A government panel proposed Tuesday the creation of a government-run institution to involve universities in international development assistance projects.
In a report submitted to education minister Atsuko Toyama, the panel said the institution would create a database containing the specialized fields of each university and its faculty members so that information on them could be made available to international agencies and consulting firms.
It proposed that universities set up research centers to assess Japan's use of its official development assistance and to develop networks to connect the universities with nongovernmental organizations and private companies.
College teachers have participated in international development projects individually, but the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry expects the proposal to enhance universities' research activities, ministry officials said.
The ministry plans to set up a new division in fiscal 2003 to achieve the proposal in cooperation with other ministries and with universities, they said.