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Outline

In the preceding 21^st Century COE Program (Phase I), we have successfully opened the new academic field of advanced structural and functional materials by bringing together researchers in diverse fields. The program has integrated nano-technologies (materials designs in atomic and/or molecular levels) with fundamental key technologies, considering industrial production and practical applications. Besides the research achievements, we have fostered promising young researchers in doctoral courses by our well-organized and unique educational strategies. As a result, our COE program (Phase I) was marked the highest score on a five-point evaluation scale in the interim evaluation by JSPS in 2004. In order to strengthen the COE program constantly, we will construct a new building in Osaka University by the end of this calendar year. The Global COE will be housed in the new facility to operate programs effectively. This is the pledge of the 21^st Century COE program (Phase I).

The Global COE Program (Phase II) is built on the both educational and research programs achieved in our 21^st Century COE Program (Phase I). Our goal is to make the Global COE, the world-leading center in materials science and engineering. We will strengthen relationships with outstanding institutes in the world to collaborate in both education and research programs. We will continuously foster young innovative researchers with capabilities to carry out challenging materials projects considering practical applications. The researchers will be independently placed in internationally competitive environment. In addition, we appreciate comments for promoting collaboration with industries by the interim evaluation, and will organize a new section of university/industry joint research chairs, which is named "Materials Manufacturing Technology Unit". The major mission of the unit is to transfer our successful research outcome to practical applications. In order to achieve the above objectives of our Global COE Program (Phase II), we will implement the education and research programs outlined below. We will also promote collaborations between, and merging of, a wide range of materials science and engineering fields, and to establish international networks. For the purpose, we will organize functional administration systems offering the following unique features.

Educational Programs

Projects for Advanced Super-Elite Researchers

• Financial aids for Doctoral Students
• Application-based research grants for young researchers
• Special invited-lecture project by world-noted outstanding researchers

Advanced Overseas Training Project

Advanced Boomerang Project (Domestic expedition project)

Research Programs

In this Global COE Program (Phase II), we will carry on researches done in the 21^st Century COE Program (Phase I). In addition, we will study new advanced materials (diverse multi-functional materials, multi ferroic materials), which attain both mechanical properties as well as functionalities. We will propose new materials-design concepts by revealing mechanisms based on molecular and atomic levels.