The Function of URA Skill Standard for Unified Comprehension to Diversified Roles of URAs and Related Professionals

Abstract

This paper overviews today's status of university research administrators (URAs) in Japan and provides functional analysis using URA skill standard. Firstly, I summarize about URA skill standard with 22 business categories and its construction process with its multifarious backgrounds and philosophy. Using skill standard, nation-wide questionnaire inquiry apparently reveals the current URAs situation in the aspects of business scope, ability, achievement, population, and organizational structure. Finally, considering the similarity about the university--industry collaboration professionals, the important leavings to design appropriate mandates of URAs are 1) skill standard especially for senior level management, 2) interact with certificate and carrier paths, 3) measurements of URA performance to contribute research activity. It will clearly suggest that realizing these points make research-intensive university perform more innovative.