Self-evaluations, external evaluations, Project achievement report

This project is aimed at increasing our brand value through branding strategies such as creating and developing new nanomaterials, recruiting highly motivated candidates with a broad perspective, and bringing our traditional nanomaterials research up to the world's highest level in order to establish a global research base.
Also, with the idea of our future vision, "Creating a Learning Community," our goal is to give back to society. Furthermore, we will promote collaborative brandings with the selected project from FY 2016 ("Meijo university's brand building program by developing new optical devices based on blue LED") to build a brand image as "The world-renowned Meijo University."

In our research activities, we will consolidate and utilize nanomaterial research equipment owned by researchers at the university, such as electron microscopes, and add them to the equipment we purchased in this project plan, then we will create a strong system to support related research. To be specific, we will clarify the early stage mechanism of graphene formation, and we will achieve creation of alloy nanoparticles and oxide nanoparticles that are highly uniform, with diameters of less than 10 nm by both solution and vapor phase methods. In addition, we will promote further research by accepting researchers from within Japan and abroad, and by forming links with other research facilities. As a branding strategy, we will develop an environment for distributing the results of this university’s nanomaterial research both within Japan and abroad. To be more specific, we will update our website, hold a public symposium, and conduct model lectures and experiment demonstration at local elementary, junior high, and high schools.

Our research unit used synchrotron radiation to analyze chemical bonding in catalyst particles during single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) growth and, in a world’s first, conducted in situ XAFS measurements of catalytic particles during SWCNT growth. These results are due to be published in the journal of the Japan Society of Vacuum and Surface Science. Additionally, we manufactured small-diameter SWCNTs using an Ir catalyst. These research outcomes have been reported to many researchers at national and international conferences, in the form of keynote speeches and invited presentations (20), full papers (12), etc. Moreover, research has gathered speed since last year with e.g. two patents now filed for application. Meanwhile, we held a public symposium on March 1st, 2019, titled “The New Materials that are Changing the World,” and we are working with local governments together to offer lectures to citizens on our research and our results. In the branding department, in addition to the nine nanomaterial seminars and the innovation exhibition we held this fiscal year, we have actively engaged in branding activities as a university, such as putting up a PR booth on campus. In Frompage Co., Ltd.’s “2019 Ranking of Universities of Interest,” released in April of 2019, this university was ranked number 1 for the Chubu region for the 4th year in a row, and we have surpassed the bounds of the Tokai region and show a strong presence in the Hokuriku and Koshinetsu areas.

For our self-assessment and evaluation for fiscal 2018, we conducted written and interview evaluations on May 17, 2019. The written evaluation received a score of 84.4% from the committee members, and was judged “excellent.” For the interview evaluation, we reported on the university branding policy and information distribution by our corporate public relations department, and Mr. Takahiro Maruyama, the head of the Nanomaterials Research Center, also reported on the results, etc. of the research department for fiscal 2018. Of the committee members present, 7 gave us an evaluation of A, and 1 gave us an evaluation of B, and they commented that, “the project is producing very superior results.”

The external evaluation for fiscal year 2018 was conducted on May 24, 2019, by a committee made up of members selected from university researchers and industry. The written evaluation received a score of 75.2%, and was judged “good.” In the opinions of committee members contained in the written evaluation, Meijo University has a long-standing tradition of nanomaterials research and produces results, but its level of recognition is an issue. However, we were evaluated to be producing steady results due to this project. On the other hand, there were opinions regarding the necessity of developing a more global brand, and of collaboration with the Agriculture Department and Pharmacy Department of this university. During the evaluation hearing, we gave a report on the university branding policy and information distribution by our corporate public relations department, and Mr. Takahiro Maruyama, the head of the Nanomaterials Research Center, gave a report on the results, etc. of the research department for fiscal 2018. Of the committee members present, 2 gave us an evaluation of A, and 4 gave us an evaluation of B, and the comment “the project is producing very superior results” was the most common evaluation that we received. The committee members also expressed that after hearing a detailed explanation of the progress of our research, they felt that we were producing very interesting results, and that they approved of our plans to accept more students from abroad, etc. On the other hand, regarding the use of our website and nanomaterials, we were told that it would be better if we made our PR for social implementation easier to understand, and in addition to the business development for fiscal 2019, it is necessary to create a Research Branding Project Committee that will lead to future improvements.

For the fiscal 2018 budget distribution amount of 27.8 million yen, 24.72 million yen was expended, for an expenditure rate of 88.9% (including the budget expenditure for 1 case of derivation research).

The major uses are as follows.
① Research expenses: 19.017 million yen (Infrared spectroscope: 4.752 million yen / Quartz cell for high temperature XAFS measurement: 1.23 million yen / Overseas travel expenses (USA, Russia, India): 1.196 million yen, etc.)
② Personnel expenses: 3.53 million yen (PD salary for 1 person, special part-time compensation for 2 persons)
③ PR expenses: 2.173 million yen (Expenses for setting up a branding project PR booth: 1.85 million yen, etc.)