MEIJI UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Their core work

Meiji University is a major private Japanese university based in Tokyo that brings international and particularly EU-Japan bridging perspectives to European research collaborations. Their H2020 involvement focuses on responsible research and innovation governance, human rights in sports mega-events, and AI-driven knowledge exchange between Europe and Japan. They serve as a non-European academic partner contributing expertise on how global governance frameworks, diversity policies, and technology cooperation function across different cultural and regulatory contexts.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Meiji's early H2020 engagement (2018) centered on governance frameworks — responsible innovation, ethical behavior in industry, regulation, and the interplay between civil society and nation states. By 2021, their focus shifted decisively toward practical EU-Japan cooperation mechanisms: knowledge exchange platforms, university-company twinning, and AI collaboration. The trajectory shows a move from broad governance questions toward concrete bilateral cooperation instruments, particularly in digital technologies.

Meiji is positioning itself as a bridge institution for EU-Japan technology and innovation partnerships, with growing emphasis on AI and digital collaboration frameworks.

How they like to work

Meiji University joins projects as a participant or third-party partner — never as coordinator, which is typical for non-EU organizations in H2020. With 42 unique consortium partners across 19 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, internationally diverse consortia. This suggests they are valued for bringing the Japanese academic perspective into broad multi-country networks rather than leading focused bilateral efforts.

Despite only 3 projects, Meiji has built connections with 42 partners across 19 countries, reflecting participation in large international consortia. Their network spans well beyond Asia, with deep ties into European research institutions and policy organizations.

What sets them apart

Meiji University is one of very few Japanese higher education institutions active in H2020, making them a rare bridge between European and Japanese research ecosystems. Their combination of governance expertise, sports/human rights research, and AI cooperation means they can connect European consortia to Japanese academic networks, industry contacts, and policy contexts. For any project needing a credible Japanese university partner with EU collaboration experience, Meiji is a proven choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RRING
  Largest funded project (EUR 117,438) building a global responsible research and innovation network — rare in connecting governance frameworks across nation states and industry worldwide.
• EU-Japan.AI
  Directly focused on EU-Japan AI cooperation through university-company twinning — highly relevant as EU and Japan deepen their digital partnership.
• EventRights
  Addressed human rights and diversity in mega sports events — timely given Japan hosted the Tokyo 2020 Olympics during the project period.