WASEDA UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Waseda University is one of Japan's most prestigious private research universities, based in Tokyo, serving as a key Asian bridge partner in European research collaborations. Their H2020 involvement spans an unusually broad range — from East Asian literary heritage and global governance studies to industrial decarbonisation and advanced materials. They consistently bring Japanese academic expertise and Asia-Pacific perspectives into European consortia, particularly through Marie Skłodowska-Curie researcher exchange and training programmes.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Waseda's early H2020 projects (2015-2018) centred on humanities and social sciences — comparative Asian-European institutional studies, East Asian literary heritage, and global governance. From 2018 onward, a clear pivot toward energy and materials science emerged, with projects on industrial decarbonisation, power-to-gas technologies, and nanocomposite energy harvesting. This shift mirrors broader Japanese policy priorities around carbon neutrality while maintaining their social sciences thread through the EventRights project on sports event governance.

Waseda is pivoting toward clean energy technologies and advanced materials, making them an increasingly relevant partner for European energy transition consortia seeking Japanese industrial and academic connections.

How they like to work

Waseda operates almost exclusively as a third-party or partner — never as coordinator — reflecting their role as an international associate brought in for specific Japanese expertise rather than leading European-driven projects. With 68 unique partners across 22 countries in just 8 projects, they connect to very wide networks without repeat partnerships, suggesting they are sought after by diverse consortia. Their heavy reliance on MSCA mobility schemes (RISE, Individual Fellowships) indicates their primary value is researcher exchange and training rather than large-scale R&D delivery.

Remarkably broad network for a non-European institution: 68 unique partners across 22 countries through only 8 projects. This global spread reflects their role as a go-to Japanese academic partner for consortia needing Asia-Pacific representation and expertise.

What sets them apart

Waseda is one of very few top-tier Japanese universities actively embedded in H2020 consortia, making them a rare gateway to Japanese research networks, industry contacts, and policy circles. Their dual capability in both humanities/governance and hard science/engineering is unusual — most international partners are brought in for one domain. For any consortium needing credible Japanese academic involvement or Asia-Pacific comparative perspectives, Waseda is a proven and well-connected choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• DISIPO
  Tackles industrial decarbonisation of iron and steel through power-to-gas — directly relevant to heavy industry and aligns with Japan's Green Growth Strategy.
• WHEREAL
  Unique interdisciplinary study of Sinitic writings in Japan as world literary heritage, bridging East Asian studies with European heritage frameworks.
• INTAKE
  Their most recent project (2022-2026) on nanocomposite energy harvesting signals Waseda's current research direction in advanced functional materials.