UREX-Tohoku Forum 2026: Achievements and Future Directions for International Research Excellence at Tohoku University
Tohoku University has concluded its first year as a University for International Research Excellence, demonstrating significant progress in areas such as impact, talent, and transformation. A forum held on January 9 featured President Teiji Tominaga, who presented a report detailing these advancements to faculty and staff.
Funding and Resource Allocation
As the first institution selected under Japan’s government initiative, Tohoku University received approximately 15.4 billion JPY (around 100 million USD) in subsidies for the current fiscal year, with anticipated annual funding of about 10 billion JPY for the next 25 years.
Tominaga highlighted the university’s strategy to allocate 80% of its resources toward human capital, focusing on enhancing the research environment to support early-to-mid-career researchers (EMCRs) in their independent research endeavors.
Attracting International Talent
In its pursuit of attracting international talent, Tohoku University has launched new strategies for recruitment, targeting established researchers and emerging scholars. This approach includes the establishment of a human resources track for candidates with strong research credentials and initiatives for early-career researchers who have the potential to lead in international research.
The institution has raised its salary standards to surpass those of competitive national universities and has improved organizational leadership. Recent legal reforms are expected to facilitate the development of a management fund through investment operations.
Research Collaborations and Funding
The university has seen an increase in private research funding, rising to approximately 15 billion JPY from 12.8 billion JPY. Currently, 235 companies are engaged in research collaborations on campus, with 46 maintaining dedicated facilities. Tohoku University is also supporting industry partnerships, with various startups in the semiconductor and space sectors utilizing its facilities.
Educational Initiatives
In the realm of education, Tominaga announced the upcoming launch of Gateway College in April 2027 and introduced new scholarship frameworks designed to uphold robust financial resources to enhance educational quality.
Global Rankings and Future Aspirations
Tohoku University holds the 103rd position in the Times Higher Education global rankings, with Tominaga expressing optimism that ongoing efforts could elevate the institution into the top 100 in the near future.
Department Strategies and Research Integration
The forum included presentations from six department directors, each outlining their transformation strategies. The Center for Integrated Japanese Studies aims to integrate empirical research with international theoretical frameworks, actively recruiting international researchers and working towards the establishment of joint laboratories and digitization of historical resources.
The Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (WPI-AIMEC), a collaboration between Tohoku University and JAMSTEC, is focused on integrating ocean physics, ecology, and data science and is currently assembling a team of approximately 100 researchers through international recruitment.
Global Outreach in Agricultural Science and Information Sciences
The Graduate School of Agricultural Science is expanding its global outreach by recruiting internationally from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, while the Graduate School of Information Sciences has attracted top talent in artificial intelligence and communications.
The Institute for Materials Research is merging disciplines to apply materials analysis across various fields and has recently received nearly 300 international applications. Meanwhile, the SiRIUS Institute of Medical Research is dedicated to supporting young physician-scientists, emphasizing the development of sustainable mentorship models.
Panel Discussion and Community Engagement
The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring researchers who shared perspectives on translating academic research into societal impacts, highlighting the importance of community engagement and addressing real-world challenges through research initiatives. An additional forum is scheduled for February 27 in Tokyo.
(Source: Tohoku University)
