Guideline

The Main Purpose

RCAST and IIS have established “Young Researchers’ Challenge Support Program”, funded by University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC), in order to encourage young researchers to develop their abilities further internationally.

Program Details

This program is providing financial support for young researchers in all research fields at Komaba Research Campus, such as natural science, engineering, humanities and social science, in order to expand their research sphere through their experiences to collaborate with researchers of other countries. This program covers participants’ transportation and accommodation expenses. Participants must submit “Planning Sheet” before departure and “Report Sheet” after returning home. Oral presentation is mandatory so that participants shall be able to further this program’s activation.

Eligibility

Candidates must meet all of the following conditions at the time of application:

1. must be graduate students in doctoral or master courses, senior student (B4) of undergraduate, postdoctoral researchers, or research associates who belong to RCAST or IIS. Project postdoctoral researchers should confirm their own effort rate.
2. in principle, have not been staying overseas for research during more than 3 consecutive months (for international candidates, the country other than their home country and Japan).

Duration

Approximately 2 weeks from the start of travel. Participants must leave and return within 8 months after the adoption announcement. Candidates for the 8th should return by the end of July, 2024.

Visiting institutions and activities abroad

In principle, participants must choose prominent research institutes, universities or companies as the visiting institution. Fieldwork research by participant oneself is also accepted instead of visiting institutions. International participants may choose Japanese institutes, universities or companies as the visiting institutions.

It is desirable that the visiting plan includes visits to multiple research institutes, discussions on collaborative research, presentations of seminars, or detailed field survey activities. It is advisable to obtain permissions from the visiting institutions before you go. The visiting plan, just participating in academic conferences are not be accepted.

Supporting Financial Amount

The program covers:

1. economy class round-trip airfare (including airport tax, fuel surcharge). The price should be as lowest as possible.
2. domestic transportation fee to and from the airport
3. accommodation fees
4. daily allowance (for travel expenses, communication expenses, and travel insurance) The maximum is 700,000 JPY, conforming with the rules and regulations of the University of Tokyo.

It is possible to extend the period of visiting by adding private funds or laboratory’s budget. However, the period of visiting should not be longer than one month.

How to apply

Candidates must submit the application form (see separate sheets) to either RCAST or IIS. In the application form, candidates must explain the process of negotiation with the visiting institutions regarding individual research activity. Submitting supporting documents (emails, letters) together would be helpful. Candidates must obtain permissions from the visiting institutions by themselves, but the confirmed permission is not mandatory for application. Please be careful that the application form requires handwritten signature by candidates’ supervisor and candidates themselves. Both electric file (without signatures) and paper base (with hand written signatures) should be submitted.

The deadline is October 5 (Thu), 2023 at 12:00 noon.

Selection process

The committee decides the final selection within one month after the deadline, and notifies the result to the candidates and their supervisors. Adoption result for the 8h will be announced around 31st October. The committee considers details of the plan, candidates’ enthusiasm, challenge ability, expected result of the plan in selection process. There are two-time opportunities within one fiscal year to apply this program, October and February. In principle, seven recipients are selected each time. However, absolute evaluation is more important to the committee, therefore the number of recipients would vary.

Procedures after selection and Compliance

Participants should submit the research plan and visit schedule within one month after the acceptance letters received. Participants should submit reason statement, in case the plan would not be the same as the plan in the application form with any tiny details, such as destination and period. The committee might screen the plan over again.

Participants should submit a report within 2 weeks after returning home. Presentation of the report at the program guidance briefing is mandatory.

If participants are graduate or undergraduate students, they must take out “Personal Accident Insurance for Students Studying Abroad” (Futaikaigaku). Post-doctoral researchers and teachers should buy travel insurance covering the same conditions as Futaikaigaku.

Other

In consideration of individual circumstances of the candidate, if there is any particular request about dispatching place, dispatch time, etc., fill in the application form.

Inquiries and submissions

・Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) Mr. Takano
Specialist of The office of Educational and Research Support (ext. 55474)
E-mail: kenkyou@office.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp

・Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) Mr. Suzuki
Senior Specialist of Accounting Division (ext. 56838)
E-mail: rk@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp