Kyushu University established the Platform of Inter-/Transdisciplinary Energy Research (Q-PIT) in October 2016 to harness our outstanding achievements in the field of energy, contribute to solving the increasingly serious global energy and environmental issues, and realize a sustainable society. The establishment of Q-PIT followed the Paris Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in December 2015, which was a new international framework for greenhouse gas emission reductions in the post-2020 period. Realizing that it takes global efforts to address these issues, in October 2020, the Japanese government declared its commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

　In November 2021, Kyushu University was selected as a Designated National University Corporation by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The university aims to become an institution that “drives social change with integrative knowledge”, and is working to advance education and research systems up to the level of world’s top universities. Among priority initiatives are driving social change with digital transformation (DX), and leveraging the university’s strength and characteristics for solving social issues, where one of the entry points is “decarbonization.” Q-PIT is expected to play a role in driving social change and innovation as a platform of “integrative knowledge” that fuses different academic disciplines of the university.

　Based on the vision, Kyushu University reorganized Q-PIT, to present a grand design toward a decarbonized society of 2050, to conduct cutting-edge, cross-disciplinary research and to cultivate researchers. The new organization started in April 2022 with three divisions; Education Promotion Division, Research Promotion Division, and Social Design Division, and a coordinator and sub-coordinators are assigned to each division. The Research Promotion Division, in particular, has three clusters ― “Energy Materials and Devices”, “Energy Systems” and “Energy and Society” ― gathering more than 200 researchers from diverse energy-related fields. Led by these researchers, we will promote interdisciplinary research, create innovation through integrative knowledge, and help solve social issues. We will also contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through these activities.

　Cooperation and collaboration with the local community, industries, and research institutions are essential to conduct these activities. We look forward to your continued support and cooperation in our activities.

Tatsuro Ishibashi, President of Kyushu University and Director of Q-PIT