Kyoto University and RIKEN held a signing ceremony for a memorandum on promoting comprehensive collaboration and cooperation at the Kyoto University Tokyo Office.
Aimed at producing achievements at the highest global standards, RIKEN announced its "Initiative for Scientific Excellence" in 2015, proposing that it create hubs for science and technology by connecting research institutions, universities, and businesses in Japan and abroad. In line with this plan, Kyoto University became the first university to conclude a memorandum with RIKEN.
Based on this memorandum, a linkage function with RIKEN will be formulated at KU's Institute for Advanced Study, which was established in April 2016. The two institutions aim to develop research environments and systems that neither institution can achieve on its own. This in turn will advance cutting-edge research, create a new field of science, and foster the next generation of academic leaders.
The ceremony introduced some major research areas, which this memorandum is expected to advance. Researchers undertaking such topics delivered their presentations to explain how their research would be propelled by the memorandum: Professor Tadashi Isa of the Graduate School of Medicine on "human brain"; Dr Shunsuke Ishii, Deputy Director of RIKEN, on "mechanisms of aging and senile deterioration"; Dr Tetsuo Hatsuda, Assistant to the President of RIKEN, and Professor Shigefumi Mori, Director of Institute for Advanced Study, on "mathematical science".
The two institutions also expressed their commitment to create great environment for researchers by taking advantage of strong points of each institution, and to promote personnel exchange by taking measures such as "cross-appointment".
After the signing, President Juichi Yamagiwa delivered his remarks on behalf of Kyoto University, stating "Kyoto University and RIKEN have already implemented numerous joint research projects. We have also seen researchers from RIKEN leading distinguished postgraduate education through the cooperation system of graduate schools. From now on, we will open up a new research frontier, and contribute to solving challenges facing human society by working together to produce great synergetic effect."
RIKEN's President Hiroshi Matsumoto expressed his expectations for this cooperation, by saying "If you look back the 100-year history of RIKEN, there were researchers who belonged to RIKEN and conducted research at the Imperial Universities at the same time. It was just like today's 'cross-appointment system'. RIKEN and those universities were core research institutions, and took advantage of such exchanges. RIKEN and Kyoto University have had a wide range of excellent researchers since their establishment. By developing research sites and centers in the Kansai region, both institutions will be able to establish wider range of cooperation, which will result in much greater contribution to the society". KU's variety of expertise, including researchers in the social sciences and humanities, could also play a crucial role in this collaboration.
After the ceremony, attendees from the both institutions met casually for further discussion.
(From left) President Yamagiwa and President Matsumoto at the signing ceremony
Presentation on some major collaborative research projects
(From left) Professor Isa, Deputy Director Ishii, Assistant to President Hatsuda, and Director Mori
President Yamagiwa, President Matsumoto, and executives and researchers from Kyoto University and RIKEN
