Kyoto University signed a comprehensive collaboration agreement with the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS; President: Kazuhiro Hono; Tsukuba, Ibaraki) on 4 June 2026. Through the agreement, the two institutions aim to advance academia, science, and technology in Japan and contribute to societal development by building on their world-leading research achievements in materials science and strengthening collaboration in research, development, and human capital development.
NIMS is a world-class national research institute in the field of materials science and serves as an international research hub. In addition to pursuing materials science, NIMS has extensive experience in research and development oriented toward industrial applications. Kyoto University is known for its strengths in materials science and chemistry -- having produced many outstanding researchers in the field, including Nobel laureates -- as well as its tradition of interdisciplinary research, robust basic research, and creative thinking.
The two institutions have collaborated through projects such as the Advanced Research Infrastructure for Materials and Nanotechnology in Japan (ARIM), as well as through partnerships among researchers in materials science. Under this agreement, they will further strengthen their collaboration by building on their respective strengths. Specifically, the two institutions will pursue the following initiatives: (1) promoting joint research aimed at pioneering new research fields through cross-appointments of researchers; (2) expanding the mobility of early-career researchers in materials science, including through research fellow appointments at the International Center for Young Scientists (ICYS); (3) fostering human capital by expanding exchanges and training opportunities for technical staff and R&D management professionals; and (4) exploring the establishment of a NIMS Joint Graduate School Program. Through these initiatives, the institutions aim to advance research in materials science and technology, translate research outcomes into societal value, and foster human capital, thereby contributing to scientific advancement and innovation in Japan.
Agreement summary
Term
4 June 2026 – 31 March 2029 (renewable by mutual agreement of both institutions)
Scope
- Promotion of joint research through cross-appointments and other arrangements
- Exchange of early-career researchers
- Exchange and development of technical staff and R&D management professionals
- Other matters necessary to carry out the collaboration and cooperation under this agreement
Comments
Kazuhiro Hono, President, National Institute for Materials Science
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of our predecessor, the National Research Institute for Metals (NRIM), and the 25th anniversary of NIMS. Under our vision of "Change the World with Materials", we have achieved numerous pioneering research accomplishments as a world-leading research center in materials science. Looking ahead, we will continue to actively pursue innovative materials research that integrates AI and robotics by leveraging the materials data we have accumulated.
In this milestone year, as we prepare for the next stage of our development, it is extremely meaningful for NIMS to establish a partnership with Kyoto University, a world-renowned institution known for its academic excellence and tradition of innovation. I am confident that, by combining the strengths of both institutions and bringing together diverse expertise and cutting-edge research environments through joint research and researcher exchange, this partnership will become a major driving force for creating new academic value and fostering the next generation of leaders in materials science.
With the conclusion of this agreement as a new starting point, we will work with Kyoto University to open up new frontiers in materials science and technology and further contribute to society by strengthening Japan’s scientific and technological capabilities.
Nagahiro Minato, President, Kyoto University
While the rapid development of AI and data science is dramatically accelerating the cycle of materials development, the roles expected of materials science have grown larger than ever before, including realizing carbon neutrality, strengthening supply chains, and responding to economic security concerns.
Kyoto University has concluded a Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement with the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), a world-class materials research center with state-of-the-art research facilities and an international collaborative research network. The agreement marks an important milestone in further enhancing Kyoto University’s collaborative network with one of Japan’s leading national research and development agencies, and is a major step toward strengthening Japan’s academic and science and technology foundation.
By bringing together Kyoto University’s accumulated achievements in original research, cultivated through its tradition of academic freedom, and NIMS’s world-leading research environment, we expect the joint research between the two institutions to advance even further. In particular, human capital development through mutual exchange of early-career researchers is an important pillar of this agreement, and both institutions will work together to foster talent that will lead the next generation of materials science.
We will work to ensure that this agreement makes a broad contribution to the development of both institutions and to the advancement of academia and society in Japan.
