The University of Tokyo is currently in talks to establish new faculties focused on cutting-edge fields like AI and space exploration, sources familiar with the university revealed. The faculties aim to cultivate talent capable of creating globally competitive startups by recruiting leading researchers and practitioners from Japan and abroad in modern technological fields. The plan is to implement this if the university is designated as an “International University of Excellence in Research,” a status aiming for world-leading research standards.

The International University of Excellence in Research program receives support from the government's 10 trillion yen University Fund. Eight universities, including the University of Tokyo, applied, with the new designation expected to be decided within this fiscal year. If awarded International University of Excellence in Research, the University of Tokyo plans to use the resulting annual subsidies, amounting to tens of billions of yen, as funding for establishing the new faculties.

The university envisions two faculties: one covering a broad range of cutting-edge technologies like AI, space, and robotics, and another specializing in computer science. Classes will be conducted in English. The university will adjust enrollment by reducing capacity in other faculties to ensure overall enrollment remains unchanged.