The Network Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices (hereafter referred to as “the Center”), which was established in fiscal year 2010 as a result of the promotion of a collaborative project among Research Institute and Centers of Japanese National Universities, is a network of equally connected institutes with outstanding research achievements in the field of materials and devices, including the Research Institute of Electronics, Hokkaido Univ. The network system is organized by the National and Public Research Institute of Japan. We have promoted more than 5,400 joint research projects in the past 12 years through the first (fiscal years 2010-2015) and second (fiscal years 2016-2021) phases of the network, which is based on Open Calls from researchers belonging to national, public and private universities, technical colleges, national research institutes and companies throughout Japan. During this period, the Basic Joint Research Program and the Program for Utilization of Facilities and Equipment, which correspond to the budding research areas of Materials and Devices in Japan, were positioned as Joint Usage/Research Center Programs. The “Expanded Joint Research Program” to develop outstanding research results, the “Next Generation Young Researchers Program” in which graduate, undergraduate, and technical college students plan and execute their own research, and the “Collaborative Research Laboratory (CORE-Lab) Program” in which outstanding young researchers promote original interdisciplinary research are positioned as dynamic alliance programs to promote flexible integration between researchers from all over Japan and researchers at the five Research Institutes. The CORE Labs have been positioned as a Dynamic Alliance program to promote the dynamic fusion of researchers from all over Japan and the five research institutes. In the second phase of the program, the Center received the highest rating of “S” in the interim evaluation in fiscal year 2018 and the final evaluation in fiscal year 2021.
In the third phase starting in fiscal year 2022, we will set a new goal of crossover (intermingling of different research areas such as materials, optics, life, mathematics, biotechnology, and AI across boundaries) in order to promote materials innovation. Expanded Joint Research Program will be further developed into a fusion of different fields, with the aim of bringing about unexpected developments. The Network Joint Usage/Research Center aims to invigorate the entire domestic and international research community and support future-oriented and challenging research through collaboration and co-creation by strengthening the research capabilities and improving the quality of research at the Network Joint Usage/Research Center member institutes. We also respect the diversity of research and support research that is full of potential. We hope that many researchers will take full advantage of the Network Joint Usage/Research Center and expand their research networks. We look forward to your cooperation.

General Manager, Network Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices research area
Shun’ichi KURODA, Director, SANKEN, Osaka University