The Tokyo Institute of Technology and the Tokyo Medical and Dental University said Friday they will merge into a new national university by the end of fiscal 2024, aiming to increase their global competitiveness in research.
The two universities, both considered top-tier in Japan within their respective fields, intend to apply for a government grant for the integration. The grant is part of the country's new 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) funding program to help universities generate internationally competitive research achievements.
The agreement has paved the way for the first consolidation between Japanese national universities designated as being globally competitive.
"Our merger will fuse various academic fields to develop world-class education and research," said Kazuya Masu, president of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, at a press conference.
The two universities will set up a panel to prepare for the integration, and are considering inviting students and alumni to think of a name for the new university.
Creating a new university from two well-established higher education institutions is uncommon in Japan, as most cases in recent years have seen a parent corporation being created under which the two schools are managed.
Masu has told people around him that being designated as a globally competitive institution and becoming eligible for the new government grant would be "absolutely necessary in order to catch up with top U.S. universities," according to a source close to the university.
The average annual number of academic papers published by Japan that attracted international attention between 2018 and 2020 was 3,780, leading the country to drop in rank to 12th place, which was its lowest ever, according to the Japanese Science and Technology Indicators 2022.
Japan had ranked fourth twenty years ago before dropping to sixth ten years ago, indicating a significant dip in research capabilities, according to the report.
China and the United States ranked first and second with an average of 46,352 and 36,680 such papers published, respectively.
Lack of funding has been seen as the reason Japan has been outstripped by other major countries, leading the government to enact the policies for outstanding research.
But Yoichi Torihata, chairman of the Faculty and Staff Union of Japanese Universities, expressed concern at the developments.
"There is a growing trend of top universities attracting talented researchers with favorable treatment," Torihata said, "but I worry if it will lead to a skills shortage among smaller regional institutions."
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