As an integrated research center specialized in wide aspects of membrane engineering, the Center for Membrane and Film Technology at Kobe University is the first of its kind in Japan. Since its establishment in 2007, the center endeavors in world-class research and education. Furthermore, it has also been focusing on industrial application of membrane technology and human resources development via collaborations with industry. Through the close cooperation with on-campus incorporated association named the Organization for Membrane and Film Technology, the center is currently co-working with more than 65 companies. In order to keep leading in the expanding global market of membrane technology particularly water treatment, continuously developing innovative technology and nurturing internationally competent experts is significant. The center is achieving such goals by conducting a variety of activities including collaborative research, professional education programs as well as efficient facility sharing with partner companies.

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"Joint Research Chair" started to be introduced at Osaka University in 2006 with the enterprises which established a laboratory on campus bearing the cost around 30 million yen per year. Human resources allocated by the enterprises and researchers assigned by the university jointly operate the research chair. "Research Alliance Laboratory" is advanced research base managed by enterprises where the enterprise can conduct its own research work. The research fund of this system corresponds to 40 percent of total joint research fund of Osaka University. This shows the possibility of this system to enhance the activity of the university under financial constraints. As technical know-how of the system is open to the public, the similar systems are adopted by other universities and enterprises. Current situation and the topics at Osaka University are presented in this report.

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This paper briefly describes the key features and practice of Yamagata University's Industry - Government - Academia cooperation, which has evolved from organic LEDs to organic electronics and to integrated organic material systems. Yamagata University has been at the forefront in the formation of a world's leading center of excellence, pioneering a new field of integrated organic material systems, which ranges from basic research to industrialization. It aims to revitalize the region by strengthening its collaboration work with corporate sectors and other partners at all levels (domestic to international). Based on our unique "Yamagata Model", we present our management perspective on the University's ongoing endeavors for innovations towards commercialization

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National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) is a national research institute which is devoted to promote "bridging" between basic science and industrial applications. AIST simultaneously proceeds "application-inspired basic research" to create seeds of the next generation and "bridging" researches which can be divided to the former stage for integration toward industrial technology, and the later stage with partner company for creating new products/services. This article deals with three representative cases for describing the unique style of AIST's research activities, namely, Spintronics, Single-wall Carbon Nanotubes and SiC Power Devices. The analysis shows that the keys of success are, 1) development of the unique technology seeds, 2) partner company with a high technological excellence and strong commitment to the collaboration, and 3) timely and sufficient funding from public sector in a proper formation. The analysis also depicts the future tasks to be tackled for the institute.

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We analyzed collaborative research contract information of 2004-2013 financial years, in order to clarify the situation of University-Industry research collaborations and the geographical distribution of the partners in Shimane University.
We obtained following results.
1)In case of partners of large enterprises, the partners who are located in Kanto, Kinki, Tokai and Chugoku area occupy 94%.
2)In case of partners of small and medium-sized enterprises, the partners who are located in Shimane prefecture, Kanto, Chugoku and Kinki area occupy 94%.
3)After 2009FY, the cooperative researches with companies who are located in Kanto, Tokai, Kinki and Chugoku area are increasing. The cooperative researches with companies who are located in Shimane prefecture are decreasing.
4) Most of the partners of the cooperative researches with non-companies organization are located in Shimane prefecture.
The tendency of decreasing of cooperative researches between Shimane University and companies in Shimane prefecture is thought a big problem for promoting of the local innovation. It is necessary to clarify and compare the situation of other areas, and to examine measures in future.

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This study analyzes joint research contracts between national university corporations and industry as part of the various activities of university―industry collaboration. Explanatory variables related to Grants in Aid for Scientific Research and funded research projects clearly have a strong connection to joint research indices. These factors have a particularly strong link to the amount of joint research expenses per person. In contrast, the proportion of engineering teaching staff is also very closely related to the number of joint research projects per person. In addition, analysis of the amount of joint research expenses per project indicates a negative correlation to an increase in the proportion of engineering teaching staff. In other words, the higher the proportion of engineering teaching staff, the greater the number of joint research projects, which conversely lowers the expenses per person.

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