Call for Applications
【Global Type】
※The 12th period (2021) 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 15 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, 2021. 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. Therefore, to facilitate a smooth start to their research after appointment, each researcher is 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
- Create an account by registering your details using the online form on the following website: https://recruit.hakubi.kyoto-u.ac.jp
- Login your account.
- Upload your proposal to your account in PDF format (Proposal for the Kyoto University Hakubi Project to Foster and Support Young Researchers [Global Type]).
- 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.
(Deadline for upload of proposal) :
13:00 (Japan time), Thursday, February 4, 2021
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 Meeting has been closed.
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.
- Kyoto University prohibits on-campus smoking except in designated outdoor spaces so as to minimize secondhand smoke exposure.
Recruit information
【Tenure-track Type】
Kyoto University launched the Hakubi Project to Foster and Support Young Researchers in 2009 to support the activities of promising early-career researchers and enable them to pioneer new paths in their respective academic fields.
In 2015, the Hakubi Project was subdivided into two types of program: the Global Type and the Tenure-track Type. The Tenure-track Type is subsidized by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as part of its Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) program.
This call for applications is for the Tenure-track Type. Details about the Global Type is available on the website of the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research:
https://www.hakubi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/eng/rec/2021/recruit-global-type
1.Posts Available through the Tenure-track Type (LEADER) Program
The posts available through the Tenure-track Type Hakubi Project (under the LEADER program) are as detailed below. Researchers employed through this program will be affiliated with the department that is offering the post, but they will also be appointed as a faculty member of the Hakubi Center, and will accordingly be required to participate in various meetings and seminars organized by Hakubi researchers.
※Post No.”21A5201″, “21A5202” have completed their “Negotiation among the parties”.
Details of available posts
Post No. | Department | Research field | Job type | Advance notice | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
21A5201 | Disaster Prevention Research Institute | Mathematical and physical sciences Engineering sciences Social sciences | Program-Specific Assistant Professor | Necessary | |
21A5202 | Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences | Medicine dentistry and pharmacy Chemistry | Program-Specific Assistant Professor | Necessary |
Researchers who wish to apply for the above posts must first submit a separate application for MEXT’s Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) program. For details of how to apply for the LEADER program, please refer to the website of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (below). The application period for the LEADER program is 10:00 a.m. on May 10 (Mon.) until 17:00 p.m. on June 10 (Thu.) (Japan time). Please note that the application deadline will be strictly adhered to.
Website of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER): Application Guidelines (for Researchers)
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-le/koubo_kenkyu.html
For Reference: Posts offered through the LEADER Program (Websites of MEXT* and the JSPS**)
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/jinzai/takuetsu/index.htm (in Japanese only)
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-le/post_list.html
*MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan
**JSPS: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
2.Screening Method
The application schedule, address to send applications, etc., vary for each post. For more details, see item 1. Posts Available through the Tenure-track Type (LEADER) Program, above.
3.Contact Information
- For the inquiries about the LEADER Program, please see the contact details in the Application Guidelines for the LEADER program on the following websites:
MEXT Website
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/jinzai/takuetsu/index.htm (in Japanese only)
JSPS Website
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-le/koubo_kenkyu.html - For inquiries about the posts offered through the Hakubi Project Tenure-track Type program, please inquire directly to the contact addresses for each post, as listed in item 1. Posts Available through the Tenure-track Type (LEADER) Program.
- For inquiries about the Hakubi Project Global Type Program, please contact the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research at the email address below (please note that we cannot accept inquiries by phone).
Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University Email: hakubi*mail.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp (please replace “*” with “@”)
Recruit schedule
【Global Type】
December 16th | Opening of application period |
Late December | Application information videos will be released. (available until 13:00(Japan time), February 4th) |
February 4th (at 13:00) | Deadline for upload proposal |
Early March | Screening of applications |
June 27th | Interview by the Hakuraku Council |
August 5th | Publication of nominated researchers |
※Time schedule may subject to change next year.
Informal appointment for
Hakubi researchers【Global Type】
To foster prospective young researchers, Kyoto University established the Kyoto University “Hakubi Project” to Foster and Support Young Researchers in 2009 and has accepted applications. Until now, strict examination has been held such as applicant screening by the expert committee of the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research and interview by the Hakuraku Council. As the results of deliberations by the Steering Committee of the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University decided informally 15 researchers who will be hired in the Kyoto University Hakubi Center for Advanced Research.
List of prospective Hakubi Researchers【Global Type】in the Kyoto University Hakubi Center for Advanced Research (As of August, 2021)
(following Japanese alphabetical order)
Name | Research Topic | Position | Current Affiliation/Position |
---|---|---|---|
Ryota AOYAGI | Country-scale mapping of tropical forest recovery after disturbances: Patterns and processes | Assistant Professor | JSPS Research Fellow (PD), Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute |
Shunsuke ADACHI | Dark matter experiment with millimeter waves – Probing unexplored mass region | Assistant Professor | Project Resercher, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI), The University of Tokyo |
Toshiya ANDO | Demonstration of evolutionary processes in multicellular organisms through the development of large-scale chromosomal manipulation techniques | Associate Professor | Assistant Professor, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences |
Maho IUCHI | Elucidation of the foundations of Tibetan cultural area: On medieval Tibet and the second diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet | Associate Professor | JSPS Research Fellow (RPD), Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University |
Ikue OTANI | Han-Xiongnu interaction and the society of Xiongnu: Consideration based on Archaeological evidence | Assistant Professor | Research fellow, National Museum of Ethnology |
Hitomi OMATA RAPPO | The Birth of the Japanese Saints and Race: A Survey of the Image of Japan from the Modern to Contemporary European Mindset | Associate Professor | JSPS Research Fellow (PD), Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University |
Nobuyuki KAKIUCHI | Research on clonal evolution in the human body aiming to overcome chronic diseases. | Associate Professor | Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University |
Chao-jung CHING | Boom of writing and rise of “Huns” in Inner Asia | Associate Professor | Maître de conférence associée, Collège de France |
Shunsuke SHIMOBAYASHI | Opto-regulation of transcriptional landscape by biomolcelar condensates | Associate Professor | JSPS Postdoctral fellow, Princeton University |
Kazuyuki SUGIMURA | Simulating first galaxy formation: unified picture from cosmological structures to stars and black holes | Assistant Professor | Project Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University |
Hirokazu TAHARA | Optoelectronic energy recycling and quantum cooperative effects in semiconductor nanostructures | Associate Professor | Assistant Professor, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University |
Han BAO | Verifiable Machine Learning | Assistant Professor | Ph.D., Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo |
Sayaka TOJIMA | Establishment of “Shippology”, a biological and cultural-anthropological approach towards tail loss | Assistant Professor | Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University |
Hideki NAKAMURA | Multi-disciplinary invesitigation into novel roles of dynamic protein assembly in cell metabolism | Associate Professor | Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University |
Toru MATSUMOTO | Understanding evolution of solids in space environments by studying soil samples from the asteroid Ryugu and Itokawa. | Assistant Professor | Program-Specific Researcher, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University |
Status of Application and Informal Appointment (As of August, 2021)
Number of Applicants | Number of Informal Appointment | Competitive Ratio |
303 people | 15 people | 20.2 times |
Number of Applicants | Ratio | Number of Informal Appointment | Ratio | |
Humanities/ Science | 111:192 | 36.6%:63.4% | 5:10 | 33.3%:66.7% |
On-campus/ Off-campus | 92:211 | 30.4%:69.6% | 6:9 | 40.0%:60.0% |
Domestic / Overseas | 226:77 | 74.6%:25.4% | 13:2 | 86.7%:13.3% |
Associate Professor/ Assistant Professor | 127:176 | 41.9%:58.1% | 8:7 | 53.3%:46.7% |
Average age ( Associate Prof. ) ( Assistant Prof. ) | 40.9 | - | 38.4 | - |
35.1 | - | 33.1 | - |
*Reprinted from proposal.