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PART Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture

The fact that universities respond to demands from the industrial and other sectors of society to the greatest degree possible while maintaining their initiative, is significant not only from the standpoint of the universities' contribution to society, but also in terms of the stimulation such cooperation provides for scientific research. For this reason, the Ministry is actively promoting cooperation with society through systems for joint research between the university and private and other sectors as well as through the "contract research" system. Also the Ministry is cooperating with joint university-industry research and the technical training of technicians and researchers from the private sector. In order to promote research cooperation between the university and the industrial and other sectors since 1987, the Ministry has established joint research centers at national universities (at 5 universities as of 1992).

Regarding the usage of research findings from the fruits of joint research and "contract research" between the university and the private sector, the Ministry has decided how to deal with patents and initiated measures whereby private industries are given preferential usage of research findings.