Japan's universities boost earnings from private-sector ties

Top schools pour more resources into research collaboration with businesses

The University of Tokyo was the top earner from donations and business partnerships in fiscal 2022 among Japan's national universities. (Photo by Takako Gakuto)

HIROYUKI OMOTO, ATSUKO SANO and SAYAKA SAITO, Nikkei staff writers

January 4, 2025 04:25 JST

TOKYO -- Leading Japanese national universities' earnings from donations and business partnerships have grown by nearly one-third over five years, a Nikkei analysis shows.

Earnings from these sources rose to 276.8 billion yen ($1.75 billion at current rates) in fiscal 2022 from 209.2 billion yen in fiscal 2017, according to financial data for six national universities from the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education.