Shinshu University and the University of Dar es Salaam Advance International Collaborative Research --Signing of a Collaborative Research Agreement to Promote Biodiversity Research and Access and Benefit-Sharing Practices in Tanzania--
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In April 2026, Shinshu University and the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) signed a Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA) to establish an institutional framework for long-term biological research. The agreement sets out a basic framework for the sharing of research outcomes, intellectual property, and access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits under the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) framework.
The conclusion of the agreement was led by Assistant Professor Takuya Matsumoto of the Biology Course, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University and coordinated by the University Research Administrator (URA) and relevant departments, This process brought together research needs arising from field-based studies and Shinshu University’s institutional support for international collaboration. Beyond securing a foundation for sustainable biological research in Tanzania, the CRA represents an important example of how international collaborative research can address ABS-related requirements in practice.
Moving forward, both institutions will further develop joint research, academic exchanges, and training of early-career researchers and students, strengthening academic ties between Japan and Tanzania.
ABS-related regulations and their implementation vary across countries and regions. In some countries and regions, more rigorous procedures are now required for access to genetic resources and for the publication of research outcomes. For research institutions engaged in international collaboration, navigating international treaties, national laws and regulations, and agreements with local partner institutions is therefore a major challenge. In this context, this CRA—which clearly defines the utilization of genetic resources and benefit-sharing—represents an important step for Japanese research institutions seeking to conduct appropriate and sustainable international collaborative research in Africa.
(*) Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS): A framework ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. ABS-related considerations require careful attention to provider-country laws and regulations, international treaties, and agreements with partner institutions regarding local samples, genetic information derived from them, and research outcomes.
