Under the programme, universities in Japan are offered prioritized support for university reforms over a period of ten years (2014-23). In 2014 the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) selected so-called Top Global Universities based on performance and ambitious planning (Website JSPS).
The 37 Top Global Universities are categorized into 13 Type A (Top Type) universities that conduct world-leading education and research and 24 Type B (Global Traction Type) universities that lead the internationalization of Japanese society.
Eleven of the thirteen Type A Universities are member universities of RU11 - a consortium of research universities set up in 2009. These are the nine public RU11 universities designated as Type A Universities:
- Hokkaido University
- Tohoku University
- University of Tsukuba
- The University of Tokyo
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Nagoya University
- Kyoto University
- Osaka University
- Kyushu University.
plus two private RU11 universities designated as Type A Universities:
- Waseda University
- Keio University.
In addition, the University of Hiroshima and the Tokio Medical and Dental University have been selected as Type A Universities.
