Message from Chief Executive Manager
Tsukuba University was established in 1973 within the Tsukuba Science City, a national project aimed at promoting science and technology and enhancing higher education. Over the years, the university has undergone various system reforms that have contributed to the transformation of universities in Japan. For example, in terms of personnel systems, the university does not have a departmental structure, positioning all affiliated researchers as independent researchers. This approach has led to the emergence of new research fields in a free and open environment.
Since introducing the Western-style Tenure Track System for the first time in Japan in 1994, the university has continuously improved the system while enhancing the research capabilities of young scholars. From 2013, with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities,” the university implemented the “International Tenure Track System,” allowing young researchers to conduct research abroad for a certain period.
The Tsukuba region hosts 29 public research and educational institutions and approximately 150 private research institutions and companies (as of January 2022). With a population of 20,000 researchers, including 10% holding doctoral degrees, Tsukuba is Japan’s largest research and development hub, boasting significant potential.
In this program, leveraging the international tenure track efforts and achievements of the university, collaboration among universities, national laboratories, and companies will be fostered. The goal is to transcend institutional differences in setup, research fields, and industries, promoting the creation of knowledge and cultivating young researchers with a transborder perspective.
Chief Executive Manager
NAGATA, Kyosuke
President, University of Tsukuba