Kyoto Univ. Becomes 3rd Eligible for State Aid

Tokyo, July 31 (Jiji Press)--Japan's education ministry Friday formally certified Kyoto University as the third eligible for receiving aid from a government-financed 10-trillion-yen fund aimed at supporting universities with the potential to produce world-class research results.

Kyoto University will receive some 20 billion yen in aid for an initial year by the end of August as a University for International Research Excellence, after the government approves a reform plan from the university.

The reform plan includes the replacement of the university's traditional system of small independent research units with a more open department-based system.

Universities picked for the scheme will be able to receive annual subsidies of tens of billions of yen, financed by investment gains from the government-backed university fund, for up to 25 years.

Only a handful of universities are expected to be selected overall. The University of Tokyo is under review by a panel of experts.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]