Meeting on Improving National University Facilities (FY2024–) (7th)
Overview
At the seventh meeting on September 25, 2025, participants discussed development goals for the next five-year plan, the implementation of co-creation hubs, securing diverse funding sources, and facility-related policies for national university corporations and others. They reviewed progress under the current plan and the outlook for aging facilities and infrastructure renewal, indicating an emphasis on performance-preserving renovations, optimization of the total facility stock, development of co-creation and disaster-prevention hubs, and collaboration among universities and with local communities. The required-cost estimate and draft final report will be presented at the next meeting, followed by presentation of the final report on December 9. After internal ministry review, the next plan is scheduled to be finalized as a ministerial decision by the end of the fiscal year.
Key points
- The next five-year plan will be considered around measures to address aging, develop co-creation and disaster-prevention hubs, and optimize the total facility stock.
- A direction was indicated toward extending facility lifespans through performance-preserving renovations and strengthening facility management.
- A direction was indicated toward limiting new construction and expansion to cases that are genuinely unavoidable after considering the use of existing facilities.
- Examples of co-creation hubs and diverse funding sources involving universities, technical colleges, interuniversity research institutes, local governments, and companies were introduced.
Overview
At the meeting on September 25, 2025, the agenda covered development goals for the next five-year plan, co-creation hubs and diverse funding sources, and facility policies for national university corporations and others.
Taking into account progress under the current plan and factors such as rising prices, participants considered development goals for upgrading education and research infrastructure as co-creation and disaster-prevention hubs.
Impact
Local governments expressed expectations that renovation and development of university facilities usable as evacuation shelters would be prioritized.
An opinion was expressed that a community-based disaster-prevention system built through cooperation between local governments and universities would lead to further enhancement of university functions.
Details
Under the current plan, new construction and expansion reached a progress rate of 204% against a target of 300,000 square meters, with actual development of 610,000 square meters. For affiliated hospitals, actual development was 580,000 square meters against a target of 450,000 square meters. Progress rates for renewing pipes and wiring and equipment units were 51% and 61%, respectively; at the start of the next plan, more than twice the statutory service life was expected for 33% and 17%, respectively.
The lower limit for aging-facility improvement is based on maintaining the aging rate at 32.4% over the long term, with an estimated rate of 35.9% at the end of the plan. The upper limit assumes development area at 2.2 times the lower limit and an aging rate of 14.2%, with estimates accelerating infrastructure renewal to 2,177 kilometers of pipes and wiring and up to 3,196 equipment units.
The development approach emphasized strategic renovation, performance-preserving renovations, and preventive maintenance, with new construction and expansion limited to cases where existing facilities cannot adequately meet requirements. Optimization of the total facility stock, carbon neutrality, facility management, and securing diverse funding sources were also discussed. The next meeting will address the required-cost estimate and draft final report, the final report will be addressed on December 9, and the next plan is scheduled to be finalized as a ministerial decision by the end of the fiscal year.