Newsroom Home Newsroom Archive 2006 August 4

News Release

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Tohoku University and Epson Agree on Research and Training Tie-up

Tohoku University and Seiko Epson Corp. ("Epson") today reached an agreement to cooperate in R&D, training and all other possible fields of joint endeavor in the aim of helping to enhance science and technology capabilities and human resources development in Japan. Under the agreement, the parties will use their R&D capabilities and expert personnel to contribute to the development of Japanese and global scholarship and industrial technology. They will achieve this goal through joint projects in both cutting-edge and basic research fields, studies into the application of such research, creation of new business, and training of researchers who can play key roles on the world stage. This is Tohoku University's first alliance with a manufacturer of precision equipment. The agreement marks Epson's second tie-up with a Japanese university, following its partnership with Shinshu University.

Tohoku University conducts advanced research and training in a wide range of fields including nanotechnology, materials, telecommunications, the environment, and life sciences. The university actively pursues tie-ups with industry for basic and mid- to long-term research, which is often difficult for companies to undertake, devising practical applications that use the results of scholarly research and transferring such technologies to private firms. Tohoku University promotes cooperation among all faculties and the pooling of expertise from different fields to address difficult issues via partnerships between industry, academia and the government. Mindful of the importance of furthering R&D, training researchers and building human resource networks, the university is active in developing such partnerships through alliance agreements with private companies and other organizations.

Epson's business encompasses many fields where technology moves at a rapid pace, such as IT hardware, imaging equipment and electronic devices. Faster, more efficient R&D is the key to creating clearly differentiated products that meet market needs in these fields in a timely manner. Furthermore, the technologies involved are increasingly sophisticated and complex, and few companies have the time or financial resources to independently develop all of them in-house. Consequently, Epson has sought to create an efficient division of labor between industrial and academic research by utilizing universities' specialized knowledge and capabilities in basic and mid- to long-term research.

Given these circumstances, Tohoku University and Epson have worked in close partnership for some time on projects such as research in the materials field and an internship program for students. Building on the results of such joint efforts, the two organizations have now decided to formalize their partnership to promote greater organizational cooperation on an ongoing basis, enabling the parties to make effective use of each other's resources. The arrangement is expected to spur new cooperative projects and joint research at an advanced level that will bring world-class results. It is hoped the agreement will lead to industry-university partnerships that facilitate human resource development, scholarly research and the creation of new industries, contributing to the development of core technologies that will drive forward Japan's growth as an advanced science- and technology-oriented nation.

Details of the agreement

1. Promotion of joint research
   Epson and Tohoku University will develop standardized joint research agreements and promote cooperative research projects.
2. Researcher networking, including a forum for technology information exchange between Tohoku University and Epson
   The creation of a forum for researchers at both organizations to share their views in order to promote the development of new R&D themes.
3. Education and human resources development
   Epson will dispatch staff members with experience as industrial practitioners to teach at the university.
   Epson and the university will develop internship programs.
4. Support for study abroad and international exchange
   The company will recommend Tohoku University as a recipient of financial assistance from the Epson International Scholarship Foundation.
   Epson will provide financial aid to support international exchanges by the university.

Related information
Press release: Shinshu University and Epson Conclude Research Agreement