At the RA Council Annual Conference (Kumamoto Conference) held in October 2025, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology acted as organizer and announced theSecuring research time"When"Career paths for R&D management personnelAn organized session was held on the theme of "
Tegara Corporation's TKS Division took the stage at this session as a Research Support Services Partnership Accreditation System (A-PRAS) certified business, and participated in the discussion from a field perspective on research support services.
In this article, based on the contents of the official report to be released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, we will focus on one of the themes, "ensuring research time," and share the future direction of A-PRAS, as well as the challenges and prospects we at the TKS Business Division have felt in the field.
About the RA Council
The Research Administration Council (RA Council), a general incorporated association, is the only organization in Japan that brings together people who aim to improve research administration work. Organized nationwide to promote the establishment and development of research administration organizations undertaken by universities and other organizations that are working to strengthen Japan's research capabilities, the RA Council currently has 42 organizational members, over 850 individual members, and 10 supporting members (as of September 2024).
– Excerpt from the RA Council website: Research Administration Council (General Incorporated Association)
RA Council Annual Conference (Kumamoto Conference) Event Overview
- Date, time and location: October 21st (Tue) - 22nd (Wed), 2025 @ Kumamoto Castle Hall
- Theme of the event: "Global Collaboration and Local Contribution: A Strategic Approach by URA"
- Tournament website: Research Administration Council 11th Annual Conference
Session Overview
Session Title:
New possibilities opened up by research support services: Securing research time and career paths for R&D management personnel
*Report posted on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology website
Speakers included representatives from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, several A-PRAS-certified businesses, and university URA representatives, and they discussed how "internal support" and "external support" can work together to improve the research environment.
Below is a summary of the TKS Business Division's presentation on the topic of "Securing Research Time."
Reclaiming "thinking time" - TKS support cases
From the perspective of "how to secure time to concentrate on research," the TKS Division introduced a filament recycling device (filabot) case study was introduced.
The essence of research is to think and verify. However, in the field, it is not uncommon for preparatory work such as selecting, procuring, initial setup, and troubleshooting equipment to take weeks or even months.
TKS not only procured and installed the equipment, but also performed a preliminary evaluation of material generation conditions and created recipes, creating an environment in which research could begin immediately after delivery.
We believe that this "outsourcing up to the starting line of research" gives researchers back their "thinking time" and allows them to immediately get into their core research - this is the greatest value of our results.
Issues and directions identified through discussions
How to separate "things that researchers don't need to do"
During the panel discussion, participants shared their perspective on dividing the tasks that fall within research time into three categories: (1) tasks that only researchers can do, (2) tasks that can be done by non-researchers, and (3) tasks that are better done by non-researchers.
① Things that only researchers can do
Person in charge: Researcher himself
The core part of research: hypothesis formulation, experimental design, data interpretation, and paper writing
② What non-researchers can do
Person in charge: University administration, URA (University Research Administrator), assistant, etc.
Paperwork, scheduling, general office work, etc.
③ Things that should be done by people other than researchers [Third area]
Personnel in charge: Private research support companies, technical support departments, specialist engineers, etc.
"Creating the foundations for research" including equipment construction, environment configuration, setup, and integration of research equipment
Although research support services are essential for producing research results, they are responsible for the preparation, construction, and optimization processes that should be carried out by people other than researchers, and can be said to be responsible for the third area (3).
However, under the current Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research system, the costs of using these "third-area" services do not exist as a clear expense category, and they must be included in "equipment purchase costs." This has led to many institutional restrictions, highlighting the current situation in which it is difficult for researchers to access external support.
TKS's proposals and expectations for A-PRAS
Towards a system that allows for fair handling of support introduction costs
→ We hope that A-PRAS will evolve into a "connected platform"
In the future, it will be necessary to establish a system (research support introduction costs/outsourcing costs) that allows the costs of introducing research support services and setting up the environment to be treated separately from ``equipment purchase costs.''
Furthermore, we believe that A-PRAS will not just be a certification system, but will function as a platform connecting universities, URAs, and private businesses, making research support easier to use and more transparent.
Tegara will also contribute to the realization of a society where researchers can concentrate on their research by giving back the knowledge they have gained through their research support activities.
About Tegara Corporation TKS Division
The TKS Division provides a turnkey system (TurnKey System) that is built with the optimal configuration so that researchers and developers can start using it immediately, and has undergone various verifications and settings in advance. We handle everything from procuring research equipment and facilities to installation, initial setup, and post-implementation support.One-stop serviceIts strength is that it has a well-organized system.
With our flexible response to the diverse needs of research sites and comprehensive support that reduces cumbersome procedures and workload, we help create an environment where researchers can concentrate on their core work.
Tegara Corporation TKS Division Official Website
Based on Tegara's philosophy of "helping to accelerate research and development," the TKS Division's mission is to create an environment where researchers can concentrate on their research.
We will continue to contribute to the development of science and technology while deepening our collaboration with the government and other certified companies.
Related Links/Credits:
- Official report from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology regarding this session
- Research Support Services Partnership Accreditation System (A-PRAS) official website
- Previous Certified Business Event Session Participation Report (June 2025)
- Tegara Corporation TKS Division Website
 Tegara Corporation's TKS business services are certified under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Research Support Service Partnership Certification System (A-PRAS). If you have any inquiries about this article or would like to contact the TKS Business Division, please feel free to contact us using the button below.
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