KGRI

2024/01/31

Image: Mita Campus East Building, which houses KGRI

KGRI (sometimes referred to as "K-G-R-I" or "Keiguri") is officially known as the Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI).

Tracing its history, it originated from the Global Security Research Center (G-SEC), established in April 2000 following its selection for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Academic Frontier" Project. G-SEC was established to conduct policy research on sudden crisis issues that occur in a chain reaction on a global scale. It served as a base for implementing project-based research funded by external sources, while also conducting educational activities such as endowed courses and public lectures. In June 2004, this was further developed and renamed the "Global Security Research Institute," becoming a full-scale university-wide joint-use research institute and a cutting-edge research base for addressing challenges faced by modern society.

Subsequently, in 2014, Keio University was selected for the "Top Global University Project" and announced the promotion of cross-disciplinary research in three clusters: "Longevity," "Security," and "Creativity." KGRI was established in 2016 with the aim of putting this into practice and disseminating the results internationally to enhance the sustainability of global society through "jitsugaku (science)" and further promote the globalization of Keio University.

The Keio Advanced Research Centers (KARC) was also established in 2008 as an organization to agilely and flexibly handle the establishment, reorganization, operation, and personnel of research bases (centers) as a university-wide organization spanning undergraduate and graduate schools. However, it was abolished in March 2020, and its functions were transferred to KGRI. Under the current KGRI, more than 40 interdisciplinary research projects and centers have been established, and researchers from across Keio University's undergraduate and graduate schools are developing research in new fields.

In order to more strategically develop KGRI's function of promoting cross-disciplinary research, a new mission was added to KGRI starting in 2022.

At Keio University, which has 10 undergraduate faculties and 14 graduate schools, many pioneering and high-value research activities are conducted across all fields. However, the level of recognition for these research results from both within Keio and outside has remained not necessarily high. Therefore, we have begun to play the role of a "Showcase" to widely introduce the research content and appeal of Keio University researchers and to promote the creation of internationally valuable new research areas.

Looking back at the path leading to the current KGRI, it goes without saying that the foundation lies in leading the future society through the "spirit of jitsugaku" advocated by Yukichi Fukuzawa.

Details about KGRI can be found here.

(Yasuki Kaneko, Director, Office of Research Development and Sponsored Projects)