Based on the university proposal for developing innovative concept and methods of materials research, two projects on combinatorial solid state material science and technology are currently in progress by the supports from Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) and National Institute for Material Science (NIMS). With a brief historical background, the purpose, scale, and topics of these projects are outlined with a focus on exploratory study of functional metal oxides. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.