Japan Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Regarding the opening of “SMBC Kyoto University Studio”
……
National University Corporation Kyoto University (President: Nagahiro Minato, hereinafter referred to as “Kyoto University”), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (Executive Officer, President and Group CEO: Tatsu Nakajima, hereinafter collectively referred to as the “SMBC Group”), Stocks The Japan Research Institute (President: Katsunori Tanizaki, hereinafter referred to as “Japan Research Institute”) has agreed to open the “SMBC Kyoto University Studio” within Kyoto University. SMBC Kyoto University Studio aims to realize the harmonious coexistence and happy growth of the global society by collaborating between a comprehensive university that conducts original research and a global financial group that serves as a hub for industry under an academic climate of freedom. We aim to become a “workshop” that creates social value, going beyond the traditional framework of industry-academia collaboration.
1. Background
As a result of prioritizing economic activities worldwide, in recent years social issues such as environmental problems, human rights, poverty and disparity have become apparent, expanding, and becoming more serious.
Kyoto University places emphasis on basic research that explores the roots of learning, promotes cutting-edge and original research under an academic climate of freedom, and, as a university open to society, contributes to the harmonious coexistence of global society. With this goal in mind, we are actively creating innovation and contributing to society. Furthermore, the SMBC Group reflects the business spirit of creating social value, which has been passed down over many years by Mitsui and Sumitomo, in its management philosophy, and aims to help solve social issues as the economy grows. We are engaged in activities aimed at solving social issues in order to contribute to the realization of happy growth in which the people living there can feel happy.
Kyoto University and SMBC Group have decided to open SMBC Kyoto University Studio as a new platform to combine these efforts and promote innovation and social value creation.
2. Overview of SMBC Kyoto University Studio
At SMBC Kyoto University Studio, we aim to realize a virtuous cycle by 1. creating businesses to solve social issues, 2. producing human resources who will work on solving social issues, and 3. creating social value.
We accept people seconded from the SMBC Group, and Kyoto University and the SMBC Group set research themes based on social issues, and researchers from Kyoto University in various fields and researchers from the Japan Research Institute, the SMBC Group’s think tank, collaborate in interdisciplinary research. We will conduct joint research. In addition, we will not only pursue research, but also proactively promote initiatives such as launching businesses and disseminating information to Japan, Asia, and the world, with the aim of creating a movement that will lead to social implementation and social change. In order to carry out these initiatives over the medium to long term, SMBC Group plans to contribute approximately 1.5 billion yen over 10 years.
-Research theme-
In selecting research themes, SMBC Group has established five materialities as priority issues that it must proactively address (“Environment”, “DE&I/Human Rights”, “Poverty/Disparity”, “Declining Birthrate and Aging Population”, and “Japan’s Regrowth”). Based on this, we will utilize the “Kyoto University AGORA method” (*1) established by Kyoto University and consider a wide range of domestic and international social issues while taking advantage of the perspectives of multiple researchers and businesses. Initially, we plan to focus on the following three research themes.
(1) “DE&I/Human Rights”: Supporting people with developmental disabilities to demonstrate their abilities in employment
(2) “Poverty and inequality”: Research and development and
dissemination of educational approaches to overcome the chain of poverty, inequality and abuse
(3) “Declining birthrate and aging population”: How everyone should behave and make decisions in order to maintain dignity during life and after death
In the future, we will also consider inviting applications for themes from students and young researchers to foster future researchers and entrepreneurs.
-Launch a place for co-creation-
SMBC Kyoto University Studio’s activities promote research with a view to commercialization by returning research results to society and society’s voices to research, and constructively collaborating with various stakeholders in co-creation spaces. We will also have a dialogue. The Japan Research Institute is working to create a space for co-creation through industry-government-academia collaboration, including the activities of the Carbon Cycle Innovation Consortium (*2), which was established with Kyoto University and others in 2023. By leveraging the know-how of the Japan Research Institute in setting up and operating such co-creative spaces that combine different fields, we will promote the social implementation of research results. (*1) To provide a venue for researchers and businesses with multiple and diverse backgrounds to present and discuss each theme.
(*2) A consortium of private companies in the manufacturing and construction industries, as well as local governments, established in September 2023 with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality.
Press release “Collaboration agreement aimed at achieving carbon neutrality concluded – Universities and think tanks will flexibly create a virtuous cycle of industry, government and academia necessary to solve problems -” (September 13, 2023 Kyoto University, Japan Research Institute, Kyoto University) (Original Co., Ltd.).
https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/sites/default/files/inline-files/hihon-soken-press-release-d9e9e942cd01e9d81c9fa7877ae9c3a9.pdf [Contact information regarding this matter]
Kyoto University Public Relations Division Matsunaga 075-753-2070 Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Public Relations Department Minamikata 06-6227-3828
Japan Research Institute Public Relations Department Kanai 080-3437-9449 More details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000074.000068011.html