To strengthen Japan’s research capabilities, it is necessary to support young researchers who play an important role at research sites and who will lead science and technology innovation in the future. Therefore, it is important to promote an environment where young researchers, including doctoral program students, can devote themselves to ambitious and challenging studies based on their intellectual curiosity.
In response, in FY2021, MEXT decided to establish a 10 trillion yen University Endowment Fund to build world-class research infrastructure, including support for young researchers, and to radically expand support for doctoral program students ahead of establishing the fund.
This special feature covers, in addition to the aforementioned, the overall picture of support for young researchers in Japan, including Section 1 Current situation surrounding young researchers, Section 2 Main measures being implemented to support young researchers, and Section 3 Future prospects.
 

Section 1:Current situation surrounding young researchers

Japan’s research capabilities may be declining compared to other countries, as indicated by the drop in ranking of adjusted top 10% papers (the number of highly-cited papers by researchers). Improving the quantity and quality of publications and other research results produced in Japan is important to overcome the current situation. For example, young researchers play a leading role in achieving research results in Japan, with researchers in their late 20s publishing the highest number of papers as leading authors. In addition, papers by young researchers tend to be cited more frequently in other publications, and among Nobel Prize winners, researchers in their late 30s have generally led the way in winning Nobel Prizes with their research results. Accordingly, young researchers must be fully engaged in research activities to improve the future research capabilities of our country.
On the other hand, in recent years, there has been a downward trend in the number and rate of students advancing from pre-doctoral programs (so-called master’s degree programs) to doctoral programs, and a deterioration in the research environment for young researchers, including a decrease in research hours and unstable employment.
 

1 Current situation and challenges faced by young researchers

(1)Decrease in the number and rate of students advancing to doctoral programs

The number of master’s program graduates who are advancing to doctoral programs in Japan decreased from 9,333 to 6,961 between 2000 and 2020, a decrease of 2,372, and the percentage of students entering higher education also decreased from 16.7% to 9.4%, a decrease of 7.3 percentage points. Furthermore, among the Group of Seven nations, Japan is the only country with a continuing downward trend in the number of doctoral graduates per million population, raising concerns that Japan’s international competitiveness will decline over the medium-to-long term.
Some major factors that cause master’s program graduates to give up advancing to doctoral programs include financial insecurity while enrolled in a doctoral program and uncertainty about their career path after completing a doctoral program. The survey showed that approximately 10% of all doctoral students received support equivalent to living expenses (¥1.8 million or more per year).

(2)Current research environment for young researchers

Data on the employment environment for young researchers shows that universities have seen a 17.2 percentage point decrease in the percentage of full-time faculty members under 40 years from 1986 to 2019. Furthermore, there has been a decline in the percentage of faculty members under 40 years without tenure, and the number of secure posts for young researchers has been steadily declining. In addition, the tenure of many of the postdoctoral fellows is less than three years, suggesting that their short tenure may be a disincentive to career development.





Consequently, there has been a downward trend in the number of hours researchers spent on research activities in recent years, with the ratio of research and educational activities to the duties of university faculty members decreasing by 8.8 percentage points from 2002 to 2018, placing the research environment for young researchers in a difficult situation.



 

2 Current trends in supporting young researchers

In recent years, a series of policies have been proposed to overcome this crisis.
The Comprehensive Package to Strengthen Research Capacity and Support Young Researchers decided on January 23, 2020, at the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation set forth the following goals: (1) fundamental strengthening of the research environment for young researchers, (2) ensuring sufficient time for research and educational activities, (3) realizing diverse career paths for research personnel, and (4) creating an attractive full-term doctoral program for students. The Package aims to “drive Japan’s knowledge-based value creation system and realize a virtuous cycle that generates researchers required by the whole society.” Additionally, the Package’s main initiatives are “to make research an attractive profession, an attractive research environment is required to be provided to motivated researchers, from young researchers to top researchers,” and “enhance support for young researchers so that they can devote themselves to challenging research for the future in a stable environment”, and also include main initiatives such as expanding the number of posts for young researchers and providing them with challenging research funding, realizing world-class treatment for outstanding researchers, improving the treatment of doctoral program students, expanding career paths and migration to industry, securing research time and sharing facilities.




In addition, “the 6th Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan” approved by the Cabinet on March 26, 2021, stipulates that “the environment for doctoral program students will be improved so that young researchers can develop career path prospects that will enable them to play an active role not only in academia but also in a wide range of fields such as industry, thereby realizing an environment in which outstanding young researchers will aspire to doctoral studies. Furthermore, along with the promotion of basic and academic research that produces diverse and outstanding knowledge, the promotion of fusion oriented research that produces original results through the exchange of knowledge with diverse entities will be strengthened while researchers concentrate on their research from the ground up” as a basic government policy.
In particular, specific targets were set for financial support for doctoral program students and securing posts for young researchers, including “Increase the number of doctoral students who receive an amount equivalent to living expenses to three times the previous by FY2025 (equivalent to about 70% of the number of students advancing from master’s programs)”, “Increase the number of full-time university faculty members under 40 by 10% during the Basic Plan”, and “Increase the proportion of tenured and tenure-track faculty members among full-time university faculty members aged 35-39 in research universities by at least 10% during the Basic Plan”, and the government has indicated its policy of focusing on these initiatives.

Section 2 :Main measures being implemented to support young researchers

1 Radical expansion to support doctoral program students in FY2021

About 10% of all doctoral students receive financial support equivalent to living expenses through the “Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC) Program,” which provides financial support to doctoral program students with outstanding research capabilities at present. However, in light of the recent decline in the number and rate of students entering doctoral programs, MEXT will make a new and significant expansion of financial support for doctoral program students, utilizing the third supplementary budget for FY2020 and the initial budget for FY2021.
In April 2021, the “University Fellowship Program for Science and Technology Innovation” was launched to support students financially. This program offers two types of fellowships: a bottom-up type, in which universities propose fields of study, and a field-specific type, in which the government designates important fields of study. Support is also provided to universities that integrate the creation of on-campus fellowships, including support equivalent to living expenses for doctoral program students working in relevant fields and securing career paths after completing the doctoral program. In FY2021, 47 universities were selected, and approximately 1,000 doctoral program students were sponsored.
Subsequently, a newly funded project called “Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation” will be implemented, supporting doctoral program students in conducting free, challenging, and interdisciplinary research not bound by existing frameworks.
In addition to financial assistance equivalent to living expenses for doctoral program students, this program also supports students in securing a research environment and career development through internships, etc. Furthermore, the program will expand support for research assistants (RA) in the “Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology (FOREST)” program that provides support for up to 10 years for challenging and interdisciplinary research by researchers around the time they become independent at universities, etc. Including the support for RA in FOREST program, MEXT will provide new support to approximately 7,800 doctoral program course students, and combined with the existing support, will result in financial support for approximately 15,000 doctoral program students.
In light of these developments, a message from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was announced on December 15, 2020, to students pursuing full-term doctoral programs.

＜Fig. 1-3-8＞
Minister’s Message to Students Pursuing a Full-term Doctoral Degree.

 

2 Initiatives to expand career paths for doctoral program students

Advances in digital transformation (DX) and globalization have dramatically changed our society and values on a global scale. In the future Society 5.0 era, as the skills required of human resources responsible for society become more sophisticated and complex, the role of doctoral graduates will become important not just in science and technology innovation but also in various aspects of society. On the other hand, the proportion of doctoral graduates among corporate executives in Japan is low compared to other countries. In addition to the relatively low activity of doctoral human resources in society, there have been cases where talented and ambitious students have had to abandon their doctoral program studies due to anxiety about their future career path after completing their doctoral program. The doctoral program students are valuable human resources who will lead Japan in the future, and there is an urgent need to realize a variety of career paths and implement appealing doctoral programs.
Therefore, MEXT has been working to expand career paths for doctoral program students by developing graduate education that meets the needs of society and considering cooperative education through research internships to develop human resources based on the strengths and characteristics of graduate schools. Cooperative education through research internships will commence in FY2021 as an experimental and pilot initiative. By promoting the development of doctoral human resources who will lead in all sectors, ensuring appropriate evaluation of their highly specialized knowledge and wide-ranging abilities by society, and fostering more practical human resources with skills that are highly applicable in research and development sites, MEXT aims to promote the expansion of career paths not only to academia but also to industry and to realize an environment in which students can choose to enroll in doctoral programs without worrying.

3 Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology

Through a fund created by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in the FY2019 supplementary budget, MEXT is promoting the “Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology” program, which integrally supports diverse researchers, especially young researchers, to secure stable research funds for up to 10 years and an environment that allows them to concentrate on their research, while ensuring the liquidity of researchers.
This project aims to encourage outstanding researchers to break away from short-term results approach and produce results that can lead to disruptive innovation by providing a long-term environment where researchers can challenge ambitious concepts without being bound by existing frameworks and without fear of risk while promoting systemic reforms at research sites.
In the first public call for proposals implemented in FY2020, 252 research proposals were selected after expanding the number of proposals for selection in the supplementary budget for FY2020, which was initially planned to be about 200. In addition to the public calls for proposals scheduled for FY2021 and FY2022, MEXT will steadily promote this project and improve it with a view to regularization in the “6th Science, Technology, and Innovation Basic Plan”.

 4 Guidelines for employment and development of postdoctoral fellows

Japan’s international status has declined relatively in many aspects surrounding science, technology and innovation, such as the international share of papers, the number of patent applications, the transformation of inventions made in Japan into growth industries, and the creation of large-scale innovation. Under such circumstances, promoting the development and active participation of human resources responsible for science and technology innovation is an extremely important issue. It is absolutely required that doctoral human resources who have acquired highly specialized and excellent research skills will play an active role in various social settings and create innovation through their postdoctoral fellow experience to maintain and improve Japan’s national power.
To this end, the Committee on Human Resources, Council for Science and Technology established a “Subcommittee on Employment of Postdoctoral Researchers” in October 2019 to intensively examine ways to improve postdoctoral researchers’ working conditions and competencies. On December 3, 2020, the Committee on Human Resources determined the “Guidelines for Employment and Training of Postdoctoral Fellows”.


 
These guidelines serve as a guide for improving the employment and acceptance environment for postdoctoral fellows, as well as for improving initiatives concerning skills development as researchers and career development support to ensure an environment in which postdoctoral fellows can concentrate on their research and realize an environment in which postdoctoral fellows can step up to the next post after a certain period. Specifically, to provide planned career support in anticipation of the next step up, the number of posts for postdoctoral fellows should be limited to two, and an environment should be created wherein postdoctoral fellows can proceed to the next step in about 3 to 7 years. Regarding the employment and training of postdoctoral fellows, the guidelines state that each university and research institution must take appropriate measures on an organization-wide basis, and organizational efforts should be promoted as a management policy. For employing RAs for full-term doctoral students, the guidelines include reviewing internal regulations so that RAs are paid appropriate compensation (standard hourly wage).
The promotion of initiatives at universities and research institutions based on the intent of these guidelines is expected to enhance the postdoctoral research activities and improve the research capabilities of postdoctoral fellows, resulting in the realization of an environment that leads to the success of their future activities as young researchers and consequently, the creation of science and technology innovation.
 

5 Review of the system for competitive research funding

In order to enhance human resources supporting science, technology and innovation, it is important to develop an environment in which each individual can perform to the fullest extent in the right place at the right time according to their abilities and motivation.
Young researchers employed under competitive research funds are required to secure employment resources outside of the project they are engaged in if they wish to conduct other research activities. However, there were cases where they could not secure other financial sources. Therefore, based on the “Integrated Innovation Strategy 2019” (Cabinet Decision on June 21, 2019), to develop and create opportunities for the active participation of young researchers and to create career paths for them, from April 2020, young researchers employed for the implementation of projects funded by competitive research funds have been able to allocate part of the effort they put into the relevant project for their voluntary research activities that contribute to the promotion of the project, while the labor costs for the young researchers are covered by the project they are employed in.
Conducting voluntary research activities not only improves the capabilities of young researchers but also contributes to the development of the original project, expands the research network, improves motivation by eliminating anxiety about the future, and secures outstanding human resources by positioning the project as a career path.
In addition, to attract talented students and adults from Japan and abroad, the “6th Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan” has set a numerical goal to increase the number of doctoral students who receive an amount equivalent to living expenses to three times the previous, thereby increasing financial support for graduate students, especially doctoral program students. To improve the treatment of full-term doctoral students, MEXT will promote the payment of appropriate compensation for using doctoral program students in all programs funded by competitive research funds.

6 Efforts to reform personnel salary management at national universities

The National University Corporation became a corporation in FY2004, enabling it to adopt an adaptable and flexible employment format, salary structure and working hour system without being bound by the National Public Service Act. As a result, progress has been made with faculty assignments based on university-wide strategies and the utilization of new personnel salary systems, such as the annual salary system and the cross-appointment system, following the characteristics of the university.
In February 2019, MEXT issued the “Guidelines on Personnel Salary Management Reform at National University Corporations” to further promote such initiatives by national universities, improve motivation in university faculty members, and build an appealing personnel salary management system that attracts diverse and talented human resources.
The guidelines cover the formulation of a sustainable “medium- to long-term personnel plan” based on the age structure of universities and the use of a “tenure track system” that grants young researchers independence and the opportunity to play an active role, thereby encouraging the establishment of a university-wide personnel management system at national universities.
In addition, in terms of budgetary support for national universities, MEXT is evaluating the implementation status of personnel salary management reforms, including initiatives such as the formulation of medium- to long-term personnel plans and utilization of external funds for personnel costs, and is working to reflect this in the allocation of operating expense grants for the National University Corporation.
In addition to these efforts, MEXT will prepare a supplementary version of the Guidelines on Personnel Salary Management Reform, which will incorporate the best practices at universities to promote further initiatives to build a sustainable research system by promoting the development and active promotion of young researchers throughout the organization, such as the provision of posts to young researchers utilizing various financial resources.

 

7 Establishment of University Endowment Fund

The research capacity of Japanese universities worldwide has been declining since the early 2000s, and the research capacity is now inferior to that of other countries in terms of the quantity and quality of papers. A weak financial foundation by international comparisons is a constraint for universities and a challenge that must be overcome. In addition, as mentioned above, the number and rate of students enrolling in doctoral programs after master’s programs in Japan has declined due to economic anxiety and unclear career paths. It was determined that a 10-trillion-yen University Endowment Fund be created to break this status quo and radically strengthen the research capabilities of universities. The fund will provide long-term and stable support for young human resources such as doctoral program students and develop shared facilities and data collaboration infrastructure for universities that conduct world-class research and development.

 



 

Section 3: Future prospects

The environment surrounding young researchers in Japan is steadily improving through the various initiatives introduced in this special feature. MEXT will continue to strengthen support for young researchers while utilizing these initiatives. By utilizing the operational benefits of the University Endowment Fund, MEXT aims to provide long-term and stable support for young human resources, such as doctoral program students, and develop shared facilities and data collaboration infrastructure for universities that conduct world-class research and development, in addition to realizing an environment in which researchers can fully demonstrate their capabilities and continue the challenge of solving problems based on the diverse awareness of issues inherent in each of them.
To this end, it is necessary first to secure an environment where talented young researchers can enroll in doctoral programs in a stable environment as the bearers of “knowledge” under conditions that allow them to envision their future success. Specifically, there is a need to rebuild a system that allows outstanding young researchers to take on the challenge of becoming independent researchers who find the value that is worth betting their lives on and ensures sufficient time for them to concentrate on research while taking pride in being global leaders in “knowledge” in response to the requirements of the times. MEXT aims to realize an environment where all outstanding doctoral aspirants who wish to do so can envision their success in various fields such as academia, industry, and government.
Furthermore, to do so, changes in academia and industry are required. In other words, since academia is responsible for producing reliable doctoral program human resources suitable for supporting Society 5.0, it is necessary to reform graduate education further, in doing so, appropriately treat doctoral program students as “researchers” rather than cheap research labor, and to foster them as human resources who will lead society in the next era. At the same time, it is expected that the industry will re-recognize the high capabilities and potential of doctoral human resources and promote initiatives that will lead to the evaluation of graduate school education based on the success of doctoral human resources.
Furthermore, it is very important to systematically develop human resources related to science and technology from the elementary and secondary education stages to produce outstanding researchers who will take responsibility for science and technology innovation in Japan in the future. For example, MEXT has designated high schools that offer advanced science and mathematics education as “Super Science High Schools (SSH)” and provides support through JST to foster students’ scientific inquiry skills and develop future global science and technology human resources, producing a large number of outstanding science and technology personnel as graduates.
In the future, we will continue to draw out the spontaneous “why?” and “how?” from children and realize learning based on curiosity, thereby fostering the “inquiring ability” to confront problems through trial and error.
 

＜Column ＞

Internationally active Super Science High School (SSH) alumni
 
In the vicinity of the University of Chicago
 
As a researcher in the Graduate School of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, I am working on wearable devices that “allow you to feel the experiences of others as if they were your own”. To realize “Society 5.0 (a human-centric future society that balances economic development with solutions to social issues through advanced integration of virtual and real spaces)” proposed in the Science and Technology Basic Plan, I believe that it is important to develop information technology that facilitates communication between people and engage in research that uses technology to share physical information that cannot be conveyed through words alone. As a practical example of research, invisible physical information, such as muscle activity, can be shared with healthcare professionals through wearable devices, conveying how patients feel discomfort by certain movements in a rehabilitation setting. I believe that such technologies will help us understand others in various fields. I have also developed a device that transforms the viewpoint and hand size into that of a child, which I tried to use in the design of toys for children and teaching materials for nursery school teachers, as well as for evaluating the spatial design of pediatric wards. My future goal is to make this research more widely known to persons who need rehabilitation support and to raise it to a level where it can be put to practical use in society. I also hope to provide new human information technologies that will change people’s perspectives, thereby maximizing the capabilities of individuals and supporting the creation of a society in which people can easily collaborate from the aspect of informatics.
The starting point for my full-scale research activities dates back to my days in junior high school. In my second year of junior high school, Nara Women’s University Secondary School, where I was enrolled, received SSH designation, following which I joined the Science Research Association. While engaging in research with fellow students interested in the computer field, I was able to train in full-fledged research activities right from junior high school, with my advisors teaching me about programming, electronic circuits, and research methods and making research presentations jointly with nearby SSH designated schools.
While immersed in research, I became interested in deepening my knowledge of technologies that directly affect human body functions, and participated in national competitions such as the “JPS Spring Meeting Jr. Session” and the “Japan Science & Engineering Challenge (JSEC)”. I also participated in the “Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)”, an international competition, and received an award for presenting my research results using bioelectric signals. Participating in the international competition made me realize the presence of researchers worldwide and that I was also part of the science community.
The joys of research I learned in my six years of secondary school have not changed. Placing myself in an environment where I could delve deeper into what I wanted to do was a life-changing experience that impacted my future career choices. Even after enrolling at the University of Tsukuba, I had a significant advantage of having experienced the research process through SSH before my peers. I hope that all of you who are currently in such a period will make the most of the opportunities given to you, including SSH.
(Author: Jun Nishida, Postdoctoral Fellow, Graduate School of Computer Science, The University of Chicago)
 

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