The Web portal for researchers to share equipment and facilities in Kyushu University

About

About the ShareAid Office

Kyushu University is committed to promoting a research environment where research equipment and facilities can be shared effectively and efficiently. In doing so, the university aims to support research and development in new and interdisciplinary fields as well as further the development of industry-academia collaboration in efforts to enhance the university's research capabilities.

Kyushu University formed the Research Equipment and Facilities Sharing Platform Working Group in 2017 in order to promote the shared use of research equipment and facilities within the university. In 2018, we began creating a university-wide platform and database for shared-use research equipment and facilities as a way to connect the independent initiatives of each research organization. This platform allows for information sharing and consensus building regarding various shared-use issues through liaison meetings while, at the same time, respecting the rules and regulations of existing shared-use systems, equipment, and facilities within the university. (Click here for a list of participating departments)

The ShareAid Office was established to support the development and operation of a university-wide sharing platform (including pricing and other support services). The office is responsible for a wide range of initiatives that help promote the use of research equipment and facilities throughout the university. These include examining rules for equipment sharing, operating the ShareAid web portal, centralizing information on shared-use equipment, coordinating maintenance, and providing information on shared-use research equipment and facilities. (Click here for the ShareAid Leaflet)

Initiatives to maintain and manage shared-used facilities

History

2017 Research Equipment and Facilities Sharing Platform Working Group formed
2018 University-wide platform for shared-use research equipment and facilities established
ShareAid Office opened and database of shared-used equipment and facilities created
2019 ShareAid web portal launched
Kyushu University Research Environment Maintenance Project established

* About the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology project

Project for Promoting Public Utilization of Advanced Research Infrastructure (Program for Enhancing Common Infrastructure of Science and Technology)

https://www.jst.go.jp/shincho/en/

  Adopted in FY 2018: 2
  - Institute of Materials Chemistry and Engineering: https://en.cm.kyushu-u.ac.jp/
  - Supporting Platform for Life Science Education Research in Kyushu University: https://q-plat.kyushu-u.ac.jp/index_e.html


About ShareAid

The ShareAid website is an equipment sharing database that promotes shared-use equipment and facilities owned by Kyushu University.
News: Updates and announcements about shared-use equipment and facilities are posted here.
Lecture Information: Information on lectures and other on-campus events that can help you make the most of shared-use equipment and facilities are posted here.
Hot Topics: Upcoming events, good practices, studies, and research equipment and facilities.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions are posted here.
Language Switcher: The ShareAid website is available in Japanese and English. (Switcher located at the upper right of the website.)
(The following services are only available on campus)
Reuse: An online bulletin board for on-campus reuse of research equipment, facilities, and other related instruments.
The Research Facilities
Improvement Project:		 Policy and application forms.

ShareAid Timeline

Apr. 2019 ShareAid web portal launched (on-campus only)
Nov. 2019 Off-campus access made available
An online bulletin board for reusing research equipment launched
Mar. 2020 English-language site launched / Search improvements added (purpose filters)
Apr. 2021 Redesigned top page
Introduced Hot Topics
Added a page for the Research Facilities Improvement Project (on-campus only)