Joint Research

Outline

Researchers from a company or other organization and researchers from Osaka University work together on an equal footing to research a shared topic, with the aim of producing outstanding research findings.

Research Expenses

Research expenses are the sum of direct expenses, expense for University-Industry Collaboration (UIC) Activity Promotion, and research fees. They are determined pursuant to negotiation.

Direct expenses: Expenditure on gratuities, travel, consumables, utilities, employment of research support personnel, purchase of equipment, and other direct costs which are necessary to conduct joint research.
Academic Contribution Fee (optional): Fee for contribution of researcher’s expertise for joint research, which will be widely used for the researcher’s academic study.

Expense for UIC Activity Promotion: Expenditure essential for Osaka University’s promotion of industry-academia-government collaboration, such as the development of joint research facilities, management and use of intellectual property, and work associated with contracting.
Research fees: Expenditure on the hosting of Joint Research Collaborators posted to Osaka University by a company or other organization for the purpose of undertaking joint research, where the Collaborators retain their positions in the organization. (Monthly fee of 36,600 yen per researcher hosted)

Invoices for these expenses will be sent by the Osaka University researcher’s graduate school or other unit approximately one week after the research agreement is signed.

Tax Incentives

When a company or other organization engages in joint research with a university, the organization can deduct a proportion of the research expenses it pays from its corporation tax (income tax) payable in Japan. For more information please consult your local tax authorities.

Guidelines on R&D Tax Credit System (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry website)

Research Period

Determined pursuant to negotiation

Handling of Intellectual Property

Please use the Inquiries Form.

Procedures Flowchart

Confidentiality agreements may be signed at each stage as required.

Actions by company/organization
Actions by Osaka University

1 Responsible staff at your organization pursue discussions with Osaka University researchers on details of the research project and application.
You can search for researchers using the university’s researcher database.
If you have any other questions, use the Inquiries Form.

2 Send the Joint Research Application Form to the graduate school or other unit of the university with which the researchers are affiliated.

3 Approval of the hosting of joint research projects takes place at a monthly meeting. Once your project is approved, the university will send a draft agreement.
(It will take 1-2 months for the university to contact you after approval, depending on the time of year.)

4 The joint research agreement is signed.

5 Around one week after the agreement is signed, the graduate school or other unit of the university with which the researchers are affiliated will send an invoice for research expenses.

6 Pay the research expenses by the due date shown on the invoice.

Inquiries

Please use the Inquiries Form. (Also refer to the FAQ.)