Recruitment - 11th batch (2020)

Call for Applications
【Global Type】

※The 11th period (2020) open call for participants has ended.

The Hakubi Project to Foster and Support Young Researchers was launched by Kyoto University in 2009. Through the program, the University employs promising young researchers from around the world as program-specific faculty members, providing support for their research activities with aim of cultivating visionary researchers who will pioneer new paths in their respective fields.

Since 2015, the project provides two types of appointments: Global Type and Tenure-track Type. The Tenure-track Type is a part of the Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) subsidized by the Government of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

This Call for Applications is for the Global Type of appointment. Detailed information of the Tenure-track Type will be announced on the website of the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research at a later date.

1.Research Field

Research projects in all fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are welcome.
The Review Section Table (Overview)

2.Eligibility

Researchers with a doctoral degree (or equivalent research abilities) are eligible. All nationalities are welcome.

Those who have previously been employed as “Hakubi researcher” through the Hakubi Project to Foster and Support Young Researchers are not eligible. It is not possible to apply for both the Global Type and Tenure-track Type appointments of Kyoto University in the same Japanese academic year.

3.Employment Appointment

Around 10 applicants will be appointed.

4.Employment Conditions

• Selected applicants will be appointed as full-time program-specific faculty members (associate professors or assistant professors on limited-term contracts with an annual salary) in compliance with the university’s Rules of Employment for Fixed-Term Program-Specific Faculty Members. Salaries will be determined in accordance with the employment regulations of Kyoto University.
• Their affiliation will be the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research (“the Center”) of Kyoto University.
• In principle, the term of appointment will begin on October 1, 2020. However, the date can be adjusted to meet the requirements of individual researchers.
• In principle, the employment term will be 5 years. There can be no renewal of the appointment. However, it is possible in consultation with the Hakubi researchers’ host institution and host professor, to add a period of childcare leave (for up to 1 year) to the original duration of their term, provided the childcare leave is taken after their employment has commenced and they wish to add the period of leave to the original duration of their term.
• Selected researchers will be eligible for MEXT Mutual Aid Association membership, an employees’ pension, employment insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance.
• The Center does not have any research facilities. Each researcher is therefore required to find and negotiate with a “host” (department/division/researcher) within Kyoto University that is willing to provide suitable research facilities.
• The university will provide each researcher with an annual research fund of approximately 1 to 4 million yen. The amount awarded to each individual will depend on factors such as their research plans, etc.
• The selected researchers will be referred to by the title of “Kyoto University Hakubi researcher” in recognition of their excellent research abilities, and their pioneering work in their respective academic fields.
• Hakubi researchers must submit annual reports on their research activities at the end of each academic year. The Center does not conduct any evaluations, but self-assessment should be implemented according to the regulations of Kyoto University. When leaving the Hakubi Project either after completing the full five-year term or earlier, the Hakubi researchers are obliged to give final presentation at an event organized by the Center.
• Following their appointment, Hakubi researchers are obliged to attend Hakubi events, and they are also required to give their research presentations on the events.
• Following their appointment, researchers must observe the Rules of Employment for Fixed-Term Program-Specific Faculty Members of Kyoto University.

5.Screening Method

Primary screening

The Expert Committee, organized by Kyoto University professors selected in accordance with their respective fields of studies, screen the application documents, focusing on academic achievements and research plans.

Secondary screening

The Hakuraku Council, consisting of influential internal / external intellectuals, interviews the candidates selected by the Expert Committee. In addition to applicants’ academic achievements, the Hakuraku Council will evaluate their potential to become leading figures in the global academic community. Interviews will be held at Yoshida Campus, Kyoto University.

Third screening

The Steering Committee of the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research will make the final decision as to who is enrolled as a Hakubi researcher. The decision will be made in consideration of the interviews held by the Hakuraku Council, etc.

6.Results of Screening

Results of the screening will be sent to all applicants by e-mail. Please note that information on the screening process and reasons for decisions will not be provided.

7.How to Apply / Deadline

1. Create an account by registering your details using the online form on the website below.
2. Login your account.
3. Upload your proposal to your account in PDF format (Proposal for the Kyoto University Hakubi Project to Foster and Support Young Researchers [Global Type]).
4. Applications will be accepted only after both the online registration and the upload of your proposal have been completed.

For further details, see “Guidelines for Preparing the Proposal,” which explains each section of the form.
【Reference】Guidelines for Preparing a Proposal Form

(Registration site) :
Registration site has been closed.

[Important Notice]
It may take time to access the Hakubi Center’s website and the registration site for the application. If no page is displayed, please wait until the page is displayed or try again after a while. We apologize for the inconvenience.

(Deadline for upload of proposal) :
13:00 (Japan time), Thursday Tuesday, February 4, 2020
We apologize that the day of the week of the application deadline was incorrect. The correct deadline is “13:00(Japan time), Tuesday, February 4, 2020″. We are sorry for the confusion.

Please submit the proposal form uploading it in PDF format:
Proposal: PDF / Word

*We will send an acknowledgement email of your application within ten days after the deadline for uploading the proposal. If you do not receive an email from us within ten days, please contact:
hakubi*mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp (Please replace “*” with “@”).

8.Hakubi Application Information Meeting

Information on the Hakubi Project will be provided at the meetings detailed below. To register to attend the meetings, please send an e-mail to the address below including your name, affiliation, position, contact phone number, and the location of the meeting that you would like to attend in the body of the e-mail. Your registration must be received at least one day before each respective meeting.

It is possible to attend the meeting without prior registration, however, if space is limited, there may be no seats available for those who have not registered in advance.

E-mail address for registration to attend the Information Meeting:
hakubi*mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp (Please replace “*” with “@”)
E-mail title: Hakubi Application Information Meeting: Kyoto or Tokyo, *Your name*
Details to be provided in the body of the message: Name, Affiliation, Position, Contact telephone number, Location of the meeting

[Information Meeting in Kyoto]

• Date and Time: 18:00, Friday, December 20, 2019
• Place: Reserch Administration Building (#61), Kyoto University
  Basement 1F, Conference Rooms 1 & 2
  http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/access/yoshida/main.html

[Information Meeting in Tokyo]

• Date and Time: 18:00, Thursday, January 9, 2020
• Place: 10th Floor Shin-Marunouchi Building, KYOTO ACADEMIA FORUM in marunouchi,Conference Rooms C&D
  http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja/kaf/documents/kaf-accessmap_en.pdf

9.Contact Information

Please see the Hakubi FAQ for further information. If you have any further questions or inquiries, please contact us via e-mail at the address below.
【Reference】FAQ

The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University
E-mail: hakubi*mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp (Please replace “*” with “@”.)

10.Note

• Personal information contained in the application documents will be used only for the purpose of screening applicants and the recruiting procedure. It will never be used for any other purpose without applicants’ consent.
• All expenses entailed in applying for this project shall be borne by the applicants.
• Kyoto University supports a gender-equal society. We welcome applicants from female researchers.