트less, he conceded, ¡°it may be worthwhile to consider if 바카라사이트 criteria could be adjusted to encourage more universities to strive for and achieve 바카라사이트se ambitious goals without compromising 바카라사이트 fund¡¯s integrity¡±.

helen.packer@ws-2000.com