ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Advanced Research Centers (KARC)
Based on the "Policies for the Structural Reform of Universities" announced by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in June 2001, the "21st Century COE Program" began in fiscal 2002 as a subsidy project for forming research centers. This was followed by the "Global COE Program" starting in fiscal 2007, which inherited the basic philosophy of its predecessor while aiming to further strengthen the educational and research functions of Japanese graduate schools. With many research projects from ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ being selected and implemented under these programs, large-scale research at ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ expanded dramatically.
Around the time of the transition from the 21st Century COE Program to the Global COE Program, a demand arose within ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ for a new type of research hub that would cross-link and integrate various research fields based on those achievements. To meet this demand, the "ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Advanced Research Centers (KARC)" was established on February 1, 2007. Organizationally, it was positioned as a center within the "Organization for Research Promotion" (the predecessor of the current "Office for Research Coordination and Administration" as of 2019), which was established to strategically develop cross-disciplinary integrated research under the leadership of the President.
The purpose of the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Advanced Research Centers (KARC) was to serve as a research hub for the entire Juku that could be established, reorganized, or operated across undergraduate and graduate schools. It was also designed to enable flexible personnel management for researchers and to provide rapid support for the revitalization of research activities. Its characteristics include aiming for research in new fields such as integrated areas that are not bound by traditional departmental research by creating leading and strategic research hubs for ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡, responding to dynamic research activities, and ensuring smooth closure once research is completed.
To achieve these goals, "Centers within the Center"¡ªwhich actually carry out research projects¡ªcan be placed within the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Advanced Research Centers (KARC). These Centers within the Center operate at designated campuses using a certain scale of external funding as research expenses. By functioning as independent research centers, they are expected to produce research results through active research activities. Furthermore, with the aim of conducting activities as full-scale research centers in the near future, it is also possible to establish "Startup Centers" within the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Advanced Research Centers (KARC) where research can proceed even if external funding has not yet been secured.
It is expected that by utilizing the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Advanced Research Centers (KARC), research at ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ will be further revitalized and research results will be produced.
Tomoyuki Fushimi, Director, Office of Research Development and Sponsored Projects, Jukukan-kyoku (ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Corporate Administration)
*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.