University research is driven by the freely expressed inspiration, intellectual curiosity,
and enthusiasm of individual researchers in their quest for new discoveries. The promotion
of research therefore entails the development in diverse academic fields of human
resources with extraordinary creativity, originality, and commitment. As globalization
continues to advance, Kyoto University seeks to foster creative researchers with a broad
perspective and flexible mindset—qualities that are essential for pioneering research at the
vanguard of academic frontiers.
With that purpose in mind, the university launched the Hakubi Project to Foster and
Support Young Researchers and established the Hakubi Center in 2009. The program was
revised in 2015 to provide two types of appointment: the Global Type and the Tenure-track
Type. The Tenure-track Type was introduced under the Japanese government’s Leading
Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) project, and the Global Type is a
continuation of the original program’s recruitment system. Through the original program,
the Hakubi Center provided support to more than 250 researchers.
We celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Center’s establishment in 2024. While the
recent research environment in Japan faces increasing challenges, all staff, as a united
team, will work together to further strengthen the support system for the next-generation
researchers.