The Institute for Advanced Research was established by the University in April 2002 as a research base for achieving an advanced level of academic research that the University could be proud of internationally. In recognizing the value of creative research for providing intellectual assets for the future, the Institute intensively promotes highly creative research in all academic disciplines.
The Institute accommodates approximately 1% of the University faculty members, whose research projects have been carefully selected. In principle, to allow these project-focused faculty members to concentrate completely on their research, they are either exempted from their teaching and administrative duties, or have had such duties greatly reduced during the project's duration (the maximum project duration is five years.) Fifteen associate professors (tenure-track positions) adopted under the Special Rearing Plan for Researchers also conduct research at the Institute.
Five core faculty members have been assigned to the Institute to handle administrative matters, to maintain and improve the research environment, and to disseminate research results widely outside the University. Important matters related to the Institute, including management and planning, and the selection and evaluation of projects, are decided by the Institute for Advanced Research Committee (IAR Committee), which comprises the five core faculty members and seven of the steering committee members.
Up to now twenty-nine research projects have been successfully completed at the Institute, all of them carefully evaluated by the IAR Committee. They have been used to energize other research activities throughout the University and have been disseminated widely throughout the society.