Ritsumeikan University Selected for MEXT's University and National College Functional Enhancement Support Program (Growth Field Transformation Fund)

Ritsumeikan University (located in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City; President: Yoshio Nakatani) has been selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's (MEXT) 'University and National College Functional Enhancement Support Program (Growth Field Transformation Fund)', a publicly recruited initiative.

This program is designed by MEXT to continuously support universities and national colleges that are developing highly specialized talent to lead growth fields such as digital and green technologies, in anticipation of an estimated shortage of over one million STEM professionals by 2040, amid demographic shifts like declining birthrates and aging populations.

Ritsumeikan University will further strengthen its educational and research systems, centered on the Faculty of Life Sciences, to cultivate advanced STEM talent capable of addressing societal challenges in growth fields such as environment and energy, biotechnology, and healthcare and wellness.

In conjunction with this selection, the university has adopted the theme: 'Transforming into a new chemistry and life sciences education to realize human health, a sustainable world and society, and well-being.' In response to global societal challenges intensifying on a worldwide scale—such as climate change, energy and food security, and responses to a super-aging society—the university will enhance education and research within the Faculty of Life Sciences, aiming to cultivate highly skilled STEM professionals equipped with comprehensive knowledge.

Specifically, starting in the 2028 academic year, the university will increase the enrollment capacity of three departments in the Faculty of Life Sciences—Applied Chemistry, Life Information Science, and Life Medical Sciences—by a total of 65 students. Additionally, the Department of Applied Chemistry will be reorganized into the 'Department of Advanced and Applied Chemistry (provisional name),' and the Department of Bioengineering will be restructured into the 'Department of Applied Life Sciences (provisional name),' thereby enhancing education and research in areas such as GX (Green Transformation), carbon neutrality, food and environmental issues, AI × Bio, and next-generation medicine. (※)

Since its establishment in 2008, Ritsumeikan University's Faculty of Life Sciences has advanced education and research in chemistry and life sciences under the mission of 'contributing to the realization of human happiness and a sustainable, affluent society in harmony with nature.' With four departments—Applied Chemistry, Bioengineering, Life Information Science, and Life Medical Sciences—the faculty promotes talent development and research across diverse fields including drug discovery and medical science, bio-manufacturing, and environment and energy, based on the integration of life sciences and information sciences.

In particular, the Department of Life Information Science advances interdisciplinary education and research that fuses life sciences and information sciences, pioneering fields such as AI-driven drug discovery, genomics, and digital twins—key areas of Bio-DX. The Department of Life Medical Sciences conducts advanced research in medical technology assessment (HTA) and clinical epidemiology.

Furthermore, the university actively promotes industry-academia collaboration with local governments and enterprises in Shiga Prefecture, and through international research collaboration and student exchanges—such as with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH)—it is also proactively cultivating STEM professionals capable of thriving globally in the field of life sciences.

Comment from Yoshio Nakatani, President of Ritsumeikan University:

'We are deeply honored that Ritsumeikan University has been selected for MEXT's University and National College Functional Enhancement Support Program (Growth Field Transformation Fund). Solving increasingly complex societal challenges—such as climate change, food and energy issues, and responses to a super-aging society—requires cultivating highly skilled talent in chemistry and life sciences. Leveraging this program as an opportunity, we will further strengthen science and engineering education and research centered on life sciences, and as a 'next-generation research university that creates symbiotic social value,' contribute to building a sustainable society and achieving well-being for all.'

※ The plans for establishment and increased enrollment are currently under consideration. The content is provisional and subject to change.

Related Information

Faculty of Life Sciences: https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/ls/

Graduate School of Life Sciences: https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/gsls/