Review of Institute of Physical and Chemical Research （Draft）
________________, 2017
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
The National Research and Development Agency, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research （RIKEN） aims to enhance scientific and technological standards by conducting experiments and research in science and technology in a comprehensive way, and has so far achieved excellent results in a wide range of scientific and technological fields. Partly because of its performance, it was assigned to a designated national research and development agency in October 2016 to meet policy requirements assuming the role of a core institution to lead innovation systems in Japan by producing, disseminating and utilizing world’s best R&D achievements.
RIKEN should proceed with its efforts and tackle the issues, such as those listed below to accomplish its missions and respond to expectations of the public.
・ Continued achievement of innovative results as the source of innovation at a comprehensive research organization of natural science; and further efforts to extend strategic R&D toward Society 5.0 in light of national issues and social needs in recent years, including the 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan determined during the present mid to long-term objectives period as a national research and development agency conducting R&D to accomplish the missions of the government.
・ Strengthening of management capability to fulfill a role of the core institution for maximizing R&D achievements and realizing integrated and efficient administrative operation under the leadership of the director of a designated national research and development agency having a number of research centers for conducting research in a wide range of scientific fields.
・ Acceleration of the return of profits from R&D achievements to society to fulfill the role of the core institution for maximizing R&D achievements and creating innovation by reinforcing ties with external organizations having capabilities of practical application of R&D achievements.
・ Personnel system reform to foster human resources having skills to lead innovation systems in Japan to continue to develop and recruit talented researchers in Japan and abroad, operate a hub of the international cycle of talented brains, and provide a research environment allowing researchers to focus on their work with mid- to long-term visions in the light of the present situation where many young researchers need to achieve some results for a short period of time.
・ Increase of self-generated income through the use of external funds, such as competitive funds and R&D achievements to reinforce the financial base and vitalize R&D.
・ The FY 2016 amendment of the “Common Standards of Information Security Measures for Government Agencies[D1]” （“Common Standards of Information Security Measures”）, established pursuant to the “Basic Act on Cybersecurity[D2]” （Act No. 104 of 2014）, also requires the incorporated administrative agencies to take thorough information security measures according to these standards. Furthermore, the “Basic Policy for Inspecting the Strengthening of Cyber Security Measures[D3]” （decided by the Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters[D4] on May 25, 2015） was partially revised and the incorporated administrative agencies were included in the inspection by the Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters.
The efforts to prevent research misconduct and promote internal control should be continued to strengthen the governance of the agency.
Based on the policy requirements and present issues mentioned above, the following measures should be taken:
RIKEN is a national research and development agency mainly aiming at maximizing R&D achievements, and is required to set mid to long-term objectives according to R&D characteristics including long-term perspectives. The duration of the mid to long-term objectives period is, therefore, seven （7） years.
○ Pioneering and creating strategic R&D and new science based on national strategies
Based on the national strategies including the Science and Technology Basic Plan for individual fields of research and in response to social needs, strategic R&D should be conducted to realize Society 5.0 by expanding the results obtained so far by using innovative R&D achievements in various fields as well as talented researchers and good research platform and technology of RIKEN.
In addition, innovative R&D achievements, leading to the future innovation, should be created by making the most of characteristics of RIKEN as a comprehensive research institute, and conducting research aiming at the development and creation of new science through interdisciplinary collaboration.
○ Building, operating and enhancing the world’s most advanced research platform
Based on the national strategies including the Science and Technology Basic Plan, the world’s most advanced research platform of RIKEN including large common facilities should be opened to a wide range of industry-academia-government users according to systematical and planned operation, and enhanced to produce innovative achievements with the trends of international R&D and needs of domestic users in mind.
○ Improving collaboration with universities, industries and municipalities
The following pioneering efforts should be stressed to improve collaboration with external organizations and promote open innovation while the advantages of RIKEN as the core research institute for innovation creation and comprehensive research organization should be capitalized:
・ Strengthen collaboration with industry including joint research with individual industries in various stages of research from basic to application, venture development and support function by effectively using the research power, R&D achievements and intellectual property of RIKEN, as well as increasing self-generated income through these activities.
・ Increase research power by increasing inter-organizational collaboration with universities and research institutes in various fields to conduct R&D using the advantages of individual organizations, and creation of new, innovative seeds. At the same time, deepen collaboration with municipalities and local industries through these universities and research institutes to return R&D achievements to society.
○ Improving the management system as a designated national research and development agency
As a designated national research and development agency in which nationwide research activities need to be effectively and uniformly managed under a robust system to support the director with a variety of knowledge and experience inside and outside the organization, an appropriate office function to support the director should be provided so that the director can exercise his/her leadership to proceed with the restructuring of an innovative system to be a model of other national research and development agencies, creation of new value for future innovation, and interdisciplinary research activities including and implementation of a cross-organizational, flexible research system, in addition to maximizing R&D achievements.
○ Reforming the personnel system to lead Japan’s innovation system
Mobility of personnel should be ensured to function as an international hub of the cycle of talented brains by continuously developing and recruiting talented researchers in Japan and abroad through fixed-term employment, and using the cross-appointment system in a positive way. At the same time, improvements in the personnel system including the assignment of permanent employment posts should be discussed to provide an environment allowing young researchers to focus on their work with mid- to long-term visions while the stability and mobility of human resources should be balanced. Recruitment of foreign and female researchers and more active human resources exchange with other organizations should also be discussed.
○ Ensuring and increasing financial resources for research vitalization
Self-generated income should be increased to vitalize R&D activities and strengthen the management platform of RIKEN by increasing joint research with industry and effectively using intellectual property.
○ Promoting information security measures
Information security measures should be continuously promoted according to the information security policy derived from the Common Standards of Information Security Measures, in addition to objectives to solve issues identified in the inspection by the Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters.
End.
科学技術・学術政策局企画評価課