1. RIPO About RIPO Message from Organization Director

Message from Organization Director

Toward becoming a world-class research university

Atsumi Miyake

Executive Director (Research and Finance)

Director of Research Initiatives and Promotion Organization

In July 2010, Yokohama National University (YNU) established its Office for Research Promotion to strengthen its research capabilities and promote administrative research support; then, the office was integrated with the preexisting Office for Industry–Academia Collaboration to establish the Research Initiatives and Promotion Organization. Following the subsequent organizational restructuring, the organization was further streamlined in fiscal year 2020 to keep in tune with rapidly changing social situations, respond to societal demands, and increase flexibility. As of April 2021, the Research Promotion Organization comprises two departments and one center—namely, the Department of Research Promotion, the Department of Industry–Academia–Government Collaboration, and the Instrumental Analysis Center—which are working to further promote measures to enhance our research capabilities.

The Department of Research Promotion clarified the structure of the research promotion system at our university and formulated a research scheme to strengthen its research capabilities in fiscal year 2020, to establish YNU as a “university of knowledge integration” that functions as a research base for practical academics. Under the research scheme, in line with our president’s vision, we promote the cultivation and development of distinctive and competitive research groups that will be the highlight of our university, intensively supporting some YNU Research Centers to develop them into research units of the Institute of Advanced Sciences (IAS) and further, into a leading research center in YNU .

Therefore, two new leading research centers were established at the IAS in fiscal year 2020. Through not only the development of the world’s most advanced research but also the construction of a transmission system for creating knowledge by collecting results and methods information for the university, our entire institution is working as one toward becoming a world-class research university.

Additionally, university research administrators with abundant achievements and insights are assigned to carry out extensive analysis of university research information and, together with research planning officers appointed by each department, to ensure appropriate information development and research support in each department.

The Department of Industry–Academia–Government Collaboration promotes open innovation to resolve various social issues, with the aim of widely returning research results to society. To build a sustainable relationship that promotes organizational cooperation between our university and external institutions, including companies, the department is organizing a support system for planning and promoting collaborative projects that share a future vision with external partners. Moreover, to contribute to the YNU regional strategic policy ④, “Regional industry–academia–government collaboration and industrial promotion,” we prioritize sustainable cooperation with industry and local governments through joint and contract research. Furthermore, we are working on the promotion of local industry and development of local communities through industry–academia–government–public–bank collaboration, utilizing the university’s intellectual and human resources. Furthermore, to meet industry demands, among others, we have established a new academic guidance system that provides technical consultation and advice prior to joint and contract research.

The Instrument Analysis Center provides educational and research support in the university and contributes to the local community through educational activities, such as instrument-analysis experience programs for high school students and open lectures for working adults. Furthermore, the center is entrusted with analysis and problem-solving consulting from external institutions (including companies, mainly in Kanagawa Prefecture) and actively promotes industry–academia collaboration projects.

Thus, the Research Initiatives and Promotion Organization aspires to the integration of arts and sciences as well as to conduct cross-disciplinary research to connect organizations and researchers across various boundaries, under a research system organized based on studies conducted by departments that advance original and diverse research. We hope to promote research and collaboration toward the achievement of the university’s vision and realization of world-class research university status by creating new academic fields and contributing to local communities and society. We look forward to your continued kind support and cooperation.

Last update:2022/02/07