Organization of the Joint Usage/Joint Research Center

The “Network Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices” unites five Universities: Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Osaka University and Kyushu University. According to the signed Agreement on the creation of this Center, the Head Office is established in the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (ISIR: SANKEN) of Osaka University, the Head of SANKEN becoming the Leader of the Center.
In order to ensure smooth and reliable operation of the Center (planning of research and activities, joint research and usage of equipment, budget and organizational matters), each participating University creates its own Administrative Committee that must include the Dean of the University. Important questions concerning the operation of the Center are solved by the Administrative Committees discussions based upon consultations with the Leader. Applications for Joint Research are available for the whole scientific community of Japan. Decisions on these Applications are taken by Joint Research Promotion Committees created in each University. To evaluate and discuss specific problems in each research field, Research Field Committees are established. These Committees are subordinate to the Joint Research Promotion Committees. There are 5 Committees for the fields: Nano Systems, Development of New Materials, Structure of Materials, Nanodevices, Materials Functional Chemistry. These Committees are responsible for the organization of the joint research and joint equipment usage in the corresponding research field, collection of the applications and performing selection process. The Administration Office of the SANKEN (Osaka University) is responsible for the coordination and management of the Committees.

The five research institutions of the CORE use jointly the resources of the Center. Besides, they are responsible for informing the whole research community of Japan about the possibilities of the joint research and joint usage, as well as promoting and accelerating the building of new points of cooperation. The Universities are responsible for these activities in the areas: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai and Kyushu, respectively.