Kobe University and Toyobo seal comprehensive partnership agreement; deal aims to translate joint research results in environmental, life science fields into practical use in society

Kobe University
Toyobo Co., Ltd.

Kobe University and Toyobo Co., Ltd. on April 11 sealed a comprehensive partnership agreement with the aim of facilitating research and the development of technologies that will contribute to society.

Kobe University, located in Nada-ku, Kobe, is committed to making its research results widely available in society – in collaboration with companies and local governments – to help attain the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs). Toyobo, headquartered in Kita-ku, Osaka, has made sustainability a core management policy and is dedicated to achieving a sustainable society through its business activities. Kobe University and Toyobo have already exchanged personnel and conducted joint research in projects including energy-saving, desalination technologies using forward osmosis (FO) membrane. The latest agreement will strengthen their partnership further.

Kobe University and Toyobo plan to advance their joint research especially in environmental fields, including membrane technologies that contribute to the goal of achieving carbon neutrality, and in life sciences with the aim of improving people’s quality of life. Both parties expect this will help them obtain new knowledge, develop new products and generate new businesses.

Kobe University and Toyobo will also conduct joint research in social science fields to advance the integration of humanities and sciences so that more research results can be practically and speedily used in society. Furthermore, they will consider human resource development initiatives, such as more personnel exchanges between them and establishing courses for recurrent education and reskilling.

Through this agreement, both of these parties based in the Kansai region aim to contribute to local communities through their strengthened partnership and to realize a sustainable society by practically applying their joint research results.

Kobe University is headed by President Masato Fujisawa and Toyobo by President and Representative Director Ikuo Takeuchi.

Outline of the comprehensive partnership agreement

Under the agreement, Kobe University and Toyobo will cooperate on matters related to:
- Planning and implementation of joint research and other projects.
- Development of human resources.
- Promotion of industry-academia collaboration other than those stated above.

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