Being a university committed to being open and promoting constant reforms, the University of Tsukuba applied to become a Designated National University Corporation for the Fourth Mid-term Goal Period and we received the designation in October 2020.
Designated National University Corporations are national university corporations designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan as showing a certain level of promise for world-class education and research activities, with the aim of accelerating the improvement of education and research standards and the creation of innovations in Japanese universities.

NEWS & TOPICS

• University of Tsukuba selected as "Designated National University Corporation" by MEXT (October 15, 2020)

Message from the President

President NAGATA Kyosuke

The University of Tsukuba, modeled after innovative universities in the US and Europe, was established in Tsukuba Science City, the largest of its kind in Japan, to become a world-class university based on a new concept. Taking advantage of our international and interdisciplinary nature, which is our legacy, we intend to conduct research across the boundaries of different disciplines, get ahead of the world in terms of educational models, make the most of our location in Tsukuba Science City to actively promote university-industry collaboration, and so on, as a "genuinely comprehensive university" committed to creating new knowledge to design future society. Through such initiatives, we will strive to create and establish GLOBAL TRUST as a new base value for the future society that will come after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The designation we received is a powerful reminder that the University of Tsukuba is expected to play a leadership role in the reform of national universities. We are sure that by meeting this expectation we can become a driving force behind further growth of higher education in Japan, and overall development of the country. All members of the university will make concerted efforts to make this come true, while being fully aware that the whole world is the stage for our collaboration and competition. We look forward to your continued support.

University of Tsukuba as a Designated National University

Our vision:
"Perfectly Comprehensive University" that solves global issues

We believe that a perfectly comprehensive university creates new academic disciplines. With this belief, we at the University of Tsukuba strive to strengthen existing academic disciplines and promote transdisciplinary collaboration to create new academic disciplines that can offer novel solutions and innovation. In Japan, only the University of Tsukuba with its unique legacy and history is to be such a university. With the slogan "Beyond the Borders," we will strengthen our governance and financial foundation as a designated national university to continue ceaseless reforms, enhance our research beyond disciplines, develop human resources without borders, and implement research results that solve social issues. With a strong international outlook and as the core institution of Tsukuba Science City, we aim to contribute to a sustainable human society as a leading comprehensive university that creates new knowledge for the future.

1. Enhance research beyond disciplines

New academic disciplines can only be created by a perfectly comprehensive university that integrates knowledge, and attracts diverse, outstanding knowledge from around the world. To create new disciplines, we will implement three initiatives.

• ① Go beyond global research standards by increasing international brain circulation
• ② Create new academic fields through transdisciplinary collaboration
• ③ Implement new value for humanity through collaborative, society-oriented research

2. Develop human resources without borders

We will undertake four initiatives to promote human resource development spanning national and organizational boundaries.

• ① Introduce design-thinking education across the university
• ② Introduce leading-edge, transdisciplinary graduate education
• ③ Recruit students from all over the world and nurture global leaders
• ④ Export the University of Tsukuba's education system to the world

3. Implement research results to solve global issues

We will make efforts to enhance synergies within Tsukuba Science City and undertake four initiatives for the social implementation of research results.

• ① Establish our Venture Ecosystem for international university-startups
• ② Enhance needs-driven R&D
• ③ Make Tsukuba Science City provide a challenging experimental field
• ④ Promote collaboration across global science cities

Documents Regarding Designation

• University of Tsukuba as a Designated National University
• Website of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (in Japanese only)

List of NEWS & TOPICS

• University of Tsukuba selected as "Designated National University Corporation" by MEXT (October 15, 2020)