Science and Technology System Reform [PDF:1668KB]

Chapter 3 - Science and Technology System Reform Science and Technology System Reform Chapter 3 1 Fostering, Securing, and Activating Human Resources 1 Establishment of Environment that Enables Individuals to Play Active Roles The future of S&T in Japan and the maintenance and enhancement of the country's international competitiveness depend on the capabilities of people fostered in Japan, and it is important to cultivate an environment that enables a diverse pool of individuals, including young researchers, female researchers and foreign researchers, to become highly motivated and exercise their capabilities. Described below are the outlines of major policies adopted by ministries and agencies as categorized by purposes. (1) Supporting the independence for young researchers If Japan is to aim towards becoming an advanced science- and technology-oriented nation, it is critical to foster and secure distinguished young researchers with abundant creativity who will lead future research activities. To this end, research institutes are expected to give opportunities for Ch.3 participation in voluntary activities and for universities to secure assistant professors and establish opportunities for them to assume active roles, under competition based on fair and transparent personnel evaluations. In order to foster next-generation researchers in the field of information and communications technologies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) implements the R&D through Fostering Young ICT Researchers [literal translation] as part of the Strategic Information and Communications R&D Promotion Programme (SCOPE), providing research funds for R&D themes proposed by young researchers. MEXT implements since FY 2006 the Promotion of Environmental Improvement to Enhance Young Researchers' Independence, and Make Use of Their Abilities under the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology (SCF) so as to enable young researchers to play an active role. Under this program, MEXT currently provides support to 21 organizations, assisting the introduction of the tenure track system (which enables young researchers to gain experiences as independent researchers by obtaining a fixed-term position at universities, etc. and then get a more stable position after undergoing rigorous screening of their achievements) and helping efforts to improve the research environment by providing start-up funds necessary for independent research activities and securing research spaces. MEXT also enhances its efforts to foster young researchers who have flexible mind-sets and a spirit of challenge through the provision of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research. In FY 2007, MEXT earmarked around 29.2 billion yen for research grants as part of its effort to expand competitive funds for young researchers and established a new grant program through the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) entitled Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (S), which is intended for researchers under 42 years of age so that they can promote research selectively by leading their teams based on past achievements. In addition, the ministry provides through JSPS excellent young researchers with opportunities to devote themselves to research activities while independently choosing the topics without any restriction by the Research Fellowships for Young Scientists and also provides them with opportunities to gain research experiences abroad and improve themselves by competing with foreign researchers by the Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research Abroad so as to foster and secure researchers capable of White Paper on Science and Technology 2008 181 Part 2 – Measures Implemented to Promote Science and Technology playing an active role across national borders. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) sets up the research for fostering young researchers who will conduct the ministry-related research activities in the future under each project funded by the Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has an award as part of the Human Resources Development Program in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research [literal translation] to commend researchers aged less than 40 years old who have made excellent achievements so as to enhance young researchers' motivation. Meanwhile, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization implements a research promotion program aimed at supporting innovative research by young researchers. The National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences works on independence and enhancement of young researchers’ research motivation by establishing a junior researcher system, which is intended for doctoral students of graduate schools to allow them to proceed to higher education while working for research institutions since FY 2007. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) provides, through the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, subsidies for young researchers' R&D activities aiming at industrial applications. The Ministry of the Environment (ENV) supports young researchers to help improve their research by setting up a special reserve to the ministry's competitive funds. (2) Improvement in mobility of human resources and restraint of proportion of alumni members In order to train researchers with broad perspectives in creativity and to achieve competitive and dynamic R&D environments, it is important to improve the mobility of researchers, to form a creative research environment, and that researchers in versatile sectors can gain experiences at various research sites. The Third Science and Technology Basic Plan calls for universities and public research organizations to make continued efforts to ensure widespread adoption of a fixed-term system, which is proceeding at the organizations concerned. (Tables 2-3-1 and 2-3-2). Furthermore, universities should pay sufficient attention to the proportion of alumni members of their faculty members, and it is expected that universities with an excessively high proportion of alumni members endeavor to lower the proportion. Table 2-3-1 Status of Introduction of Fixed-term System at Research Organizations, Etc Number of Number of full-time Ratio organizations researchers on fixed-term National experiment and 19 129 5.67% research organizations Designated independent administrative institution-type/authorized 3 33 21.15% corporation-type research organizations Non-designated independent administrative agency-type 30 3,058 22.20% research organizations Source: MEXT survey (July 2007) 182 White Paper on Science and Technology 2008 Chapter 3 - Science and Technology System Reform Table 2-3-2 Status of Introduction of Fixed-term Faculty Members Number of Number of fixed-term Ratio universities, etc. members National universities 81 8,816 15% Public universities 44 1,837 16% Private universities 380 11,929 13% Inter-university research 14 199 15% organizations Source: MEXT survey (October 2006) (3) Promotion of activities of female researchers The ratio of female researchers in Japan is lower than in the US and European countries. It is important to promote activities of female researchers not only in order to promote gender equality but to broaden the base of S&T-related human resources. The Third Basic Plan aims to call for a variety of initiatives to promote activities of female researchers. In response to this, MEXT supports through the JSPS’s Research Fellowships for Young Scientists establishing the environment which allows excellent female researchers who took a break in their research activities due to childbirth or child care to return to their research activities. Ch.3 Moreover, since FY 2006, MEXT implements a program to publicly invite proposals for initiatives that will serve as a model project to enable female researchers to simultaneously perform the duties of researchers and mothers. Selected practices are funded by SCF at 20 organizations. The ministry implements a project to encourage female students of lower/upper secondary schools to follow the science career paths by creating opportunities for them to mingle with female researchers and by providing experiment courses and catering lessons as a way to foster their interest in S&T. Also implemented is a project to support women's choice of S&E career paths, which examines practical initiatives to encourage female students to choose S&E courses and diffuse its findings through training of social education-related parties, etc. Under the slogan “Challenge Champaign –Choice of S&E Courses for Female Students- [literal translation],“ the Cabinet Office provides female students with information related to S&E fields and to raise their awareness about such fields. The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)examined measures for supporting simultaneous pursuit of nursing and business work, including holding of gender-equal symposiums, recruitment seminars intended for female students, at its Gender Equality Office, and it also executed surveys and study meetings concerning nursing care as a means for improving the work environment. (4) Promotion of activities of foreign researchers In the midst of promotion of the active participation of a diverse range of personnel, it is important to prepare an environment that allows talented researchers from other countries to live and work in Japan, from the perspective of not only securing personnel, but improving the level and internationalization of research activity

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