Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo) and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) have signed a comprehensive partnership agreement to advance the creation of scientific and technological innovation and talent development through collaboration in research, education, university administration, and other areas, based on their respective expertise and achievements in science and technology research and policy research. In the presence of Science Tokyo President and Chief Executive Officer Naoto Ohtake, GRIPS President Hiroko Ota, and other representatives of the respective institutions, the agreement signing ceremony was held on Ookayama Campus on October 1, 2025.
As an open-system university, Science Tokyo aims to solve complex social issues and unknown crises by bringing together knowledge from within Japan and overseas, and from industry, government, and academia, in order to create a better, brighter future. As one of Japan's leading centers for policy studies, GRIPS focuses on science, technology, and innovation policy, aiming to become a hub for industry, government, and academia to address social issues.
The comprehensive collaboration between Science Tokyo, which aims to strengthen policy perspectives in the field of science and technology, and GRIPS, which hopes to deepen policy studies by incorporating knowledge from the field of science and technology, will expand the research and educational potential of both institutions and contribute to the advancement of Japan's science, technology and innovation policy.
Areas of collaboration
- Research collaboration in fields where science and technology intersect with policy
- Educational collaboration, including student exchange programs
- Collaboration in university administration, including administrative staff exchanges and co-hosted training programs
- Other collaborations, including those involving industry partnerships and international exchanges
Collaboration in research - Formulating a strategic science and technology policy
Science Tokyo, a hub of cutting-edge scientific and technological expertise, and GRIPS, an institution of advanced expertise in policy research, will collaborate to conduct joint research on science, technology, and innovation policy. The partners will also work jointly on the activities centered on the Investigation with Integrity, Innovation for Impact Collective (I4C), a strategic analysis and information sharing unit at Science Tokyo.
Together, these efforts aim to achieve increased multi-dimensional, multi-layered science and technology research, analysis, and recommendations that are strategically important on the national level.
Examples of research collaborations
1. Promoting collaborative research that integrates policy research and science and technology research
The partners will advance collaborative research that leverages each institution's research achievements, addressing policy needs related to science, technology, and innovation policy and making proactive policy recommendations. These include:
- Strategies for promoting mission-oriented transformative research and innovation
- An open/closed strategy enabling the market deployment of world-leading technological seeds
- Supply, demand, and development of advanced science, technology, and innovation talent
Through collaboration between research laboratories, the institutions will also provide reciprocal research guidance to each other's students.
2. Identifying key issues for advancing strategic initiatives
Based on a common understanding of science and technology research and policy research, the partners will clarify key strategic issues on which Japan should focus. GRIPS will combine the policy research expertise accumulated through the Science for RE-designing Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) and other programs with Science Tokyo's knowledge of science and technology to develop more accurate methods for future insights, the formulation of research strategies, and a framework for constructing innovation systems. Science Tokyo's I4C will be used as a forum to further develop the network cultivated by GRIPS through the SciREX program, and the two institutions will jointly hold study groups and workshops.
3. Promoting social dialogue that combines different perspectives
The partners will hold symposiums and seminars involving various sectors of society, including businesses, to widely communicate strategic science and technology policy concepts to the public.
Collaboration in education - Talent development leveraging the strengths of both parties
The majority of students at GRIPS are government officials from across Asia, including Japan. At Science Tokyo, many students are expected to lead the development of future cutting-edge technologies. Through this agreement, GRIPS and Science Tokyo aim to enrich various educational events across both institutions and develop curricula that leverage the strengths of both institutions.
Examples of educational collaborations
1. Promoting mutual exchange between faculty and students at seminars, events, and other gatherings for students
The partners will promote mutual exchange between faculty and students through presentations and lectures by Science Tokyo faculty members and participation of Science Tokyo students at the GRIPS Forum, and participation of GRIPS students, including both domestic and international government officials, in various seminars and symposiums held by Science Tokyo.
2. Enhancement of training courses for public officials
The partners will enhance the content of the GRIPS training course for public officials with the cooperation of Science Tokyo faculty members.
3. Enhancement of certificate programs through collaboration between the two institutions
Science Tokyo faculty members with cutting-edge expertise will participate in the GRIPS Short-term Program for STI Policy & Management Training, enhancing the certificate program offerings.
4. Cross-institutional courses leveraging the strengths of both institutions
The partners will offer cross-institutional courses in areas of respective strength, such as Science Tokyo courses covering policy-critical fields like quantum technology and AI, and GRIPS courses examining trends in science and technology policy in other countries and regions (particularly developing nations in Asia and elsewhere).
5. Future enhancement of educational collaboration through initiatives such as new courses and programs developed jointly by the institutions
In addition to courses taught by Science Tokyo faculty members that provide an overview of cutting-edge science and technology, and courses taught by GRIPS faculty members that provide an overview of science, technology and innovation policy, the partners aim to create courses taught by faculty members from both institutions that will develop talent capable of realizing strategically important science and technology policies.
Collaboration in university administration - Strengthening the foundations of university operations through the development and utilization of diverse talent
The two institutions will promote personnel exchanges and training between their administrative offices, aiming to further strengthen the foundations of the institutions' operations.
Examples of administrative collaborations
- Personnel exchange programs for administrative and other staff members
- Enhanced training programs on topics such as information security through joint staff development initiatives
Partner institutions
Institute of Science Tokyo
Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo) is a national university established in October 2024 through the merger of Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Tokyo Institute of Technology. With the mission of "Advancing science and human wellbeing to create value for and with society," the Institute strives to take advantage of the traditions and innovations of both predecessor universities to become a new type of institution without precedent.
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) aims to contribute to the betterment of democratic governance around the world through research and education related to policy and policy innovation. GRIPS is a graduate school specializing in policy research, and was established as a national university in 1997. It is an international hub for policy studies, attracting future policy leaders and researchers from around the world.
