About Hokkaido University × J-PEAKS
Collaborative Research Platform

The Hokkaido University × J-PEAKS Collaborative Research Platform is a project established under the university’s Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS), a national initiative launched to foster leading and distinctive research universities.

Since its selection in 2023, Hokkaido University has focused on identifying interdisciplinary, applied, and industry–academia collaborative research projects that highlight the university’s distinctive strengths. These projects are supported through a comprehensive and agile funding scheme designed to facilitate the establishment of new research centers.

The ultimate goal of these centers is to drive university-based innovations that contribute to social change. HU Vision 2030, the university’s guiding framework, articulates two core principles: Excellence—achieving global distinction in education and research—and Extension—expanding the university’s impact through innovation and practical solutions for society.

The research platform consists of three stages: Incubation,  Acceleration  and  Grand Challenge.

The Incubation Stage provides support for young researchers in their efforts to conduct cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and industry-academia collaborations.

The Acceleration Stage is home to projects that conduct unique and distinctive interdisciplinary research and industry-academia collaborations, creating foundations for the potential new research centers.

Finally, the Grand Challenge Stage focuses on developing a flagship research center.

There are currently 12 projects in the Incubation Stage, six projects in the Acceleration Stage, and one project in the Grand Challenge Stage under the Hokkaido University x J-PEAKS Collaborative Research Platform.

About the Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)

The Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS), sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), aims to foster a consortium of leading research universities to accelerate and enhance Japan’s overall research excellence.

Through this initiative, J-PEAKS selects universities that demonstrate excellence in specific research fields. These institutions operate under strategic management frameworks that leverage their distinctive strengths and research capabilities to enhance their research capacity by promoting international collaboration and accelerating the social implementation of research outcomes.

Hokkaido University was selected for this initiative in 2023.

Please see the overview to learn more about the Hokkaido University × J-PEAKS.

Message from the President

In today’s world, universities are called upon more than ever to play an active role in advancing society and enhancing people’s lives. Achieving this goal requires nurturing the seeds of new knowledge through the convergence of diverse fields and translating those achievements into innovation.

To meet these expectations, Hokkaido University has declared in its HU VISION 2030 that it aims to become a university that not only enhances research excellence but also possesses the capacity for societal deployment (Extension) — the ability to translate research achievements into solutions for social challenges. To realize this vision, the University has launched the Collaborative Research Platform, a program that provides integrated and focused support to promote outstanding interdisciplinary and applied research.

The nature of the challenges we have faced has evolved with the times, yet our core principles — the Frontier Spirit and Practical Learning — that define our approach to research have remained unchanged. Through this project, we will unite our efforts to contribute to solving global and regional challenges over the next 10 to 20 years and to foster the creation of new academic disciplines.

Kiyohiro Houkin
President