Research Strength as the Foundation of a University’s Potential

Our goal today is neither an education-centered model nor a research-centered model, but a third path. Sophia University has long been highly regarded for the quality of its education, yet the strong research foundation supporting this reputation is sometimes less visible. One of the key factors that determines the quality of a higher education institution is the presence of any “distinctive knowledge created through research at the university.” Growing research strength inevitably leads to stronger educational quality.

Moreover, alongside education and research, social contribution has become increasingly central to the mission of universities. Research capacity plays a crucial role in this as well. The significance of a university’s contribution to society lies precisely in how it applies its distinctive research strengths for the benefit of the broader community.

Few private universities are highly trusted for their educational quality and at the same time competitive in research. Sophia’s new executive leadership policy of reinforcing research strength as the foundation to support the university’s three pillars of education, research, and social contribution is a vital strategy essential for maintaining Sophia’s relevance and attractiveness as a university of choice.

Articulating a Distinctively “Sophia” Identity in Research

Looking at Sophia University’s research capacity, its first defining feature is balance—research spanning a wide range of fields from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences, all maintaining a consistently high standard. Indicators such as citation counts and the acquisition of external research funding used to show that science and engineering fields were the focus, mainly due to differences in research practices across disciplines. However, over the past decade, these same indicators have also grown steadily in the humanities and social sciences, with citations in these fields now standing on nearly equal footing with the sciences in university-wide indicators.

A major factor behind this growth is that researchers in the humanities and social sciences have increasingly begun publishing not only in Japanese but also in foreign languages, enabling their work to reach international audiences and gain global recognition. In this way, Sophia’s ideal form as a university with diverse fields lies in integrating diverse research fields on a single campus and leveraging their respective strengths to enhance the university’s overall research.

At the same time, it is becoming increasingly important to develop distinctive research strengths that can serve as a clear hallmark of Sophia University. Given Sophia’s ethos, this is less about prioritizing a specific academic discipline and more about highlighting the richness of research that reflects our educational philosophy of For Others, With Others, emphasizing approaches aimed at addressing social challenges and supporting people facing various forms of hardship.

As these diverse strands of research work together with the university’s extensive domestic and international research networks, Sophia will become increasingly capable of addressing complex challenges in a comprehensive manner. In doing so, the university will open the way to a future as a center of knowledge that can fully exercise its strengths in education, research, and social contribution alike.

A Diverse Range of Initiatives Underway to Strengthen Research Capacity

To further strengthen research, we are currently developing and carrying out a variety of initiatives from multiple perspectives.

One key priority is support for early-career researchers. To this end, Sophia University launched a global doctoral training initiative in the 2024 academic year, following the adoption of JST’s Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING) program. This initiative aims to open the path to a sustainable future through science, technology, and innovation. In addition, the university introduced the Global PD Program, which enables postdoctoral fellows (PDs) to conduct research overseas for a set period, as well as the Special Assistant Professor Program, which provides a pathway from PD positions to assistant professorships.

One factor that makes it difficult for early-career researchers to establish themselves in Japan, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, is the limited range of career paths available to those who complete doctoral coursework but have not yet obtained their degree. At Sophia, however, we hire PDs regardless of this completion status and whether or not they graduated from Sophia, thereby creating opportunities for individuals in such circumstances.

At the same time, we are creating opportunities for researchers, many of whom remain active well beyond retirement. Therefore, Sophia has established programs that support research activities after retirement, allowing these scholars to continue using the university as their academic base. Researchers using this system are also asked to mentor younger scholars, thereby linking support for veteran researchers with support for the next generation.

Another area that requires greater emphasis is support for mid-career researchers, the largest core group within the research community. For mid-career researchers, the key challenge is securing sufficient time for research. This academic year, the university established a Faculty Support Desk, which centralizes research-related administrative services, enabling one-stop support for research fund management, employment administration, and related tasks.

Furthermore, Sophia introduced a buyout system early in the 2022 academic year, shortly after it became institutionally possible. Under this system, researchers who obtain external funding can allocate a certain proportion toward hiring part-time lecturers or research assistants, thereby reducing their teaching load and preparation time. This system is now widely used across the university. We would like to promote a broader understanding within the university that securing large-scale external funding and investing part of it in personnel costs can free up more time for research, leading to stronger outcomes in both research and education.

Sustaining Research Capacity Across Generations

Research strength is not only something to be developed; it must also be passed on and sustained beyond individual researchers.

Our emphasis on nurturing early-career researchers stems from the desire to ensure that research knowledge and the culture of inquiry are passed on across generations. Likewise, mainly due to differences even when people do not pursue research careers themselves, those who benefit from education and socially engaged activities grounded in research may carry these experiences into society, which we also regard as a broader form of inheriting research.

Undergraduate students may still have limited opportunities to engage directly in specialized research. However, through classes and seminars, exposure to research conducted within the university allows them to see how deeply knowledge has been built up in addressing social issues and yet-unknown questions, what kinds of approaches are possible, and how research outcomes can be applied in society. Such experiences provide valuable hints when breakthroughs are needed in their professional lives, and help them recognize when it is appropriate to seek out experts in relevant fields.

By strengthening research as a foundation, Sophia University aims to cultivate people who can carry this knowledge forward and apply it to innovation in society.