European Commission

The University of Cambridge Judge Business School seeks an Executive Director to lead the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP) through its continued development as a world-class centre promoting networking and knowledge exchange between researchers and policy makers, professional development, and research into the role of science in policy making. Closing date 12pm, 11 June 2012

University Lecturer in the Economics of Innovation

Successful candidates will be able to provide clear evidence of intellectual excellence and the potential and ambition to establish a publication record in the leading journals in their field; they will have (or expect soon to receive) a PhD in a relevant subject. Closing date 18 June 2012

Further Information: Cambridge University

There are currently 32 positions advertised working on European Research Council (ERC) funded projects. These are in a variety of different research fields, both at PhD and Postdoctoral levels.

Further Information: Euraxess Jobs

The Sir Martin Wood Prize, named after the founder of Oxford Instruments, was established in 1998 with the objective of giving recognition and encouragement to young scientists in Japan. The Prize is sponsored by the British company Oxford Instruments plc.

The Sir Martin Wood Prize is awarded annually to a scientist, younger than 40, who has achieved remarkable results in condensed matter science at a university or research institute in Japan. Condensed matter science includes condensed matter physics, inorganic-organic chemistry, material science and surface-interface physics.

Deadline for nominations: 1 August 2012

Further Information: Millennium Science Forum (in Japanese)

The Webinar Do Research in Switzerland!  8th May 2012, is an occasion for researchers outside Switzerland to learn more about European funding opportunities.

Two European programmes will be presented by the Swiss Experts, Dr. Katja Wirth and Dr. Judith Zbinden.

The first programme, the so-called European Research Council Starting Grants (ERC StG), is designed to support excellent researchers at the stage at which they are starting or consolidating their own research team. 

The second programme, the Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowships (IIF), is an opportunity for young researchers to come toEurope for a 2 years project. You will also have the opportunity to listen to testimonies for researchers and the experiences they made with their grants.

Date: 8 May 2012, 10:00 Brussels time (UTC+2h).

Information and registration: www.euresearch.ch/webinarasia  

The 2012 European Funding Guide for Researchers and Students in Japan has now been published. See here for all the schemes to support exchange and research collaboration.

The March Newsletter features around 30 calls, event announcements and news of all the latest developments shaping European and Japanese scientific and research affairs.

The following positions are being advertised for Japanese or related studies at European

institutions:

• Lecturer / Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, University of Manchester, UK

• Postdoctoral Position, European Institute of Japanese Studies, Sweden

Kyoto University have opened the call for proposals for the Hakubi Project. Research

(in all fields) will be funded for a period of five years.

Deadline: 8 May

Further Information: Kyoto University

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) opened a call for applications on 2

April to fill 80 researcher positions. There are three levels of researcher targeted under

the scheme: starting grants to researchers who have held a PhD for less than 6 years;

development grants (between 6 to12 years post PhD experience), Advanced Grants for

those with 6 years of independent research experience.

Deadline: 8 May

Further Information: FCT

The Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies have opened a call for 20 senior researchers. Applicants should have obtained a PhD before 2008, with four years of international exposure.

Deadline: 7 May

Further information: ICREA

The Royal Society have opened calls for their International Exchange Scheme. This scheme is for UK scientists who want to collaborate with scientists overseas, either through a one-off visit or bilateral travel. Both the UK and overseas applicants must possess a PhD, and hold a fixed or permanent position. All countries outside of the UK are eligible.

Deadline: 30 June

Further Information: Royal Society

In response to this disaster the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, in partnership with the

British Council in Japan, launched a £250,000 scholarship fund to support

Japanese students in the Tohoku region. They are now accepting applications for the

2012 round of scholarships. The aim of this initiative is to support postsecondary

level students affected by the March 2011 disasters, in particular those

areas most affected (Miyagi, Fukushima and Iwate prefectures), seeking to study for a

period at an educational institution in the United Kingdom. Applications will also be

considered from students from the Tohoku region who are currently studying in the UK

but who require financial support to continue their studies.

Deadline: 15 June

Further Information: Daiwa Foundation

ESOF – Euroscience Open Forum – is the biennial pan-European meeting dedicated to scientific research and innovation. The ESOF2012 event to be held in Dublin, 11-15 July 2012 will bring together over 5,000 scientists; business leaders; senior EU and government officials; and international scientific media to discuss the best of European science and to address all of the current major global scientific challenges, including Energy, Climate Change, Food and Health. Themes include “Food Security” to “The Life and Death of the Universe”.
ESOF provides young researchers with a unique opportunity to interact with leading scientists from various scientific fields. With up to 1,000 young researchers from across Europe and beyond, ESOF2012 will give them the unique opportunity to expand their networks of international contacts and to establish important links with potential collaborators.
Various organizations, including the Swiss Embassy in Ireland, the Swedish Research Council (VR), the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (DASTI) and the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) offer travel grants to help young researchers who wish to attend ESOF2012. See the Euroscience website for more information on the current open calls http://www.esof.eu.

The deadline for applications for travel grants is Thursday 10th May 2012.

For any further information, please contact the Euroscience Office at office@euroscience.org, or by telephone +33 (0)3 88 24 11 50.

The European Higher Education Fair will take place in two locations in May. Over 5-10 May it will take place at Meiji UniversitySurugadai Campus, and Kobe University on 12 May.

Further Information: www.ehef-japan.org

RIKEN have opened the call for applications for their Foreign Postdoctoral Researcher programme. This offers aspiring young foreign researchers with creative ideas and who show promise of becoming internationally active in the future the opportunity to pursue innovative research at RIKEN under the direction of a RIKEN laboratory head. The FPR program is one of RIKEN's initiatives to open up its facilities and resources to the world and create a stimulating research environment that will place RIKEN at the forefront of global science and technology.

Relevant fields are physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, engineering, and any other fields related to research now being conducted at RIKEN.

Deadline: 31 May

Further Information: RIKEN

This talk will take place at the Maison Franco Japonais, in Tokyo. The talk will be given by Hélène Le Bail, with Isabelle Giraudou as the discussant.

Date: 24 April

Further information and Registration: MFJ

The UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) have announced today a new Japan-UK Partnership for Advances in Health Research. This commitment to jointly fund research proposals will cover many areas of mutual strategic importance with an initial focus on neuroscience, and in particular neurodegenerative disorders and mental health.

Further information:
MRC (English)
JST (Japanese)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have launched a call to support projects in the 7th Framework Programme. Projects will be funded for up to 3 years. One project per year will be funded up to 100m Yen.
Deadline: 7 May 2012
Further information: MIC

This program is a part of the NII’s international exchange activities with students from organizations with which the NII has concluded an Memorandum of Understanding agreement.

It is aimed to give interns the opportunity to engage in research activities as well as receive guidance in their research from professors at NII. List of institutions with an MOU here. The internship should be held between June 2012 to March 2013

Deadline: 19 April

Further information: NII

The Nissan Institute at Oxford University are looking for two post-doctoral research officers to fill fixed term contracts (24 months starting 1

October 2012) at an annual salary of between £29,249-35,938. There is a preference for one of them to

be working in the field of the international relations of Japan but the other could be in any topic in modern

or contemporary Japanese studies.

For full job description and selection criteria e-mail: vacancies@area.ox.ac.uk

This allows for researchers working in Switzerland to organize workshops with partners from abroad. The workshops can last between two and five days. Up to 30 participants from different institutions can participate.

The next cut off date for applications is 20 June.

Further information:SNF

This programme, provided by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), provides opportunities for young postdoctoral researchers from other countries to conduct, under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The latest call information was posted on 16 March.

Deadline: 3-7 September

Further Information: JSPS

The CIAS welcomes applications from overseas researchers for its International Visiting Scholars Program for the period April 2013 – March 2014. The period of residence in Japan is from three to four months.

Deadline: 15 April

Further Information: CIAS

The European Institutes for Advanced Study (EURIAS) Fellowship programme welcomes applications from around the world. There are 14 European institutions which can host 10 month residencies for visiting researchers. Fellowships are mainly offered in the social sciences and humanities but may also be granted to researchers in the life sciences and exact sciences. Applicants may select up to three IAS outside of their country of nationality or residence.

There are a total of 36 fellowships. 16 are junior; 16 are senior). 

Deadline: 7 June

Further Information: EURIAS

The German Institute of Japan Studies (DIJ) will host a talk by Professor Yukiko Uchida, from the Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University.

This paper presents the results of a panel survey (N=10744) that examines how the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 has affected the happiness of young people in Japan outside of the afflicted area. The dataset consists of Japanese in their 20s and 30s from all non-afflicted prefectures.

The lecture will be given in English. It will take place on Thursday, April 05, 2012 at 6.30 p.m. at the DIJ. Admission is free, please register at:
forum@dijtokyo.org or Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien
Jochi Kioizaka Bld. 2F, 7-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
102-0094 Tel: 03 - 3222 5198, Fax: 03 3222 542

The Helmholtz Association is offering 40 postdoc positions in the fields of Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Key Technologies, Structure of Matter, and Aeronautics, Space and Transport:

20 Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups Leaders (2-6 years after PhD)

Programme
Funding will be granted to up to 20 independent Young Investigators Groups working in the above fields. The funding of a Young Investigators Group amounts to a minimum of 250,000 euros a year for a period of 5-6 years. In case of a positive evaluation, the candidate will then be given a permanent employment contract by a Helmholtz Centre (Tenure Track)

Requirements
Scientific excellence
2-6 years after PhD
Research experience abroad (for German applicants)

Further Information: Euraxess Jobs/Nature Jobs

While “Green Innovation” and “Life Innovation” are promoted in Japan’s New Growth Strategy published in June 2010, innovation appeared as one of the most important keywords in the HORIZON2020, framework that follows FP7. Now, one year since the ratification of the EC-Japan science and technology cooperation agreement, further reinforcement of the EU-Japan cooperation in STI is underway. In this seminar, three topics will be highlighted especially to further reinforce the EU-Japan cooperation: industrial innovation and EU-Japan cooperation, innovation and education, and systems supporting the promotion of innovation.

Date: Monday, 23rd April 2012, 14:00 – 18:00

Further Information: J-Bilat

Position at EUJO-LIMMS. This position is only open to those and open only to those with a nationality of a European Union member state or associated country.

Subject: development of flexible, smart intracortical neural probes extending the current state of the art. This shall be achieved by combining the best of the two involved research groups, namely the Microsystem Materials Laboratory at IMTEK headed by Prof. Oliver Paul and the Biohybrid Systems Laboratory headed by Prof. S. Takeuchi at IIS, University of Tokyo. CMOS-integrated high-density probes and novel approaches to polymer-based MEMS engineering are among the methods to be applied.

Detail information and way to apply: www.imtek.de/material -> English -> Job offers -> scientific staff ->Flexible Smart Intracortical Neural Probes.

Further Information: EUJO-LIMMS

The National Institute of Advanced IndustrialScience and Technology (AIST) will acceptapplications for the three following schemes:

- Tenure Track (5 year fixed termemployment)

- Fixed term (2-5 year term employment)

- Tenured position (mid-career recruitment)

Deadlines: over April

Further Information: AIST

The JSPS have published information on theirhomepage regarding the Invitation FellowshipProgram for Research in Japan.The program allows researchers employed atdesignated Japanese research institutionsand laboratories to invite fellow researchersfrom other countries to Japan for shortperiods of time to participate in discussions,attend seminars, give lectures, or performsimilar duties at their institutions.This is the second call this year under thescheme.

Deadline: 11 May

Further information: JSPS

This programme is for senior researchers tobuild their own research group in theNetherlands. A maximum of 1,500,000 eurois awarded.

The scheme is directed at providingencouragement for individual researchersand gives talented, creative researchers theopportunity to conduct their own researchprogramme independently and promotetalented researchers to enter and remaincommitted to the scientific profession.

Pre-proposals should be submitted by 29March 2012

Further information: NWO

The January Newsletter features 28 calls, most of which are from European organisations, but a smallnumber of important schemes and announcements from Japanese organisations. As usual,they cover all ranges of the career spectrum: from PhD to senior levels.

We have 13 event announcements this month, from natural science as well as the socialsciences and humanities fields..

In the Call Results section we look at recent results from the European Research Council’sAdvanced Grant programme. The number of applications for this continues to increase, butdue to the expanded budgetary commitments, the acceptance ratio remains stable.

The second call results we review is that in Japan for the Science of Science, Technology andInnovation Policy initiative. This has seen the selection of a core institution to be supported bya small network of key universities. There are also a series of events to occur on this topic thisweek.

In the News and Developments section we review a recent study undertaken regarding

postdoctoral careers in Japan. Although this sheds some light on the career progress andmain characteristics of postdocs in Japan, its major area of interest is the discussion of foreignpostdocs. This is very unique data shedding light on what happens to foreign postdocs aftertheir stay in Japan. Mostly, they return to Europe, but a small number stay on. France is themajor source of European postdocs in Japan, according to the study.

The Innovation Union Scoreboard is also briefly reviewed, especially in relation to the

comparison with Japan. Japan maintains a lead on the EU, but this has declined slightly since2007 and has been rather stable for the past couple of years.Information on EU-Japan scientific cooperation is also presented. Firstly, one article looks atnew Japanese participation in the COST programme. This is a large and longstandinginitiative to support networking and exchange chiefly between European scientists. The JapanAdvanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) have just joined one of the actionsassociated with this project. Some preliminary information regarding how to participate in suchprojects is provided.

Secondly, news is provided on the new science and technologyagreement between Slovakia and Japan.

Click here to download the latest newsletter.

"How people's affect and emotions can be taken into account in the development of products"

Date: March 16, 2012 (Friday) 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Venue: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama Campus, Ishikawadai area Building #3, Conference room I3-304

Speakers: Anne Guenand (University of Technology of Compiegne), Pierre Levy (Eindhoven University of Technology), Celine Mougenot (Tokyo Institute of Technology), MasafumiHagiwara (Keio University), Toshimasa Yamanaka (Tsukuba University), HideyoshiYanagisawa(The University of Tokyo).

Program and access map:

http://sites.google.com/site/celinemougenot/2012-symposium

Sciencescope, the association of French scientists in Japan have renewed their homepage. The aim is to make it a communication and information platform between the French-speaking students and scientists in Japan.

Now users can post comments on the articles. All articles are also automatically broadcasted by RSS feed, on the Twitter account and the new Facebook page. Articles are published about next events but also other events in Japan, newspapers reports of scientific discoveries, and job offers. Sciencescope also have a large repository of practical advice about living and working in Japan. Finally, each week a summary of the published articles are sent to the mailing list.

Sciencescope

This is an announcement of the 22nd CDB Meeting entitled "RNA Sciences in Cell and Developmental Biology II" to be held on June 11-13, 2012 at RIKEN CDB. The aim of this meeting is to bring leading scientists from all over the world with a common interest in the regulation of gene expression through "RNA molecules" to share ideas and concepts and discuss the future direction of thisexciting research field.

The meeting will cover following topics:

-mRNA Processing

-RNA Export

-Translational Control

-mRNA Localization

-RNA Quality Control

-RNA Silencing

-Epigenetics

-Non-coding RNA

Applicants are encouraged to submit poster abstracts with their applications. A small number ofposter abstracts (approximately 8) will be selected by the organizing committee for oralpresentations. A limited number of travel fellowships will be made available to young scientists from abroad. For details, please visit the meeting website at http://www.cdb.riken.jp/cdb-rna2012/ .

For highly qualified researchers (with postdoctoral or equivalent experience) from specific countries (including Japan) that allows the opportunity to work for a period of 6 to 18 months in a Belgian research team.

Deadline: 5 March

Further information: Belspo

The Brain Science Institute at RIKEN will begin accepting applications for its BSI Summer School programme.  

The title of the 2012 programme is: “The Collective Brain: How does the Collective Interaction of Neurons make our Mind Work?”.

Deadline: 29 February

Further Information: RIKEN

The Daiwa Foundation will accept applications to support the following two programmes:
Small Grants

These are grants of £3,000-£7,000 to individuals, societies, associations or other bodies in the UK or Japan to promote and support interaction between the two countries. Deadline: 31 March

- Daiwa Foundation Awards

Awards of £7,000-£15,000 are available for collaborative projects that enable British and Japanese partners to work together, preferably in the context of an institutional relationship.Deadline 31 March

Further Information: Daiwa Foundation

The "Fernand Braudel-IFER" programme offers postdoctoral fellowships in social and human science for:

- incoming fellows : it offers foreign researchers (or researchers living abroad) the possibility to do research in France

- outgoing fellows : it offers French researchers (or researchers living in France) the possibility to do research in another European country

 These research stays are designed to enable researchers to

- Carry out an individual research project at a host laboratory

- Integrate scientific networks in France or other European countries

- Build lasting partnerships between their home institution and the host institutions.

All social and human science disciplines are eligible. An interdisciplinary approach to research topics is encouraged. The standard length of the fellowship is 9 months. However, the length of the research stay can be adjusted if warranted for scientific reasons.  The amount of the monthly stipend for room & board and living expenses is €2,000. Travel expenses (one round trip) are paid following agreement between the fellow and the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (FMSH).

Next deadline for application is 31 March, 2012.

More details available on the FMSH website.

 Leibniz – DAAD Research Fellowships’ is a new programme implemented by the ‘Leibniz Association’ and the ‘German Academic Exchange Service’ (DAAD). The fellowships offer highly-qualified recent foreign postdocs the opportunity to conduct special research at institutes of the Leibniz-Association inGermanyfor a period up to 12 months. At the time of their application, applicants should have completed their studies with a PhD or equivalent degree no more than 2 years ago.

The grant includes:
                - a monthly instalment of 1,840,- EUR;
                - a monthly subsidy of 58 EUR for the insurance for health, accident and personal/private liability inGermany(53 EUR per month has to be covered by the fellowship holder);
                - a two-month German language course (if desired).

The 2012 call for application was launched on 9 January and will close on 20 March, 2012.

Further details available on the DAAD website.

The JSPS have published information on theirhomepage regarding the Invitation Fellowship

Program for Research in Japan.The program allows researchers employed at

designated Japanese research institutionsand laboratories to invite fellow researchers

from other countries to Japan for shortperiods of time to participate in discussions,

attend seminars, give lectures, or performsimilar duties at their institutions.

This is the second call this year under thescheme.

Deadline: 11 May

Further information: JSPS

The RIKEN YokohamaInstitute are to host the 3^rdGenomic Sciences Research

Complex meeting.This provides theopportunity for youngscientists to give researchpresentations.

Poster presenters should be<35 years old and workingat a Japanese institution(any nationality) or aJapanese researcher basedoverseas.

Deadline for submission ofposters: 9 March

Event date: 6 July

Further Information: RIKEN

Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourghas opened the call for its ATTRACT

programme.The programme is designed for researchersnot yet established in Luxembourg to set uptheir own independent research team there.

Applicants should have more than 2 but lessthan 8 years professional post-PhD.

experience.The duration of projects is 5 years withfunding of up to EUR 1.5m available.

Deadline for pre-proposal form submission: 6February (2 April full deadline).

Further Information: FNR

The Daiwa Foundation will acceptapplications to support the following two

programmes:

- Small Grants

These are grants of £3,000-£7,000 toindividuals, societies, associations or otherbodies in the UK or Japan to promote andsupport interaction between the twocountries. Deadline: 31 March

- Daiwa Foundation Awards

Awards of £7,000-£15,000 are available forcollaborative projects that enable British andJapanese partners to work together,preferably in the context of an institutionalrelationship.

Deadline 31 March

Further Information: Daiwa Foundation

The latest newsletter lists 27 calls, event announcements, and the latest call results on jointly funded projects between Europe and Japan.

In the News and Developments section most of our attention is given to Japan related issues this month. Firstly, we look at new data on R&D investment in Japan. Following the economic crisis in 2008/9 there have been continued reductions in R&Dexpenditures. This year marks the third consecutive decline, dropping to 3.57% of GDP. This does not appear to be affecting employment trends however.

Secondly we look at the number of foreign students in Japan. This survey, which was taken in May 2011, shows a drop off in the number of international students. It is not clear if this is part of a new trend or a simple response to the timing of the survey following the events of March last year.

The In-Focus section looks at the new budgetary commitments for science and research in Japan’s initial budget published in December. As was commented in much of the press, this budget is financed chiefly by bond issuance. For science, the budget is a mixed bag. Broadly in line with previous initial budgets, there has been some re-allocation of expenditures away from some ministries towards others. MEXT overall has been a net beneficiary and due to its size we concentrate on the many new programmes or expanded commitments to research by that ministry. Priorities are the internationalisation of human resource development. as well as increased commitments towards Grant-in-Aid, the WPI budget and some other key research and innovation projects.

The newsletter can be downloaded here. 

These grants are aimed to promote thereintegration of highly qualified Belgianresearchers working with at least 2 years ina foreign country. Eligible candidates mustbe Belgian nationals OR having spent at least3 years in Belgium for R&D or highereducation purposes, before their postdoctoralstay abroad.

Deadline: 27 February

Further Information: Belspo

For highly qualified researchers (withpostdoctoral or equivalent experience) fromspecific countries (including Japan) thatallows the opportunity to work for a periodof 6 to 18 months in a Belgian researchteam.

Deadline: 5 March

Further information: Belspo

Finnish universities and research institutescan apply for FiDiPro funding from theAcademy of Finland or from Tekes. Thefunding allows research teams to inviteinternational top researchers to work inFinland for 2–5 years.

Deadline: 30 March

Further Information: FIDIPRO

This programme provides funding for thereturn of postdoctoral researchers to France.All research fields are covered. The maximumduration of funding is three years.

Deadline: 13 March

Further information: ANR

On 11 March 2011, natural forces demonstrated their immense power to impact the lives ofpeople and to trigger industrial accidents. The world around observed how Japan was hit and people and governments across the globe are calling for more scientific research on disasterprevention and mitigation. A few projects are ongoing but a reinforcement of the cooperationbetween Japan and Europe would be beneficial for both sides. Both Japan and the EU, are facingsimilar challenges, but they are embedded in different cultures, science systems and traditions and thus could bring more knowledge and a deeper understanding of mitigation strategies forboth sides.

We are very pleased that on the occasion of her visit to Japan, Dr. Soares, Director forenvironmental research in the EU, will come to Tokyo and explain exiting and futurecollaboration opportunities that are open to Japanese researchers and give details regardingtopics and instruments in the area of natural hazards prevention.

Date: Friday, 20 January 15:00-17:00

Location: Auditorium, Delegation of the European Union to Japan,Europa House, 4-6-28, Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Registration: Please send your name, affiliation and e-mail address to the following address delegation-japan-st@eeas.europa.eu, by 5 pm on Thursday 19th January.

Tokyo Tech has been recognized under the Japanese government’s “Re-Inventing Japan Project” by MEXT and JSPS, and will implement the two programs, “TKT CAMPUS Asia Consortium” (Attached sheet 1) and “World-Class University Alliance for Educating Techno-Scientific Leaders” (Attached sheet 2) to strengthen relationships with universities in North America, Europe and Asia.

TITECH are looking for a fixed-term academic staff (Professor or Associate Professor) to promote the project

Deadline: 27 January

Further information: TITECH

The Science Foundation Ireland will accept applications for its Research Professorship Programme.  Applicants will be an outstanding researcher in academia or industry, recognised as one of the world-leaders in their discipline, life sciences, ICT & Energy sectors. Funding of up to EUR 5m is available per recipient.

Deadline: Continuously open

Further information: SFI

Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourg has opened the call for its ATTRACT programme.

The programme is designed for researchers not yet established in Luxembourg to set up their own independent research team there. Applicants should have more than 2 but less than 8 years professional post-PhD. experience.

The duration of projects is 5 years with funding of up to EUR 1.5m available.

Deadline for pre-proposal form submission: 6 February (2 April full deadline).

Further Information: FNR

The Lorentz Center, located at Leiden University, is an international centre that was set up to organise interactive workshops within the natural sciences. Joint natural science/social science and humanities workshops are also feasible.

Applicants from overseas are eligible to apply. Workshop proposals can be made by each researcher from each country. 

Deadline: 15 January

Further Information: NWO

The St Gallen Symposium will take place in May. The topic of the Symposium will be “Facing Risk”. 

Eligible students will be currently enrolled at a university, studying at graduate and post graduate level (Master's level or higher), from any field of study, born in 1982 or after.

The authors of the 100 best contributions qualify as "Leaders of Tomorrow" and will be invited to the St. Gallen Symposium – in the company of 600 entrepreneurs, top managers, politicians and scientists from more than 60 nations. A prize award of 20,000 EUR is also available.

Essay Deadline: 1 February

Symposium date: 3-4 May

Further Information: St Gallen Symposium

This presentation is by Prof. Paul Midford from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The lecture will be given in English.

Date: 12 January

Location: DIJ, Tokyo

Further Information: DIJ

This Symposium will address “Protein Subcellular Localization and Related Topics”. This workshop is planned as part of a JST sponsored program for collaboration research between Japan and Sweden. Presentations on a broad range of protein related topics are planned.

Date:  24-7 January

Further Information: CBRC

The International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) will host an their annual International Symposium between 29 February and 2 March. Registration is open until 24th February.

Deadline for call for papers: 28 December.

Location: Tsukuba

Further Information: MANA

A joint international doctoral course on the subject “Functional regulation in development and disease” between the RIKEN Yokohama institute Omics Science Center and Karolinska Institutet Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (Sweden) will be held from February 27th to March 2nd, 2012 at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Its main purpose is to give doctoral students the possibility to learn about molecular biology from cutting-edge researchers from leading international research institutes. Doctoral students in medical, biology or biology-related areas currently studying in graduate schools either in Sweden or Japan can participate. Students from Japanese universities can apply for participation now. The course will be held in an international environment with English as course language.

Applicants are screened and accepted based on suitability and motivation. Participants who successfully pass the course examination will receive a certificate of completion. No tuition is required. We cannot offer financial support for travel, accommodation and daily costs in Sweden.

Deadline for application for students from Japanese Universities is 2012-01-10.
(The screening process for students from Swedish universities is already completed.)

English: http://www.osc.riken.jp/english/event/FRDD2012/
Japanese: http://www.osc.riken.jp/event/FRDD2012/

The United Nations University Institute for Advanced Study (UNU-IAS) offers PhD and postdoctoral fellowships to provide young scholars and policymakers, especially from the developing world, with a multidisciplinary context within which to pursue advanced research and training that are of professional interest to the successful applicant and of direct relevance to the research agenda of their selected UNU-IAS or UNU-ISP programme. For the 2012 programme, the application deadline is Wednesday, 29 February 2012. Learn more about the PhD and postdoctoral fellowships at www.ias.unu.edu/fellowships.

The full contents of the October Newsletter, which was distributed on 21 November, are as follows:

7th Framework Programme Calls
Recent & Forthcoming Calls

- Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme
- European Research Council: Synergy Grant
- Euraxess Jobs Portal
- European Research Council: Advanced Grants
- Danish National Research Foundation Niels Bohr Professorship
- France: Blaise Pascal Chairs 2012
- Germany: Funding for Stays at the National Institute of Informatics
- Italy: Director of JRC Institute for Environment & Sustainability
- Japan: RIKEN
- Japan: RIKEN BSI Summer School
- JREC-IN Openings
- Japan: JSPS Short Term Fellowships
- Japan: JSPS Awards for Eminent Scientists
- Japan: Openings at WPI Centres
- Japan: Researcher at Maison Franco Japonaise
- Japan: NICT Open International Invitation Scheme
- Japan: Tenure Track / Other Positions
- Netherlands: Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (Veni)
- Netherlands: Rubicon Scheme
- Siemens: Smart Grid Innovation Contest
- Toshiba Fellowship Programme
- UK: British Academy International Partnership & Mobility Scheme
- UK: Doctoral Research in Japanese Studies
- Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

- ESF - JSPS Frontier Science Conference
- EurasiaPac Workshop
- German-Japanese Symposium on Ageing and Neurodegeneration
- Fraunhofer Events
- Innovation Convention: Brussels
- ISETS: International Symposium on EcoTopia Science 2011
- J-Bilat Best Practice Sharing Workshop (Tokyo & Osaka)
- Journee Francophone de la Recherche: ScienceScope Event
- German Institute for Japanese Studies event on Care & Robotics
- Maison Franco Japonaise Lunch Seminar
- MANA International Symposium
- Shizuoka University International Symposium 2011
- Sweden Week at Tokyo Institute of Technology
- The Future of Old Industry in Japan: Hollowing Out, Growing with Asia, or Switching to Services

Call Results

- University Internationalisation Development Fund
- Hakubi Project Results from Kyoto University

News and Developments

- Sir Martin Wood Prize Ceremony at the British Embassy
- Deans Forum at the University of Tokyo
- Survey on R&D Activities in Japanese Industry
- WPI-AIMR and the Fraunhofer Institute Sign MOU

Consultation on the European Research Area
List of Events in Japan

The North West Doctoral Training Centre, jointly run by the Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool and Manchester, is offering 3 PhD studentships in Language-Based Area Studies, in fields which include East Asian Studies and Japanese Studies. These are open to UK and EU students. In addition, the University of Manchester is allocating about 40 President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) awards to outstanding applicants across the Humanities. Approximately 20 of these PDS awards will top up an AHRC or ESRC award by an additional 1000 pounds, to raise the overall level of funding to 14,590 pounds. A further 20 awards will be awarded to UK, EU and International applicants without AHRC or ESRC awards and will include tuition fees and an annual allowance of 13, 590 pounds.

Application for a place on a PhD program should be made by mid-February at the latest, in order to be meet further deadlines for funding in March. Applicants are advised to make contact with faculty members who are potential supervisors in advance of formal application. For informal inquiries, please contact: Dr Sharon Kinsella, School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, at sharon.kinsella [at] manchester.ac.uk

Information: Manchester University

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre is seeking a Director of the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES).

The IES carries out research to understand the complex interactions between human activity and the physical environment, and how to manage strategic resources (water, land, forests, food, minerals, etc.) in a more sustainable manner.

Candidates must be a national of an EU Member State with 15 years of professional experience.

Deadline for registration: 7 December
Further Information: Official Journal

Here is a list of useful job websites:

EURAXESS Jobs Portal
Job postings (and career support) across Europe.
Japan Research Career Information Network (JREC-IN)
Website advertising research positions in Japan.
Nature Jobs
Research positions and careers advice. Nature jobs are also advertised through the Euraxess Jobs Portal.
Jobs.ac.uk
Research positions in the UK and Internationally.

One-year awards of £10,000 and three-year awards of up to £30,000 are available to support the development of research partnerships between UK scholars and scholars in Africa, East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and South Asia. Awards cover any branch of the humanities and social sciences, and are intended to focus on collaborative research on a specific theme of mutual interest, rather than purely on establishing networks.

Applicants must be of postdoctoral or equivalent status (i.e. academic staff with at least one or two years of teaching/ research experience) and should be based within a research active institution for the duration of the award.

Deadline: 8 February 2012
Further Information: British Academy.

During the two "lost decades" Japan's industry has been working as hard as ever. Companies had to adapt to the changing and decreasing demand of the ageing economy, work off inflated prices through cost-cutting, and jump from their mature growth markets (in the US) into emerging markets (in Asia). The success of the exercise is reflected clearly in the data: deflation has brought down producer prices to international levels; high paying manufacturing jobs for the old have been replaced by low paying service jobs for the young; emerging country exports are now three times higher than exports to the US; and the yen is among the strongest currencies in the world.

What had been "lost" during this workout, however, is the life-blood of growth and success: effective innovation, career opportunities for the young, global integration, and most forms of "future" investment. Will they return? Certainly. By looking at long-term (investment) trends, the presentation will show that Japan currently seems to be at a turning point from two decades of cutting back and restructuring to more future-oriented investment in domestic services and Asian markets. While taking a decisively positive perspective on Japan's potential, however, it will also be shown which head winds of globalization are currently blowing in Asia's increasingly competitive markets.

Talk by Martin Schulz, Senior Economist at the Fujitsu Research Institute (FRI)
Date: 1 December
The lecture will be given in English.
Date: Thursday, 1 December, 2011 at 6.30 p.m. at the DIJ.
Further Information: DIJ

The State and the Ile-de-France Region have launched new International Research Chairs for highly qualified, internationally acclaimed, foreign research scientists in all scientific fields: exact sciences, life sciences, humanities and social sciences, applied sciences and new technologies. Each Chair allows the foreign scientist to be hosted for 12 months, possibly spread over two years, in one or more well-known Higher Learning or Research Institutions in Paris/Ile-de-France.

The initiative will select 4 applicants for 2012 based on the scientific interest of the project for Ile-de-France Region, on its interdisciplinary characteristic and the quality of the application. The foreign candidate may be hosted in Ile-de-France as early as September 2012.

Deadline:15 December 2011.
For more information: Blaise Pascal Chairs

The growing proportion of ageing individuals in our modern societies is affected by late onset diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. The increase in age-related diseases will soon have profound social implications and raises not only medical and economic questions, but also touches upon ethical matters. The "German-Japanese Symposium on Ageing and Neurodegeneration" brings together cutting edge scientific expertise from Germany and Japan to address these questions and creates a forum for a high-level scientific exchange.

Date: 12 December, 13:00-20:30  
Location: The Westin Hotel, Osaka
Organizer:   German Research and Innovation Forum Tokyo (DWIH Tokyo)
                   German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Support:     National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (tbc)
                   German Consulate Osaka-Kobe

Registration (until 7 December): DWIH

Asia is where the economy is growing more rapidly than anywhere else in the world, and it is widely believed that the continent will witness even greater growth in the future.  Yet despite the region's obvious importance Europe clearly suffers from a serious shortage of young professionals able to operate freely and effectively in the major regional languages, combined with profound insights into the ways in which business and management operate in East Asia.

The Program will gather up to 10 Ph.D. candidates that will be placed within the Stockholm School of Economics regular Ph.D. programs (mostly Business Administration but also Economics and Finance).

At the moment we are looking for two candidates working on Japan with a deadline for applications on December 15 2011 and another one working on China with a deadline of
application on February 1 2012.

Further Information: Stockholm School of Economics
Contact: Marie Soderberg Marie.Soderberg [at] hhs [dot] se

This is a talk by Remy DENOS, from the European Commission – Brussels. He is from the Research Programme, ‘Aeronautics’, in the Transport Directorate. His talk will outline the opportunities for industrial and academic collaboration between the EU and Japan.

Contact me for further information and how to register.

The British Embassy and J-BILAT will co-organize a Best Practice Sharing Workshop on the theme “EU-Japan cooperation in Health, Biotechnology research and development”. During the workshop, detailed presentations of the relevant programmes of FP7 (Cooperation, Ideas, People) will be given by European as well as Japanese speakers. Exchange of information and a panel discussion will follow, with the speakers who have been involved in projects with European partners, highlighting the potential and outlook of the EU-Japan cooperation in the field.

Tokyo Date and Venue:

Monday, 21st November 2011, 14:30 – 18:30 (registration starts at 14:00)
Essam Kanda Hall, 3F, Tokyo
http://www.essam.co.jp/hall/ (only in Japanese)

Osaka Date and Venue:

Wednesday, 23rd November 2011, 14:30 – 18:30 (registration starts at 14:00)
Osaka University Nakanoshima Center
http://www.onc.osaka-u.ac.jp/index.php (only in Japanese)

Further Information: J-Bilat

Maison Franco Japonaise are seeking a researcher for a two year period, undertaking research on Japan.

Deadline: 6 December
Further Information: MFJ

CONCERT-Japan, the initiative to connect and coordinate European research and technology development with Japan have published two reports on two important aspect of EU-Japan scientific relations.

The first report looks at publication patterns between a select group of European countries and Japan. The second report looks at funding programmes as a means to explore suitable areas for their own joint call, which will take place in the not too distant future.

Further Information:  CONCERT-Japan homepage

CONCERT-Japan, (2011), Recommendatory Report on the Results of the Mapping of STI Cooperation Programmes, 12 September

CONCERT-Japan, (2011), Analysis on the Number of Joint Publications by Fields and Countries between 1995-2011/between Japan and 8 CONCERT-Japan Partner Countries +UK, 7 October 2011 Version

Dr Anthony Coleman from the University of Lyon will give a talk on “Non-porosity, Porosity, Multi-porosity: the Disordered life of Calix[n]arenes in the Solid-state”. The event will take place on Friday, 4 November from 17:00.

Location: Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-1

Further Information: LIMMS

The College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Tokyo will launch brand new undergraduate English-language based degree programs (called PEAK: Programs in English at Komaba), commencing in the fall of 2012. PEAK invites applications for the position of Tokunin Jokyo (Project Research Associate), who will assist with various coordination activities for a successful execution of the programs. (For further details of PEAK, refer to http://peak.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp).

Deadline: 25 November

Inquiries may be addressed to: Yujin Yaguchi (Chair of PEAK jisshi bukai)
(yaguchi [at] ask.c.u-tokyo[dot]ac.jp)

Toshiba, supported by the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) is offering outstanding European scientists the opportunity to join one of its high-tech research teams in Japan for up to 2 years.

The Toshiba Fellowship Programme is open to PhD level researchers of EU nationality currently working in a UK academic institution. The research areas vary broadly from year to year in the field of science and engineering. The Programme offers the successful Fellow a generous package including travel to and from Japan.

Deadline: 12 December
Further Information: Toshiba Europe

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research have opened the call for their Rubicon Scheme

The Rubicon programme also offers talented researchers from abroad the opportunity to obtain grants to spend a maximum of two years in the Netherlands to conduct research.

Deadline: 1 December
Further Information: NWO

The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation have opened the call for applications for support for bilateral network activities

With a view to boosting collaboration on science and innovation between re- searchers from Denmark and a number of countries, including Japan. The programme supports:

- Exploratory bilateral scientific workshops and conferences
- Exploratory travel between Denmark and the relevant countries, which includes Japan.

This call is open to applications in all fields of scientific research.

Researchers from institutions (including R&D intensive companies) in Denmark should apply. The project should be completed by 1 December 2012 at the latest.

Deadline: 15 November
Further Information: DASTI

This newsletter provides information on the latest calls, job opportunities, research collaboration opportunities in and between Europe and Japan. It also reflects on the latest developments shaping research in Europe and Japan.
The full contents are as follows:

- Recent and Forthcoming Calls
Over 20 calls from the European Commission, European Funding bodies and Japanese funding bodies and universities are highlighted. These calls cover the range of natural and engineering sciences, the social sciences and humanities at doctoral, postdoctoral and senior levels.

Highlights include the FP7 Cooperation calls, ERC Starting Grant, tenure track schemes in Japan, mobility and international exchange schemes from Denmark, Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Portugal, and other countries. 

- Events
Over 10 event announcements are published. Highlights include events by the Fraunhofer office in Japan, the Maison Franco Japonaise, and the German Institute for Japanese Studies.

- Call Results
Information is provided on results from the European Research Council's Proof of Concept call. We also look at the results from a French-Japanese flash call following the crisis in Japan earlier this year. This is to support numerous types of projects related to earth sciences, the environment, engineering, crisis management, interaction between natural and technological hazards.

- News and Developments
The News and Developments section firstly outlines the symposium organised in Kyoto earlier this month on the topic of risk communications. A summary of some of the conclusions are provided.

A second topic is the piloting of a new scheme by the European Research Council for supporting ‘Synergy Grants’ through which they hope to stimulate new interdisciplinary research and bring together key Principal Investigators to work on challenging and pioneering topics. The call is to be announced later this month.

On the topic of interdisciplinary research, we look at the activities of LIMMS, a joint centre between the University of Tokyo and the CNRS. This centre, undoubtedly successful at a scientific level, is also in many ways a beacon example of European-Japanese research collaboration and exchange, providing clear channels for researchers to visit Japan and return to Europe. We provide a summary of their achievements over the past four years.

This then brings us to our final topic, which is the publication of two reports looking at aspects of scientific partnership and collaboration between Europe and Japan. The reports, developed by the CONCERT-Japan project for preparations for a joint call in the not too distant future, look at joint publications between a select group of European countries and Japan, as well as engagement in funding schemes. There is some interesting data in these reports.

- Consultation on the European Research Area

Read the newsletter in on the web or in PDF format.

The Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) have opened a new call to enable SFI funded researchers in Ireland to invite their overseas scientific or industrial collaborators to Ireland.

The call is relevant to Japan.

Funding of up to 20,000 will be awarded up to a period of 6 calendar months.

Deadline: 1 November

Further Information: SFI

The Volkswagen Foundation have opened the call for their Lichtenberg Professorship. This is targeted to outstanding scholars and scientists in innovative fields of education and research.

Funding for a period of five years is initially envisaged, with an amount of EUR 0.8 to 1.5 million granted per professorship.

Deadline: 1 November

Further Information: Volkswagen Foundation

The DFG Research Training Group (Graduierten Kolleg)　1613 Risk and East Asia at the Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST), University Duisburg-Essen invites applications to its English-language doctoral program from candidates with good language skills in Chinese or Japanese, and a strong MA (or equivalent) degree in Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and Geography or in social scientific East Asian Regional Studies.

Three doctoral fellowships will be awarded in 2011 for an initial one-year period of support, with a renewal option for a total three-year stipend. The application deadline is November 15, 2011.

Further information: Universitat Duisburg Essen

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) have launched a joint call to support projects that address: "Systems Approaches to Addressing Food Security and Advancing Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy".

This is the third call for proposals in the systems biology area.

Deadline: 22 November

Further information: JST (Japanese / English) / BBSRC

The European Commission published the biggest ever funding package within the 7th Framework Programme on 20 July 2011 in order to fund research and boost innovation in Europe. In the frame of this package, there are certain cooperation opportunities with Japan as well.
In Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies, the following call would be of particular interest to Japanese researchers:
NMP.2012.4.1-3 Development of advanced magnetic materials without, or with reduced use of, critical raw materials.
Special Feature: This topic is particularly suitable for cooperation at the international level, e.g. with research teams from Japan and/or USA, however, such cooperation is not obligatory.
Deadline1: first stage: 8 November 2011 at 17.00.00 (Brussels local time)
For details, please refer to the following webpage and particularly "the “call fiche” and “Work Programme 2012, Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies”, which can be downloadable from the following page.
A number of calls in other fields were also published.  Please find the information on all FP7 open calls at this link.
Latest Update: 4 October 2011

The European Science Foundation and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science will ...
host their annual conference series for young researchers. The topic this year will be:
Mathematics for Innovation: Large and Complex Systems
The conference will take place between 28 February and 4 March.
The event will take place at a hotel in central Tokyo.
Further information: JSPS

The Sasakawa Foundation will accept applications for its Butterfield Awards.
These grants support UK-Japan Collaboration in Medicine and Health.
The awards are intended to encourage and facilitate exploratory exchanges and collaborations between qualified professionals in Japan and the UK, and the investigation of scientific, clinical, social and economic aspects of medicine in which Japanese and British researchers, practitioners, policy makers, managers and voluntary sector workers may learn from each other.
Deadline: 31 October
Further Information: Sasakawa Foundation

This public consultation aims at gathering views and evidence from stakeholders on the key obstacles which have to be tackled to achieve a well-functioning European Research Area (ERA).
The consultation aims to reinforce the Commission analysis of the key issues to be addressed as well as to gather views on their importance: researchers' careers and mobility, research infrastructures, cross-border operation of research actors, knowledge circulation, international cooperation and cross-cutting governance issues.
Deadline for responses: 30.11.2011
Further Information: Consultation on the European Research Area

The latest newsletter, published on 22 September, features the following highlights:

- Recent and Forthcoming Calls
Over 30 calls from the European Commission, European Funding bodies and Japanese funding bodies and universities. These calls cover the range of natural and engineering sciences, the social sciences and humanities at doctoral, postdoctoral and senior levels.
Highlights include the FP7 Cooperation calls, ERC Starting Grant, tenure track schemes in Japan, mobility and international exchange schemes from Switzerland, Sweden, the UK, Finland, Belgium and other countries. 
- Events
Nearly 15 event announcements are made. The major highlight is a forthcoming high profile event in Kyoto on Risk Communications during emergencies. 
- Call Results
Information is provided on results from the European Research Council's Starting Grant Call from 2010. This saw a quite dramatic increase in applications. We break down the statistics on applications, and awards by field.   
- European Commission Consultation on the European Research Area
- News and Developments
We look at the QS World University rankings from a European and Japanese institution perspective, review recent concerns raised by Japan's top universities on the methodologies employed by some rankings organisations and the effects it has on placement of Japanese institutes. We also look at the latest initiative regarding postdoctoral researchers in Japan.
The newsletter can be downloaded in PDF or viewed on the internet.

The Euraxess hompage has been renewed and enhanced with clearer signposts to the breadth of content within the pages.
Euraxess Jobs is continuously updated and is currently advertising close to 2,000 jobs. In the Euraxess Rights section, there is new information on "Social security & pension rights", as well as information on "Entry conditions".
Click here for the homepage.

This is the last of the series of six cooperation workshops which have been organized in Europe and Asia-Pacific over the period 2010-11 by the EURASIAPAC project and constitutes the major component in the discussion of actions to strengthen ICT research cooperation between Europe and Asian-Pacific countries (Japan, Republic of South Korea, Australia, and New-Zealand).

Information on the content of the event can be found at the EURASIAPAC website.

Date: 30 November
Location: Brussels, Belgium

Siemens are to launch Phase 2 of their innovation contest on Smart Grids. This second phase is targeted to academic research groups at universities. Participants must be university staff (e.g. professors, post-docs, PhD students) or potential PhD students. The participant must be willing to conduct either a research cooperation project with Siemens or write a PhD dissertation, or to set up a start-up with Siemens seed-financing. Winners will get the necessary budget to realise their proposed research

There will be an investment of EUR 1m to develop the ideas into mature and realistic innovations. Further investments will be made if Siemens decides to develop a product or service based on these ideas.

Proposals can be submitted from October 4 to November 30, 2011.

Further Information: Siemens

STINT, the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, have opened a call to support new international collaborations in research and higher education within all disciplines and all countries in the world.

The call for proposals this year is aimed at both senior and junior researchers and all potential applicants are invited to apply using the same application module and application deadline. Grants are awarded for 4 years and can be used flexibly on various aspects of collaboration.

Deadline: 1 December

Further Information: STINT

This programme promotes exchange among universities in Japan and Germany by supporting the reciprocal student enrollment in graduate courses in the two countries and collaborative instruction. The programme covers the development of joint curricular at the doctoral level, credit transfer system, student & researcher exchange, joint symposia, and joint seminars.

Funding is provided by the JSPS and the DFG to respective partners in each country. Deadline: Applications received between 31 October and 4 November.

Further Information: JSPS / DFG

The objective of this programme is to encourage young Polish scholars abroad to return to Poland.  The programme is also open to young PhDs who are citizens of other countries but interested in spending a postdoctoral fellowship in Poland.

Polish applicants should have received their PhD up to 4 years previously and should have been overseas for at least 9 months continuously.

Deadline: 15 October

Further Information: FNP

This is a nomination based award for researchers in the social sciences, humanities, theology and law. Nominations should be made by institutions to the Swedish Research Council. The scheme allows prominent researchers in the above fields to spend time in Sweden.

Deadline: 9 December

Further information: Swedish Research Counci

This is a conference organised by the EU Delegation to Japan together with EU Member States and in association with Nature Café.

Key persons representing Science, Government and Media will discuss their particular views regarding Technology Assessment and Risk Communication in three panels: 1) Media and Science, 2. Government and Science and 3. Media and Government. These panels will analyse what needs to be achieved in times of emergency, a viable communication system that can operate globally.

Among the speakers are:

Paul Ruebig, Member of the European Parliament (EP), Chair of STOA (the EP's Science, Technology Options Assessment Bureau) Sir John Beddington, Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government Prof . Masuo Aizawa, Executive Member, Council for Science & Technology Policy (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan) Philip Campbell, Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief, Nature Johannes Hano, German TV ZDF, who reported on Fukushima

The conference will not go into the details of the Fukushima accident but should draw from relevant lessons to build an international system that can quickly respond to emerging questions anywhere in the world.

What general preparation, what networks and systems are needed to react rapidly? What institutions could be used to inform concerned parties, also internationally? What input does media need to be ready for communication? What kind of information is useful and can be prepared?

The conference will open up new perspectives and initiate new structural elements for cases of emergency in a more comprehensive and global manner.

The event will be organised with support from NPG Nature Asia-Pacific and held in association with Nature Café.

Date:  13:30 - 16:55, 1 October 2011
Location: Kyoto Grand Prince Hotel

Registration on the day starts at 13:00 - the conference will start at 13:30
Further Information: Delegation of the EU to Japan

Leiden University invites applications for a fulltime Lecturer in Modern Japan Studies. Appointment will be fixed-term from September 2012 through August 2015, with the possibility of extensions of up to three years, and of tenure thereafter. Requirements include a PhD degree, but candidates near completion of the PhD will be considered.

Deadline: Review of applications will commence by 1 November 2011 and continue until the position is filled or this call is closed.

Further Information: Leiden University.

The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) invites applicants who can provide support in quantitative and qualitative analysis work relating to Biotechnology and Agriculture. The internship will have a 3 month duration.

Deadline: 30 September
Further Information: UNU-IAS

This is an event co-organised by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO). It will feature booths by research and technology organisations, presentations and matching services.

Dates: 21-22 September 8, 2011
Further Information: Innovation Japan

The British Academy offer opportunities for outstanding early career researchers to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment which will develop their curriculum vitae and improve their prospects of obtaining permanent lecturing posts by the end of the Fellowship.

Potential applicants should note the eligibility requirements before applying:

1. Applicants must be supported by the UK host institution in which they wish to hold the Fellowship
   
2. Applicants must either already have been awarded a doctoral degree following a viva voce examination held on or after 1 April 2009; or have a reasonable expectation that they will have submitted and had their thesis examined by 1 April 2012
   
3. Applicants awarded a PhD following a viva voce examination held prior to 1 April 2009 who are unable to offer extenuating circumstances, such as interruption to their academic career for maternity leave or illness, will not be considered
   
4. Applicants must be a UK or EEA national, or have completed a doctorate at a UK university. Any applicant who does not fall into one of these categories must demonstrate a strong prior association with the UK academic community, for example through already having been employed in a temporary capacity (longer than six months) at a UK university.
   

Deadline: 12 October
Further Information: British Academy

Tokyo Institute of Technology (TITECT) have opened a call for applications to an Associate Professor position in Advanced Interdisciplinary Fields of Design of Mechanical Systems and Human Sensibilities In Mechanical Engineering Departments.

The candidate should have a PhD degree in natural science or engineering preferably no earlier than April, 2002, and should have English-language proficiency.  For non-Japanese applicants, Japanese proficiency for research and educational activities and administrative work is required. 

Deadline: 18 November
Further Information: TITECH

The European Science Foundation and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) will host their Frontier Science Conference Series for Young Researchers on the topic of “Mathematics for Innovation: Large and Complex Systems”.

The conference will take place between 28 February and 4 March, at a hotel in central Tokyo. The aim of the conference is to bring together young researchers from different mathematical research fields to create a foundation for cooperative innovation. The newest developments in areas where mathematical research in modeling, the analysis of models, the simulation, optimization and control of products and processes has a major impact will be discussed and new challenges for future research will be presented.

The JSPS and ESF will bear the conference, travel and lodging costs with support to about 25 Japanese and European researchers respectively.

Further Information: ESF / JSPS

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) will open their call for applications to provide support for Japanese researchers to invite researchers and collaborators to Japan. It is possible for companies, research institutes or universities to apply under the scheme.

The programme can either be through individual invitations or through the programme to support international meetings organized in Japan.

The deadline will be in the first half of December.
Further Information: NICT (in Japanese)

The Estonian Science Foundation have opened the call for their Mobilitas Programme.
This is the 5th such call under the programme which is targeted towards postdoctoral and top researchers.
Top Researchers are those who come from abroad to work in an Estonian R&D institution to create their own research group and do research on ICT, material technology, biotechnology, energy, environment technology, or health.

Duration: 2-3 years.
Deadline: 15 September
Further Information: ESF

The European Commission has launched a prize to give recognition to outstanding achievements in innovation and entrepreneurship in research and industry.

Three of the very best women innovators will be selected.
The first prize winner will receive EUR 100,000, with EUR 50,000 and EUR 25,000 to the second and third prize winners respectively.

The deadline for submission of applications is 20 September.
For more information: European Commission

This position is advertised by the Nanoscience group (GNS) of the CEMES—CNRS laboratory in Toulouse (France). This is a post-doctoral position for one year with the possibility of extension. It is supported by the national MANA program from MEXT (Japan).

The research will be performed in the physics or chemistry fields.

Deadline: 31 October
Further Information: Euraxess Jobs

BEAM stands for Build on Euro Asian Mobility and is an Erasmus Mundus exchange scheme involving a consortium of European and Asian Universities.

Grants are available to EU or Japanese/Korean nationals. It is targeted to doctoral and postdoctoral candidates working in architecture, business, engineering sciences, geography, maths, informatics, natural sciences, and economics.

Doctorates must have obtained their second higher education degree from an institution within the partnership; or be currently registered in a doctoral programme in an institution within the partnership. (Duration of exchange: 6-12 months)

Postdoctorates must have obtain their doctorate in the last 2 years and must have the support of one of the institution within the partnership. (Duration: 10 months)　

Japanese partners include: Keio University; Okayama University; Tokyo Institute of Technology; and Waseda University.

Deadline: 31 December
Further Information: BEAM

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) are advertising positions that allow Swiss researchers to spend time overseas or organize international workshops.

Some basic information on each scheme is as follows:

International Workshops
The International Exploratory Workshops allow for researchers working in Switzerland to organize workshops with partners from abroad. The aim of this funding instrument, which is open to all fields of research, is to allow researchers working on a similar question to meet and advance their knowledge on the issue.

The next cut-off date is 14 October 2011
Further Information: SNSF

International Short Visits
The "International Short Visits" of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) allow for researchers working in Switzerland to go abroad or for researchers from elsewhere to come to Switzerland. The submission of an application is possible at any time, but must be deposited at least two months before the grant is due to start.

The International Short Visits have no geographical limitations. Swiss researchers can go to any other country or researchers from any country can come to Switzerland.

Eligible fields: All
Further Information: SNSF

The July Newsletter was published on 23 August.
It features over 30 calls highlighting the recent FP7 calls with particular reference to researchers in Japan. The European Research Council Starting Grant call is also introduced. Other call highlights include social science research in the UK, and tenure track programmes in Japan.

Two call results are presented regarding collaboration between Europe and Japan in the superconductivity area; and the call between the JST and the CNRS in France.

In the News and Developments section, we look at the recently published Global Innovation Index. We also look at the budget prioritization for science and technology by the Council for Science and Technology Policy in Japan.
A new university database is also to be development by MEXT the Japanese Ministry of Education. This will provide basic information on each university in Japan, and will be of similar scope to the U-Map initiative under development in Europe, or the Unistats website in the UK.

The full newsletter can be downloaded at the following link:
Euraxess Links Japan July Newsletter (PDF)
Euraxess Links Japan July Newsletter (Web)

The European Commission unveiled the latest call for proposals for participation in the Seventh Framework Programme. The overall budget is  €5.3 billion.
The main focus of the calls is the integration of research with innovation to tackle societal challenges. All of the calls are open for the participation of non-European researchers and/or research organisations working alongside their EU counterparts.
The following link provides researchers working in Japan with a brief overview of these current calls, and highlight some specific topics which may be of particular interest:

FP7 2012 Work Programme International Dimension: Opportunities for Japan

The document introduces the basic information on each field and areas where there may be scope for cooperation on mutual areas of interest. It covers the following fields:

• Health
• Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries Biotechnology (FAFB)
• Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
• Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies (NMP)
• Energy
• Environment
• Transport
• Transport - including Aeronautics. This includes co-ordinated calls with METI in 5 areas. 
• Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities
• Space
• Security
• Research Infrastructures
• Science in Society
•  Marie Curie Actions:  IRSES, IIF, IOF

ScienceScope will host their annual Journee Francophone de la Recherche on 17 December in Tokyo.
They are currently soliciting abstracts for presentations. The deadline for submission is 30 September.
Date: 17 December
Location: Maison Franco Japonaise
Further Information:  JFR

The Deans of Engineering at prestigious universities were to hold a meeting at the University of Tokyo on 28-9 March. This was postponed due to the earthquake.
Representatives are from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Imperial College London, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and UC Berkeley.
Pre-Registration will be possible online in September.
New Date: 7-8 November
Further Information: Tokyo University Faculty of Engineering

Tokyo Institute of Technology - Tenure Track Associate Professor in the field of materials innovation within the Department of Organic Polymeric Materials. This is a 5 year position.
Registration should be completed before October. Actual deadline: 28 October.

The European University Institute have opened calls for the following fellowship schemes:

1. Jean Monnet Postdoctoral Fellowships - these are social science postdoctoral positions for researchers at an early stage of their career. Deadline: 25 October
2. Max Weber Fellowship - this is a postdoctoral fellowship for work in the social sciences and humanities. Deadline: 25 October
3. Fernand Braudel Senior Fellowships, provide opportunities to spend 10 months at EUI. Deadline: 30 September.

Further Information: EUI

Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) have opened a call for international experts to sit on scientific panels. Fields covered are the natural and social sciences and humanities.
Candidates should be in the top 40% of their field and an expert in one of the desired areas.
Deadline: 15 September
Further Information: FWO

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have launched their new Future Research Leaders scheme.
This scheme will support outstanding early career researchers to carry out excellent research and to develop all aspects of their research and knowledge exchange skills.
Deadline: 15 September
Further Information: ESRC

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have opened a call aimed at fostering the development of long-term relationships with overseas social scientists.
Applications must be made by a Principal Investigator at a UK research organisation. Around 15-20 projects will be supported.
Deadline: 12 October
Further Information: ESRC / ESRC

This fellowship programme is in the fields of Astronomy, Solar and Planetary Science, Particle Physics, Particle Astrophysics, Nuclear Physics, Development of STFC Neutron, Laser and Synchrotron and are open to researchers of any nationality.
The Fellowships will enable early career researchers with clear leadership potential to establish a strong, independent research programme. They will encourage talented researchers in UK universities to remain in the country and at the same time attract outstanding overseas researchers to the UK. This new scheme replaces and builds on STFC's Advanced Fellowship programme.
Each Fellowship will last for five years, with 12 being offered annually. Fellows will receive support for their salary and be able to bid for significant additional funds to support their research.
Proposals must be submitted by 12 October 2011.
More details available here.

The European University Institute are offering fellowships to post-docs at an early stage of their academic career for research in the following areas: Institutions, Governance, and Democracy; Migration; Economic and Monetary Policy; Competition Policy and Market Regulation; Energy Policy; and International and Transnational Relations. 
Funding will be provided for a period of one or two years for research at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) of the European University Institute located in Italy.
Deadline for submitting application is 25 October, 2011.
More details on the EUI website.

The Max Weber Programme is Europe’s largest postdoctoral programme in the social sciences and humanities. It is funded by the European Commission (DG Education and Culture) and hosted by the European University Institute in Florence where the research community of professors, researchers and fellows provides an excellent environment for the Programme.
The Programme, open to all nationalities, is designed for junior post-docs who have received a doctorate in economics, law, history, social and political sciences, or a related field, within the last 5 years and who want to advance in their research and academic training, in an active multidisciplinary environment before entering the international job market, or in the early stages of their academic careers.
The Max Weber Programme offers 1- and 2-year fellowships. Two year fellowships involve additional academic activities in the EUI departments, such as limited graduate teaching.
The annual deadline for applications for these Max Weber Fellowships is 25 October but please note that, after 25 October 2011 and up to 25 March 2012, applications for self-funded fellowships  are considered on a first-come basis for as long as there is capacity in the Max Weber Programme.

More details on the EUI website.

The European Research Council has announced the opening of the ERC Starting Grant. This grant is targeted at early-career top researchers of any nationality, working - or moving to work - in host institutions in Europe.
The call is open to all fields of research, including Social Sciences and Humanities. 500 to 600 researchers will be funded.

Deadlines are as follows:
Physical Sciences and Engineering: 12 October 2011
Life Sciences: 9 November 2011
Social Sciences and Humanities: 24 November 2011
Further Information: ERC Press Release, ERC “How to Get Funding”

The Japan Science and Technology Agency have launched a call for institutional applications for the implementation of tenure track schemes.

The scheme will enable institutions to recruit researchers who have completed their doctorate within the past 10 years. It will be possible to be hosted at universities, joint university institutes or independent administrative institutes (national laboratories).

Eligible fields: All fields of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Openings: around 20-30 people will be appointed. The employment contract will in principle be for 5 years.
Applications will be made through the e-Rad system by the head of each organisation.

The deadline will be 15 September. We will report the results and alert you to the individual schemes when they are published.

Further Information: JST (in Japanese)

The topics are:

1. aeronautical communications,
2. anti-icing system,
3. surface heat exchanger for aero-engines,
4. engine ceramic bearings and
5. high speed aircraft.

It requires a consortium consisting of at least 3 European and 2 Japanese partners. The total EU contribution shall not exceed EUR 1.4M.

Deadline: 1 December 2011.
Call Identifier: FP7-AAT-2012-RTD-JAPAN
Further Information: FP7 Calls Information

The “3rd Asian Symposium on Advanced Materials: Chemistry & Physics of Functional Materials” (ASAM-3), will be organized by Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan on September 19-22, 2011.

Deadline for abstracts: 31 July
Location: Fukuoka
Further Information: ASAM3

The Participant Portal's FP7 calls section is now the European Commission's single authoritative website for information and documentation on FP7 calls. These new pages replace the CORDIS FP7 calls service.

The DFG Research Training Group 1613 at the Institute of East Asian Studies,  University Duisburg-Essen (IN-EAST)  invites applications for one full-time post-doctoral position, available October 1, 2011, in its English language doctoral and post-doctoral program.

Applicants with expertise in economic analysis of contemporary developments in China or Japan – proven by an excellent doctorate and a strong publication record - are sought. Applicants should be experienced in innovative theoretical and methodological approaches (e.g. institutional economics, experiments) and possess Chinese or Japanese language skills compatible with their regional research focus.

Deadline: 18 August
Further Information: DFG

This month's newsletter contains over 30 calls from European, Member State/Associated Countries, and Japanese research institutions and funding organisations.

The newsletter also features forthcoming scientific and research events in Japan; latest call results; and joint tie-ups between institutions in Europe and Japan.

In the News and Developments section, the newsletter introduces a recent report regarding EU-Japan cooperation in the field of ICT.

A study by the McKinsey company is introduced regarding the dependence on the home market for sales by Japanese high tech companies.

We also look at the new University Research Administrator call as announced by MEXT, as well as the new Science of Science Policy programme. We also look at the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council and their agenda over the remainder of this year.

The newsletter can be read in PDF format or on the web.

The Marietta Blau Grant is an Outgoing grant for highly qualified doctoral candidates at Austrian Universities to go overseas for 6-12 months.
Deadline: 1 September
Further Information: grants.at (from there run a search with the grant title)

This award is provided by the Humboldt Foundation. It is targeted towards successful top-rank junior researchers from abroad, that have completed their doctorate with distinction in the last six years, and have published work in prestigious international journals or publishing houses.
Deadline: 1 September
Further Information: Humboldt Foundation

Nagoya University are advertising two positions:
Associate or Full Professor for their G30 program in Automative Engineering.
Deadline: 31 July
Associate or Full Professor in International Development.

The University of Padova are offering 15 PhD studentships to non-Italian students. The PhD studentships will last for three years.

Deadline: 5 September
See list of Doctoral Schools for eligible fields.
Further Information: Euraxess Jobs / University of Padova

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) have issued calls under a revised Core-to-Core programme.

The new programme features two components:

1. Advanced Research Networks and
2. Asia-Africa Science Platforms.

Under the previous scheme there were Integrated Action Initiatives which could be upgraded to Strategic Research Networks. The Advanced Research Networks will be funded for 5 years, with each project budgeted within 20m Yen. Around 10 projects will be supported. A full-time researcher employed at a Japanese university or research institute acts as the project coordinator.

Further information: JSPS (Japanese) / English
Core-to-Core Program (English outline)
Recently supported projects

For early stage excellent researchers who have graduated with a PhD at least 3 years ago, but less than 8 years ago.

Relevant areas: science and engineering that underpin biotechnology, ICT and sustainable energy and energy efficient technologies. 

Deadline: 31 August
Further Information: Science Foundation Ireland

This program is designed to enable Japanese researchers to invite their foreign colleagues to Japan to participate in cooperative work and other academic activities. Researchers of all countries having diplomatic relations with Japan are eligible.

Applications are submitted by the inviting researchers who wish to host foreign researchers in Japan. Successful applicants are asked to start their fellowship between 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013.

Deadlines: 1st Recruitment: September 2, 2011;  2nd Recruitment: May 11, 2012
Further Information: JSPS

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) have opened the call for applications for their bilateral projects. JSPS promotes international scientific exchanges between Japan and counterpart countries in accordance with agreements or memoranda of understanding concluded with academies, research councils and other science-promotion organizations in those countries.

Programs with such partner agencies mainly take the form of joint research projects, joint seminars and researcher exchanges.

With European partners this includes:

1. Federal Ministry of Science and Research: BMWF; Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research: OeAD-GmbH)
2. Ministry of Education, Youth and Science of Bulgaria: MES
3. Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic: ASCR
4. Universities Denmark: DU
5. Academy of Finland : AF
6. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: CNRS
7. Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques: IHÉS and European Postdoctoral Institute for Mathematical Sciences: EPDI German Academic Exchange Service: DAAD
8. Hungarian Academy of Sciences: HAS
9. Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research: NWO
10. Research Council of Norway: RCN
11. Polish Academy of Sciences: PAN
12. National Authority for Scientific Research: NASR (Romania)
13. Slovak Academy of Sciences: SAS
14. Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology: MHEST: (Slovenia)
15. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences: RSAS (Sweden)

Deadline: 12 September 2011
Further Information: JSPS

The Asia Europe Physics Summit (ASEPS) 2011 will this year be held in Wroclaw, Poland. ASEPS is a platform to forge Asia-Europe physics strategies by discussing the scientific priorities and possible opportunities for  shared contributions to large scale infrastructures or networks in the context of a framework for cooperation between Asia and Europe.

Dates: 26-29 October
Location: Wroclaw Poland
Further Information: ASEPS

L’association Sciencescope et la Maison Franco-Japonaise (MFJ) ont le plaisir de vous inviter à la 30ème Rencontre Scientifique Francophone de Tokyo qui aura lieu le samedi 2 juillet 2011 en salle 501 de la MFJ à Ebisu (Tokyo), à partir de 16h00.

Entrée libre et gratuite.
Further information: Sciencescope

The symposium on 15. July is jointly organised by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Japan-German Treaty of Amity.

The symposium will address how collaborations and innovations in science can be better promoted and their impact on society better communicated to a broader public.

Date: 15 July
Location: Tokyo
Further Information: DFG

This is an event organised by J-Bilat, at Nagoya University.

The science and technology cooperation agreement between the EU and Japan, signed in November 2009, has finally come into effect on 29th March 2011 and further reinforcement of the EU-Japan cooperation in R&D is expected.

Since the beginning of 2010, the J-BILAT project, coordinated by EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, has been promoting EU-Japan collaboration in science, technology and innovation, supplying useful information mainly in Japanese. In this 3rd Best Practice Sharing Workshop, the theme “Transport” is taken. In this field, an agreement for the cooperation in ITS research was signed by Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and DG Information Society and Media (DG INFSO) on 9th June 2011.

During the workshop, detailed presentations of the relevant programmes of FP7 (Cooperation, Ideas, People) will be given. Exchange of information and a panel discussion will follow, with the speakers who have been involved in projects with European partners, highlighting the potential and outlook of the EU-Japan cooperation in the field.

Date: Thursday, 14th July 2011
Further Information: J-Bilat

The Modern East Asia Research Centre (MEARC) at the Leiden Institute for Area Studies at Leiden University, the Netherlands, invites applications for one 2-year postdoc position within the VICI research project ‘Beyond Utopia: New Politics, the Politics of Knowledge, and the Science Fictional Field of Japan’. 

The position carries a one-year probationary period, successful completion of which will make the post 2 years in total. 

Deadline: 1 September
Further Information: Euraxess Jobs

This grant aims to promote the internationalisation of Swedish research in educational sciences.

The amount awarded is intended to finance travel and living expenses for a Swedish researcher who is a visiting researcher at a foreign institution, or to host a foreign researcher at a Swedish institution.

Deadline: 1 October
Further Information: Swedish Research Council

Nominations for the 2011 round of the Sir Martin Wood Prize were opened on 13 April.

The Sir Martin Wood Prize is to recognise and reward excellent research undertaken in by young scientists (<40 years old)  who have made significant contributions to research in the field of condensed matter science in a Japanese university or research institute.

The prize, valued at Yen 500,000, also allows recipients the opportunity to lecture at British universities.
Nominations should be made by a recognised expert in the field of condensed matter. Self nomination is also possible.

Deadline: 1 August 2011
Further Information: Millennium Science Forum

The new Innovation Union Competitiveness Report provides an overview of the EU’s collaborative relations with Japan. A summary is provided in the most recent Newsletter, with the report providing data on:

• Number of jointly produced scientific publications,
• Mobility between Europe and Japan
• Japanese patenting and technological cooperation with Europe
• Participation in Marie Curie and Framework Programmes

Senior officials from the EU and Japan have agreed on a common area for research in Future Internet and New Generation Networks. This will be the subject of the first ever EU-Japan coordinated calls for ICT research proposals in 2012-13. 

Further information is available from the European Commission.

The aim of the program is to strengthen collaboration between Japan and Switzerland within the “Molecular Medical Research” field to achieve world-class scientific results, leading towards new innovative technologies.

Examples of Molecular Medical Research are:

1. Regenerative Medicine and Gene Therapy
2. Innovative Drug Development
3. Preventive Medicine
4. Healthy Aging
5. Central Neurological Disease
6. Immunological Disease

Projects will be funded for a period of three years.

Deadline: 29 July
Further Information: JST (in English); JST (in Japanese)

The aim of the program is to strengthen the collaboration between Germany and Japan in the field of "Computational Neuroscience" to achieve world‐class scientific results, leading towards new innovative technologies.

JST, DFG and BMBF invite German and Japanese researchers to submit proposals for joint research projects.
Projects will be funded for a period of three years.

Deadline: 8 August
Further Information: JST (in English); JST (in Japanese)

The HFSP will accept registrations for their 2012 Postdoctoral Long Term and Cross Disciplinary Fellowships from 25 August.

Long-Term Fellowships (LTF) are reserved for applicants with a Ph.D. in a biological discipline to embark on a new project in a different field of the life sciences.

Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (CDF) are open to applicants with a Ph.D. from outside the life sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering or computer sciences) who should propose a significant departure from their past research towards HFSP research areas.

Following registration, applications should then be sent by 8 September.
Further Information: HFSP

This newsletter provides information on the latest calls, job opportunities, research collaboration opportunities in and between Europe and Japan. It also reflects on the latest developments shaping research in Europe and Japan.

The contents include over 25 calls in Europe and Japan; new event announcements in Japan; call results; and new collaborative developments between Europe and Japan.

Further news provides an overview of the talk in Japan by Professor Sir John Beddington, the QS Asian University Rankings, the 20th EU-Japan Summit, and an introduction to the recently published Innovation Union Competitiveness Report, especially as it relates to international interaction. This report provides some useful data on EU-Japan scientific relations. Finally, a brief summary of a NISTEP report on the management of university academic start-ups is presented.

The full contents of the Newsletter are available here.

The new 2011 Funding Guide Booklet for European Researchers in Japan is a comprehensive booklet that lists all of the main mobility and exchange schemes between Europe and Japan.

If you are looking to come to Japan or return to Europe from Japan, please check this booklet or our monthly newsletter for the latest funding developments.

The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and the European Commission (European Union) will jointly launch a project to develop concentrator photovoltaic cells aiming to achieve a cell conversion efficiency of more than 45%, which is the highest efficiency in the world.

This will be the first joint project under the EU-Japan Energy Technology Cooperation Agreement.

Further Information: European Commission

This contest is for ideas from the general public to generate and further develop ideas into business models that have a great potential to contribute to a more customer-oriented and sustainable Smart Grid market, and making this a reality in the mid-term or even short-term.
It is irrelevant whether you have a great deal of experience in the energy sector, as long as you have a creative, business-oriented imagination. The most interesting ideas will be selected by the Idea Contest Jury and rewarded, with a total of 15 000 euros in prize money. These ideas will serve as basis for the closed Call-for-Proposals.
A call for university proposals will be made in the Autumn.

Further Information: Siemens

Deadline: 15 June

Event held at the Ministry of Education on 22 June. MEXT launched the “Science of Policy in Science, Technology and Innovation policy” program from April 2011. The ultimate goal of the program is to realize “objective evidence-based policy forming”, which tries to make Policy more effective to address policy challenges, based on observations and analysis of social and economic states from various aspects.
Date: 22 June
Further Information: MEXT

This talk will introduce the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), explain its mission and describe some of its recent programmes and accomplishments, such as astronaut Soichi Noguchi's long-endurance space mission and the Hayabusa and IKAROS missions. The question of how space exploration can contribute to scientific progress and life on earth will also be discussed.

Date: 18:30 on 9 June
Further Information: DIJ

Sir John Beddington, the Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government and Prime Minister, will speak at a symposium in Tokyo on Monday 30 May to discuss the provision of science advice in emergencies to politicians and the public. The symposium will focus on the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, the  role played by Sir John and others in assessing and communicating the risks, and implications of the crisis for the future.
 
The seminar will start at 14:30 Japan time on Monday 30 May and will be webcast in both English and Japanese. Further information, including links to the webcast, can be found at. http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=600739282

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) have opened applications for their International Collaborative Research Grant. This grant is intended to help develop advanced information and communications technology. The Grant supports research and development activities by international collaborative research teams.

The application period is from Monday, 23 May to Friday 24, June.
Further Information: NICT (English outline); NICT (Japanese)

Event held at Tokyo University, Komaba Campus on Friday 27 May, between 13-18:00 at the Convention Hall, Institute of Industrial Science (IIS).

Talks with given in Japanese with simultaneous English translation.
Further information and registration: http://www.kaneko-lab.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp

To help strengthen Norwegian research groups by offering visiting foreign researchers (post-doctorate level or higher) the opportunity to perform research in Norway. Stays of up to 12 months in Norway. Applications should be submitted from a Norwegian research institution.

Overseas research grant provides opportunities for Norwegian researchers to spend time overseas.
Deadline: 31 August
Further Information: Research Council of Norway

The World Premier International Research Centres provide a number of opportunities for foreign researchers.
Below is a round-up of recent openings:

1. ICEMS - Kyoto University

The Chen Group at Kyoto University’s World Premier Research Institute, the  Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences are seeking a research associate in the field of bioscience and biophysics.
Deadline: Until Filled
Further Information: ICEMS

1. IFRC - Osaka University

The Immunology Frontier Research Centre have an opening for a Specially Appointed Researcher.
Deadline: Until Filled
Further Information: IFRC

1. AIMR - Tohoku University

The Advanced Institute for Materials Science at Tohoku University have issued a call for two Associate Professors, and three Assistant Professors.
Deadline: 6 June 2011
Further Information: WPI-AIMR

1. I²CNER - Kyushu University

The International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I²CNER) is recruiting open-rank faculty and post doctoral researchers.
Deadline: 8 June
Further Information: I²CNER

The South-East European Research Centre (SEERC) invites applications for one Postdoctoral and two PhD Candidate positions on Engineering and Provisioning of Service Based Cloud Applications.

Open positions, and further information:

1. Marie Curie Experienced Researcher/Postdoc
2. Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher/PhD Researcher

Deadline: 31 May

Provision of up to 10 research fellowships for outstanding Master and PhD students in Engineering or Natural Sciences from top level universities in Japan and Korea who are interested in carrying out a research project at RWTH.
Deadline: 1 July
Further Information: RWTH

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has 2 PhD openings, 21 openings for postdoctoral researchers, and 2 openings for senior researchers. These openings are in fields
related to land management, fisheries, climate change, agricultural resources.
Deadlines: Various
Further Information: JRC

Meiji University will hold a summer law course which gives participants an opportunity to participate in English-language lectures on Japanese law together with accompanying field trips from July 21st to August 3rd 2011.

This two-week program covers major fields of Japanese law and legal institution such as Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Criminal Process, Civil Justice, Family Law, Law of Enterprises, Competition Law, Tax Law and some other contemporary fields. In addition, this program offers lectures on the Judicial System and the Legal Professions in its social, cultural and historical context so that students are able to appreciate the characteristics of Japanese law in a broader perspective.

The program includes field trips to the National Diet, the Supreme Court, law firms and others. The main purpose of this program is to offer to interested foreigners a chance to learn about Japanese law without the language barrier. For those who are interested in understanding Japanese law or Japanese society, this program would be an excellent foundation for further studies.

Web site: http://www.meiji.ac.jp/hogaku/law_jp/

The Delegation of the European Union to Japan have issued the following press release regarding the EU-Japan Science and Technology agreement which was signed on 30 November 2009 and entered into force on 29 March 2011.

The new agreement gives ample possibilities to upgrade the scientific, technological and innovation cooperation between Japan, one of the most innovative countries and the European Union with the enormous potential of its 27 Members States. The agreement comes at a time when Japan and Japanese researchers may want to join forces with other researchers to analyse the different disasters and the nuclear accident and their impact on humans, environment, food, and economy and find mitigation strategies in the various fields.

Following the entry into force of the agreement, the first Joint Steering Committee meeting is being planned for June this year. EU and Japan will discuss details of the bilateral cooperation including research areas and topics of common interest and benefit. Some areas have been identified earlier such as renewable energy, rare earth materials, healthy aging, environment and mobility, but other topics like nuclear safety, earthquakes or tsunamis may also be of interest now. We will publish more information when further details come to be known.

With the prospect of the entry into force of the agreement, the European Commission had already started dialogues with Japanese counterparts such as METI, JST, NEDO and MIC on creating matching-fund and making joint calls for proposals under FP7 for research projects in some fields (environment, materials, renewable energy, aeronautics and ICT). These efforts are already taking shapes in the areas of superconductivity and photovoltaics, aeronautics and space. The S&T agreement is expected to boost EU-Japan R&D cooperation in many fields.

FP7 projects to further promote the participation of Japanese researchers and institutes in FP7 have been set up: EURAXESS Japan, J-BILAT, EURASIAPAC and Concert-Japan are in operation.

For more information on the participation in FP7 please see http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm
For running projects with Japanese participation please look at the list. (PDF)

S&T agreement text (from Official Journal of EU): http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...PDF
MoFA press release: http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/23/3/0330_01.html

For details of EURAXESS Japan, J-BILAT, EUROSIAPAC, CONCERT-JAPAN, please refer to the following websites:

EURAXESS Japan: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/japan/index_en.htm
J-BILAT: http://www.j-bilat.eu/
EURASIAPAC: http://eurasiapac-fp7.eu/
CONCERT-JAPAN: http://www.concertjapan.eu/ja

The science and technology agreement between the EU and Japan, signed in November 2009, has finally come into effect on 29th March 2011 and further reinforcement of the EU-Japan cooperation in R&D is expected.

Since the beginning of 2010, the J-BILAT project, coordinated by EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, has been promoting EU-Japan collaboration in R&D and innovation, supplying useful information mainly in Japanese.

In this 2nd Best Practice Sharing Workshop on Energy, Nanotechnologies, Materials and Production Technologies, detailed presentations of the relevant programmes of FP7 (Cooperation, People, ERC, etc) will be given and the audience as well as speakers will be invited for a discussion of the potential and outlook of the EU-Japan cooperation.

Date: 25th May 2011 (Wed), 14:00 ‒ 18:00 (registration starts at 13:30)
Venue: Acros Fukuoka, Conference Room #606 (Fukuoka)

For directions, please visit the venue’s website: http://www.acros.or.jp/english/access/
Further Information: J-Bilat

The Royal Society have opened calls for their International Exchange Scheme.

This scheme is for UK scientists who want to collaborate with scientists overseas, either through a one-off visit or bilateral travel.

Both the UK and overseas applicants must possess a PhD, and hold a fixed or permanent position.

All countries outside of the UK are eligible.

Deadline: 30 June
Further Information: Royal Society

Kyushu University’s new WPI, the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I²CNER) are seeking applicants for open-rank faculty and post-doctoral research associates.

Deadline: 8 June
Further Information: I²CNER

The EFSA have issued a call for new members of their scientific and committees. The EFSA is the European Union’s scientific risk assessment body on food and feed safety, nutrition, animal health and welfare, and plant health and protection, tackling issues all along the food chain.

Members’ should be EU, European Free Trade Association or Candidate Country nationals, with at least 10 years professional experience. Third country nationals may also apply but will only be considered if there is not enough expertise from those regions mentioned above.

Deadline: 31 May
Further Information: EFSA

A special scientific forum that will take place at the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) at the University of Tokyo on Monday, 25 April.

The forum will address the current Japanese crisis and will feature the participation of eminent scientists aiming to analyse the current situation from different angles (seismic, maritime, ecological, energy, & social impact etc).

This forum was initially planned for Japanese assistance, but regarding the priority given to international collaboration, IIS also decided to provide real-time English translation.

The following topics will be addressed:

• Seismic center and Tsunami
• Distant quake and nearby quake, soil liquefaction
• Damage situation of transportation infrastructure
• Damage situation of electricity plan
• Outline of radiation
• Nuclear rare metal
• Influence on water
• Status of energy utilisation
• Crisis management
• Security of research continuity

Organizer: Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo
Date: April 25, 2011 (Mon) 13:00-18:00（registration starts from 12:30）
Venue: Convention Hall at 2nd floor of An block, Komaba Research Campus, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505 (up to 257 persons, no registration required in advance)
Access: http://www.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/access_e/access_e.html
Campus map: http://www.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/access_e/campusmap_e.html
Attendance Fee: Free
Language: Japanese (The presentation slides will include English captions, and simultaneous on-site translation in English will be provided in an Annex room)

The March Edition of the Euraxess Links Japan Newsletter provides information on the latest calls, job opportunities, research collaboration opportunities in and between Europe and Japan.

It also reflects on the latest developments shaping research in Europe and Japan.

The full contents are as follows:

Recent Calls

• Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowships - Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships      
• Marie Curie Career Integration Grants - European Food Safety Committee and Panel Members
• Euraxess Jobs Portal - France: CEA Eurotalents
• France-Japan: Programme de cooperation exceptionnelle avec le Japon - Holland: Visiting Professors Programme (VPP)
• Italy in Japan Proposals - Japan: Foreign Postdoctoral Researcher (RIKEN)
• Japan: G30 at Nagoya University - Japan: Hakubi Project
• Japan: Initiative Research Leader (RIKEN) - Japan: International Conferences
• Japan: JREC-IN and Other Openings - Japan: I2CNER
• Japan: National Institute of Informatics - Japan: Positions at RIKEN
• Japan: Research Fellowship for Young Scientists - Spain: ICREA Senior Positions
• Spain-Japan Collaboration in the Nanotechnology field - Spain: AMAROUT Fellowships
• Switzerland: Swiss Foundation for Excellence in Biomedical Research - UK: Royal Society International Exchanges
• United National University - IAS Openings - Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• EU-Japan Collaboration in Energy and Material Sciences: 2nd J-BILAT Seminar
• Eurasiapac and J-Bilat Seminars on FP7
• Association of Japanese Business Studies
• Deans Forum on Engineering
• Death of Massive Stars: Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts
• ECO-MATES 2011
• International Research Program for the Advancement of Women in Leadership
• International Symposium: Dynamism of Immune Reactions and Regulations
• ISETS: International Symposium on EcoTopia Science 2011
• Japanese Geeky-Girly Innovation and Subculture-Inspired Technology and Design
• Maison Franco Japonaise Events
• Life Science Network Symposium
• RIKEN Chemical Biology Symposium
• TAMC2011
• UNU-IAS Seminar on Renewable Energy

Call Results & Programme Evaluations

• Interim Evaluation of FP7
• Grants-in-Aid Awards in 2011

Universities & Research Institutes

• Kobe University hold formal opening symposium at new Brussels Office
• OIST Applies for University Status
• New Institutional Agreements between Europe and Japan

Consultations 

• New Name for EU Research and Innovation Programme: You Name it!
• 2011 Funding Guide Booklet
• Green Paper & Consultation on EU Research Funding

News and Developments

• Nippon Science Support Network
• Ratification of the Science and Technology Agreement
• DG INFSO Visit Japan: Reviewing Options for ICT Collaboration
• Faculty Trends in Japan’s Universities
• Japan’s 4th Science and Technology Basic Plan: Postponed until Summer
• Euraxess and Euraxess Links: Recent Conference in Cyprus

List of S&T Events in Japan

Marie Curie Career Integration Grants are intended to improve the prospects for the permanent integration of researchers who are offered a stable research post in Europe after a period of mobility.

Aimed at experienced researchers (with at least 4 years full-time postgraduate research experience or a doctoral degree) of any nationality who have spent less than 12 months of the last 3 years outside the country of their proposed host organisation.

The applicant should apply with the proposed host organisation.

Deadline: 6 September Further Information: Cordis

Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) are for researchers who are from Third Countries (e.g. Japan) allowing them to work on projects in Europe.

The duration of the fellowships is 12-24 months.
All topics of research are eligible (with the exception of topics covered by EURATOM).

Deadline: 11 August
Further Information: Cordis

Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) are for researchers who are nationals of EU Member States and Associated Countries.

They provide the opportunity to spend an initial outgoing phase of 1-2 years in a Third Country (e.g. Japan) followed by a mandatory reintegration phase of 1 year.

All topics of research are eligible (with the exception of topics covered by EURATOM).

Deadline: 11 August
Further Information: Cordis

Call for participants for a series of events in Autumn 2011.  The event aims to comprehensively promote Italy in Japan, such as Italian business, science and culture.

Deadline for proposals: 30 April
Further Information: Italian Embassy S&T Office

'CEA Eurotalents' program, is a European Commission co-funded program aimed at increasing and facilitating international mobility of scientists in five research domains:

• Microelectronics, nanosciences and nanotechnologies
• Energy, environment and climate change
• Science and technology of high performance computing
• Life sciences and biotechnology
• High energy physics, high energy density physics and astrophysics

Currently the Incoming CEA Fellowship is open. Applicants should have 4 years post Master experience, and be non-French citizens; or have not resided in France for the past 12 months. Duration 1 or 2 years.

Deadline: 30 June
Further Information: CEA

RIKEN have opened applications for its Foreign Postdoctoral Researcher Program.

These creative and innovative ideas and who can be expected to achieve broad international recognition in the future. Relevant fields include: Physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, engineering, and any other fields related to research now being conducted at RIKEN.

The FPR program is for young foreign researchers who have a PhD in the natural sciences (or who will have a PhD by the time of hire).

Notification of intent to apply should be sent by 20 May.
Further Information is available from RIKEN

RIKEN is seeking an Initiative Research Unit Leader for FY2012. The Initiative Research Unit Leader Program was established in FY2008 to give young scientists with outstanding, internationally recognized achievements the opportunity to pursue independent, interdisciplinary research of their own design at RIKEN, and to thereby further the development of RIKEN's research fields, and promote internationalization of the RIKEN research environment. The unit leader will independently select research associates and technicians to form a research unit that will further his or her research objectives.

Because of these extraordinary circumstances in Japan, RIKEN are opening up the program this year to applicants of all nationalities. Everyone interested, whether Japanese or non-Japanese, is strongly urged to apply.

Deadline:  30 June 2011
Further Information: RIKEN

This newsletter provides information on the latest calls, job opportunities, research collaboration opportunities in and between Japan and Europe. It also reflects on the latest developments shaping research in Europe and Japan.

The full contents are as follows:

Recent Calls

• AXA Research Fund
• ERC: Advanced Researcher Grant
• ERASMUS Mundus Students!
• Euraxess Jobs Portal
• Europe: EMBL Postdoctoral Programme
• Europe: Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS)
• France-Japan Bilateral Cooperation in Biomolecules
• Holland: Vici Scheme
• Human Frontier Science Project
• Italy in Japan Proposals
• International Cosmos Prize
• Japan: A-Step
• Japan: Ebara Research Support Grant
• Japan: JAIST
• Japan: JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Japan: JREC-IN and Other Openings
• Japan: Kondo Prize
• Japan: Centre for Integrated Area Studies (CIAS) (Kyoto University)
• Japan: G30 at Nagoya University
• Japan: Positions at RIKEN
• Japan: Suntory Foundation
• Japan: Tenure Track at Shizuoka University
• Japan: Yamazaki-Teiichi Prize
• Japanese Studies at European Universities
• Spain-Japan Collaboration in the Nanotechnology field
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Eurasiapac and J-Bilat Seminars on FP7: Postponed
• Association of Japanese Business Studies Paper
• Development Workshop
• CiRA International Symposium: From Reprogramming to Clinical Application
• Deans Forum on Engineering
  
• Death of Massive Stars: Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts
  
• ECO-MATES 2011
  
• International Symposium: Dynamism of Immune Reactions and Regulations
  
• International Research Program for the Advancement of Women in Leadership
  
• ISETS: International Symposium on EcoTopia Science 2011
  
• RIKEN Chemical Biology Symposium
  
• TAMC2011
  
• Women in Science and Education

Call Results

• Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading Researchers

Universities & Research Institutes

• Chiba University sign MOU with the Institute of Education, London
  
• Hokkaido University and Edinburgh University: Comprehensive Agreement
  
• Osaka University Celebrate 80th Anniversary
  
• Tsukuba Innovation Arena Nanotechnology Strategic Plan

Consultations

• 2011 Funding Guide Booklet
  
• Green Paper & Consultation on EU Research Funding

News and Developments

• Japan’s Science and Technology Indicators Published
• Technology Assessment: Learning from Dutch Experiences
• Reputation of World Universities

List of S&T Events in Japan

The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) based in Seville, Spain and part of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher to work on issues related to the European Research Area.

Further Information: JRC

Call for participants for a series of events in Autumn 2011.  The event aims to comprehensively promote Italy in Japan, such as Italian business, science and culture.

Deadline for proposals: 30 April
Further Information: Italian Embassy S&T Office

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science have opened calls for its postdoctoral researcher programme.
This programme is to to provide opportunities for young postdoctoral researchers from other countries to conduct, under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions.

Deadline: 1 April
Further Information: JSPS

A number of European universities are currently advertising doctoral fellowships or professorships in Japanese studies. The particular programmes and openings are:

• PhD Funding for Japanese Studies (Announcement) (Manchester University - Deadline: 1 April)
• Postdoctoral Position at European Institute of Japanese Studies (Stockholm School of Economics - Deadline: 1 April)
• Professorship in Japanese studies with a focus on History or Society (Heidelberg University - Deadline: 30 April)

The Deans of Engineering at prestigious universities will hold a meeting at the University of Tokyo on 28-9 March.
Representatives are from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Imperial College London, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and UC Berkeley.

Further Information and registration: Tokyo University Faculty of Engineering

The Japan Science and Technology Agency and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) have launched a joint call regarding the “Structure and Function of Biomolecules: Response Mechanism to Environments”.

Deadline: 29 March

Further information: JST

The Center for Integrated Area Studies (CIAS), Kyoto University, welcomes applications for its International Visiting Scholars Program for the period April 2012 – March 2013. The period of residence in Japan is from three to four months.

The purpose of the CIAS International Visiting Scholars Program is to provide opportunity to foreign researchers to pursue research work strongly related to Area Studies, while staying at CIAS, Kyoto University. CIAS also expects that this program will promote international exchange and cooperation among those who are interested in Area Studies.

In agreement with Kyoto University regulations, CIAS reimburses travel expenses for one round trip from the home-location to Kyoto and provides a monthly living allowance. Foreign visiting scholars are facilitated with office space and necessary office equipment, administrative assistance for obtaining visa, health insurance and others as needed.

For the period April 2012 – March 2013, CIAS is looking for some experienced researchers who are interested in one of the themes as follows:

1. Inter-regional comparative research
   The candidate should specialize in Area Studies and have ongoing or planned inter-regional comparative research activities.
2. Development of Area Informatics
   The candidate should have interest and achievements in database building for Area Studies.
3. New perspectives of usage of research materials for Area Studies
   The candidate should have interest in the use of various research materials, including CIAS library collections, with new perspectives for Area Studies.

Applicants must submit the following documents in English by mail or by e-mail:

• A completed Application Form. [http://www.cias.kyoto-u.ac.jp/news/?p=136]
• Curriculum Vitae with a list of publications.
• One letter from the applicant’s resident organization and one recommendation letter.

These can be sent directly to CIAS printed or electronically by recommender. If sent by the applicant by mail, the letters should be sealed in envelopes by the recommender.

Your application should arrive at CIAS not later than April 15, 2011 and should be sent to:
Section of International Affairs,
Center for Integrated Area Studies,
Kyoto University
46 Shimoadachi-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
E-mail address: cias-ia [at] cias.kyoto-u.ac.jp

The following events will take place at UNU Institute of Advanced Study:

1. Climate Change Legal Negotiations: Implications for Forest Governance, Equity and Livelihoods
   Presentations by Miguel Ruiz-Cabañas Izquierdo (Ambassador of Mexico to Japan), Claudia Ituarte-Lima (UNU-IAS), Suneetha Subramanian (Research Fellow, UNU-IAS) and Henry Sheyvens (Director, Natural Resources Management Group at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies)
   Date: 9 March, 2011 (14:30-17:30).
   Location: UNU-IAS in Yokohama


2. OECD’s Innovation Strategy: Getting a Head Start on Tomorrow
   Presentation by Yuko Harayama (Deputy Director, OECD’s Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry).
   Date: 10 March (10:30-11:45)
   Location: UNU-IAS in Yokohama

Further Information: UNU-IAS

The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Study have two openings for researchers in the following areas:

1. Research Fellow for Science and Technology for Sustainable Societies (Deadline: 31 March)
2. Research Fellow for Marine Governance/Coastal Management, UNU-IAS Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (Deadline: Until Filled)

Further Information: UNU-IAS

The Functional Genomics Technology team, led by Dr Piero Carninci, are seeking one Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher and one Technical Staff.

Location: RIKEN Yokohama Institute.
Further Information: RIKEN  

On Tuesday 15 March Two seminars will take place regarding FP7 Programmes.

The EURASIAPAC event will be focusing more on policy dialogues and introduction of available schemes; the J-BILAT Event will be a best practice sharing workshop with detailed exchange of information and discussion, with speakers who have been involved in Framework Programme projects.

Both events will take place at the Nomura Conference Plaza Nihonbashi, Tokyo.

Further information is available from the following websites: http://www.j-bilat.eu/seminar/...workshop-in-japan/

The January newsletter provides all the latest information on the latest calls, job opportunities, research and collaboration opportunities in and between Europe and Japan. It also reflects on the latest developments shaping research in Europe and Japan.

The full contents are as follows:

Recent Calls   

• ERC: Advanced Researcher Grant
• IRSES: International Research Staff Exchange Scheme
• FP7/JST Call in the Environment Field
• Marie Curie & other jobs in Europe
• ERASMUS Mundus Students
• Estonia: ERMOS Postdoctoral Positions
• Europe: Alain Bensoussan Fellowship Programme (ERCIM)
• Germany: Anneliese Maier Research Award
• Germany: Doctoral Fellowships at Mannheim University
• Germany: Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups
• Germany: Doctoral Fellowships in Japanese studies
• Holland: Rubicon Programme (NWO)
• Ireland: President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (SFI)
• Japan: AIST Research Scientist Positions
• Japan: Global Relations Office (RIKEN)
• Japan: JAMSTEC
• Japan: Nagoya University: Career Development Office for International Students
• Japan: National Institute of Materials Science
• Japan: RIKEN Brain Science Institute Summer Program 2011
• Japan: Positions at RIKEN
• Japan: Toshiba International Foundation Fellowships
• Poland: Homing Plus (FNP)
• Poland: Kolumb Programme (FNP)
• UK: Daiwa Foundation Grants
• UK: Newton International Fellowships
• UK: Overseas Conference Grants (British Academy)
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Drinks Night: 25 February
• Death of Massive Stars: Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts
• ECO-MATES 2011
• ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference
• ISETS: International Symposium on EcoTopia Science 2011
• MANA International Symposium
• Nano Bio Expo 2011
• NIMS-Green Symposium
• Technology Management - Perspectives from Europe
• TAMC2011
• 2011 WPI-AIMR Annual Workshop
• 5th International Workshop on Approaches to Single Cell Analysis
• 12th Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics

Call Results

• European Research Council: Advanced and Starting Grants

Universities & Research Institutes

• Tohoku University and University College London sign Agreement in Life Sciences
• Fraunhofer Establishes office in Osaka
• NAIST Celebrate 20 Years
• Okinawa Institute of Technology edges closer to becoming Graduate School

News & Developments

• Green Paper & Consultation on EU Funding
• Innovation in Europe: The 2010 Innovation Union Scoreboard
• METI proposes Tax Reduction to attract R&D from Overseas; Human Resource Steps Under Review
• Nature Cafe at the Swedish Embassy
• CONCERT-Japan Kick-Off Meeting in Istanbul
• Nanotechnology Research in Japan

List of S&T Events in Japan

Research Grants are awarded for innovative research projects involving extensive collaboration among teams of independent scientists working in different countries and in different disciplines.

Two types of grants are available: Young Investigator Grants for teams where all members are within 5 years of starting their first independent position (and within 10 years of receiving a PhD) and Program Grants for teams of scientists at any stage of their careers.

Apply for password/initialise application: March 22 2011
Submit application: March 31 2011

Further Information: HFSP

The European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS) are receiving applications on behalf of the Toshiba International Foundation. The EAJS Council selects candidates for a fellowship to undertake research in Japan.

Applications are invited for Toshiba International Foundation scholarships for a three-month stay in Japan to be completed by the end of March 2012.

Applicants must be doctoral students, and they must be specialising in some branch of Japanese studies at an institution in Europe.

Application Deadline: 1 April 2011
Application and Selection Process: online via the Eur https://www.eajs.eu/index.php?id=565.

For further information and to register for this Toshiba International Foundation Fellowship, please look at our EAJS website at http://www.eajs.eu/index.php?id=320.

The Newton International Fellowships are funded by the British Academy and the Royal Society and aim to attract the most promising early-career post-doctoral researchers from overseas in the fields of the humanities, the natural, physical and social sciences. The Fellowships enable researchers to work for two years at a UK research institution with the aim of fostering long-term international collaborations.
The scheme is open to post-doctoral (and equivalent) early-career researchers working outside the UK who do not hold UK citizenship.
Applications are to be made via the Royal Society’s online application system which is available at https://e-gap.royalsociety.org/
The closing date for applications is Monday 4 April 2011.

This symposium of international experts will attempt to elucidate what issues have global implications in the application of competition law to abusive practices of intellectual property rights (IPRs), what approaches emerging countries might take with regard to IPRs and competition and what principles should underlie the use of competition law in dealing with abuse of IPRs and anticompetitive IPR abuses. Approaches to intellectual property rights (IPRs) and competition law enforcement differ considerably among developed countries.

Date: Tuesday 22 February
Location: Soukairou Hall (1F), National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) (7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
Further Information: GRIPS

"Strategic Collaboration between European and Japanese industries for International Standardization"
Japanese and European industrial and academic experts will discuss standardization strategies.

Date: 7 February 2011
Further Information: EUIJ-Kansai

Graduate and postgraduate students from universities throughout the world are invited to take part in the student competition to qualify for the St. Gallen Symposium, which will take place from 12–13 May 2011.
The authors of the 100 best contributions will be invited to engage in a dialogue at the 41st St. Gallen Symposium with current leaders and decision makers.

Open to graduate students in all fields of study born after 1981.
Location: St Gallen, Switzerland
Deadline: 1 February
Further Information: St Gallen Symposium

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) will open calls for the short term visits programme early next year.

This scheme will fund 60 researchers to visit Japan between June 2011 and March 2012.
Applications should be submitted between 31 January and 4 February.

Further information: JSPS

This newsletter features over 20 calls, 20 events and provides the latest information on research developments in Europe and Japan. Some highlights include the latest trends in Japanese R&D expenditure, the number of foreign researchers in Japan, and the priorities of the new Hungarian Presidency.

An in-depth feature looks at the latest budget for science and technology in Japan. Amidst increased pressure to curtail expenditure the government increased the science and research budget, introducing many new programmes and a number of reforms to existing programmes. The paper outlines the implications both for foreign researchers in Japan, and those organizations overseas that regularly collaborate with or have bilateral relations with Japan.

The goal of this workshop is to demonstrate the possibilities of advanced information systems for sharing information and knowledge about the environment on a global scale. Talks will be given by researchers and professionals from Japan and Europe. Organised by Toyohashi University of Technology and the Asian-European Project Kyoto.

Funding support for the event has been made by the European Commission and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)

Date: 25-8th January
Location: Nagaragawa Convention Centre, Gifu
Further Information: Kyoto Project

The International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) will hold their annual international symposium at Epochal Tsukuba. Talks will be given by two Nobel Laureates, Klaus von Klitzing and Heinrich Rohrer. Full details from the website below. Call for posters by 22 December.

Date: 2-4 March, 2011
Further Information: MANA

With the development of information technology, the diffusion of the concept of accessibility, and the effectuation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the environment for promoting social participation of persons with disabilities has been improved.

Under such circumstance, social firms are now attracting attentions as a new approach to employ persons with disabilities that crosses over the existing social welfare. Social firms are one type of social enterprise that engage in the general market while aiming at hiring persons with disabilities and disadvantages in the labor market.

Social firms are growing in countries around the world; in Japan, the Social Firm Japan has been established and new approaches for promoting employment of persons with disabilities are being implemented.

In this symposium, experts from European countries will be invited to discuss with Japanese experts strategies and the potentials for Japan-Europe cooperation for the development of social firms, based on experiences in each country and the results of field research in Japan.

Date: Sunday, January 30, 2011 10:00 - 16:30
Venue: Nadao Hall, Japan National Council of Social Welfare (Zenshakyo), 3-3-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

For more information and registration, please visit the Japan Foundation website
http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/intel/new/1012/12-01.html

In this month's edition, the following information is presented:

Recent Calls:

• FP7 Calls
• FP7 Calls for Funding with Japan
• ERC: Advanced Researcher Grant
• IRSES: International Research Staff Exchange Scheme
• Attract 2011: Luxembourg
• Bilateral Programmes: JSPS 
• ERASMUS Mundus Students 
• European Respiratory Society/Marie Curie Fellowship 
• Euraxess Jobs Portal 
• Female Principal Investigators: Nagoya University 
• Initial Training Networks 
• JAIST: Various Positions 
• JAMSTEC: Various Positions 
• Japan-UK Cooperation in “Oxide Electronics, Organic Electronics & Spintronics” 
• JRec-in Highlights: Japan 
• JSPS: Short Term Research Visits 
• Kyushu University’s New WPI: I2CNER
• Marie Curie Positions: Europe
• Nagoya University: G30 Programme
• RIKEN: Various Positions
• Tokyo University: Global Health Policy 
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Advanced Science & Technology for Single Molecular Analysis of DNA
• e-case & e-tech Conference
• ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference
• Events to Celebrate German-Japanese Relations
• ICCESSE: 2011
• MANA International Symposium
• NIMS International Symposium on Photocatalysis & Environmental  Remediation Materials 2011
• Relations with Russia: Access to Energy & Raw Materials
• TAMC2011
• 1st CSIS International Symposium on Spintronics based VLSI
• 2th Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics: Call for Papers   

New Agreements

• National Institute of Materials Sciences & University College London 
• Advanced Industrial Science & Technology & Inter-University Microelectronics Centre  
• Karolinska Institutet and Tokyo Women's Medical University   

News & Developments

• Opening Ceremony For Kyushu University's new WPI Centre: I2CNER      
• J-RECIN allow Non-Japanese Institutions to Advertise 
• Diversifying Doctoral Education in Japan     
• Shiwake Strikes Again: Critical of Internationalisation Initiatives in Universities  
• European Scientific Visa to Enhance Mobility to and within Europe     
• Japan’s Capacity in Science and Technology: Opinions of Top Researchers      

The Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourg have opened calls for their Attract scheme.
This aims to attract young researchers with a high level of ability in science or technology and proven experience.
Projects are funded for five years with a financial contribution up to €1.5m.
The PI must have obtained their PhD at least 2 years and up to 8 years after the degree.
Any field of research.
Deadline: 7 February
Further Information: FNR

The JSPS has opened a call for bilateral programmes with two European counterparts:
Finland: Academy of Finland - 2 joint seminars in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
France: Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) - 7 Joint Projects (Chorus Programme) in the humanities and social sciences.
Applicants from Japan must hold a full time position at a Japanese university or research institute.
Travel and meeting expenses are covered.
Deadline: 22 February
Further Information: JSPS / JSPS

The JST and EPSRC have initiated a program for joint funding of Japanese-UK cooperative research projects in the field of “Oxide Electronics, Organic Electronics and Spintronics”.
The aim of the program is to strengthen collaboration between Japan and UK within the field of “Oxide Electronics, Organic Electronics and Spintronics” to achieve world-class scientific results, leading towards new innovative science and technology.
It is envisioned to fund a total number of about 3 – 5 bilateral projects.
Deadline: 11 January 2011

Further Information: JST (in English)

ITN’s are bottom-up projects that aim to improve career perspectives of researchers in the first five years of their research career, in both public and private sectors.
Normally a network will be composed of at least three participants such as university, research centres, commercial enterprises, non-profit or charitable organisations.
A minimum of three different partners are required in three different Member States. Above this minimum, other third countries (such as Japan) is possible.  
ITN’s will provide joint research and training, events, and network opportunities for researchers.

Deadline: 26 January
Further Information: Cordis

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) have launched a call for German postdoctoral scientists and scholars to spend time at the National Institute of Informatics typically starting from 1 September 2011, for one year.

Deadline: 31 December
Further Information: DAAD (in German)

Talk to be given by Professor Jean-Paul Rieu from the Université claude Bernard, Lyon I, France will give a talk entitled “Physics and Rheology of Embryonic Cell Aggregates : Role of Cytoskeleton and Cell-Cell Adhesion”.

Date: Monday, 29 November
Location: IIS, University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Further Information: http://limmshp.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The speaker will analyze recent development of international migration, its impacts at national and local levels in Japan, as well as their economic, social and political backgrounds.

He will also take into consideration the new developments in terms of regional economic integration in Asia and Pacific.

Talk to be given by IGUCHI Yasushi (professor and Dr. of Economics, Director of the Research Institute for Economies with Low Fertility, Kwansei Gakuin University); Discussant : Helene Le Bail (French Research Institute Abroad UMIFRE 19 CNRS-MAE).

Location: Maison franco-japonaise, room 601 (6th floor)
Date: Monday, December 20, 2010, from 12:30PM to 2PM
Further Information: MFJ

On 20 October calls for applications to the IRSES Scheme were opened.

This allows European research organisations and other research organisations to establish or reinforce long-term research cooperation through the exchange of researchers for short periods. Japan is eligible to participate as it has a Science and Technology Agreement with the European Union.

Support will be provided for a period of 24-48 months. The maximum duration of the individual staff exchanges is 12 months, which can be split into several exchange periods within the total duration of the programme. During this period, joint research, joint training, joint workshops, seminars or other networking activities could be performed.

A minimum of three partners are required (two from EU Member States or Associated Countries + one other country). To provide one example: an Austrian and a Hungarian university could develop an exchange programme with a research institute in Japan.

All fields of research are relevant and are to be chosen by the researchers.

In 2008, 2 project submissions were received from Japan (1 was funded). In 2009, 14 project submissions were received (11 were funded).

Deadline for applications is 17 March 2011.

Further information is available from Cordis - click the Guide for Applicants page.

The 2011 International Conference on e-Commerce, e-Administration, e-Society, e-Education, and e-Technology (e-CASE & e-Tech 2011) to be held in Tokyo, Japan, 18-20 January.

The main objective of e-CASE & e-Tech 2011 is to provide a platform for researchers, engineers, academicians as well as industrial professionals from all over the world to present their research results and development activities in e-Commerce, e-Administration, e-Society, e-Education, and e-Technology.

Further Information:
http://www.e-case.org/2011/

In this month's Newsletter, the following information is presented:

FP7 Calls

• FP7 Calls for Funding with Japan

Recent Calls

• ERC Starting Grant: Social Sciences
• ERC: Advanced Researcher Grant
• IRSES: International Research Staff Exchange Scheme
• British Academy Visiting Scholars   - CERN Fellowships: Switzerland
• Chaires International de Reserche Blaise Pascal: France   - Daiwa Scholarships: UK
• Doctoral Studies Abroad from Sweden   - ERC: Head of the Scientific Management Department
• European Respiratory Society/Marie Curie Fellowship   - Euraxess Jobs Portal
• Initial Training Networks   - Japan-Sweden Cooperative Call: Multidisciplinary Bio
• J-Recin Highlights: Japan   - Kerstin Hesselgren and Olof Palme Visiting Professorships: Sweden
• Kyushu University Women Researchers Promotion Scheme   - Kyoto University: ICEMS
• Marie Curie Positions: Europe   - Materials Science Positions: Japan
• Postdoctoral Stays at the National Institute of Informatics   - Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Humanities and Social Sciences: Ireland
• Rubicon Programme: Holland   - STINT Institutional Grants: Sweden
• VENI Innovational Research Incentive Scheme: Holland   - Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Call Results

• ERC Starting Grant Results
• Daiwa Adrian Prizes 2010
• Japan-Denmark Call Results in Molecular Diabetology
• Hakubi Project at Kyoto University
• Japan-Spain Call Results in Multidisciplinary Materials Science

Event Announcements

• Advanced Science & Technology for Single Molecular Analysis of DNA
• Epigenome Network, Development and Reprogramming of Germ Cells
• ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference
• Events to Celebrate German-Japanese Relations
• German Institute of Japanese Studies
• Internet of Things
• Japan Social Development Fund - a Unique and Successful Aid Initiative
• Mesoscale Control & Engineering of Self-Organised & Excitable Systems in Biology and Chemistry
• NIMS International Symposium on Photocatalysis & Environmental Remediation
• Materials 2011
• ScienceScope: Rencontre Scientifique Francophone de Tokyo
• Towards Open Systems Dependability   - 12th Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics: Call for Papers
• Euraxess Drinks: Researchers Informal Pub Night

News & Developments

• Diversity Helps Produce Highly Cited Papers in Japan
• Sir Martin Wood Prize Ceremony: Theory of the Spin Hall Effect
• Expenditure on Innovation by Companies
• Japan’s 2011 Budget Requests for Science and Technology

In Focus

• Europe, USA and Japan "Increasingly being Challenged" in Science

List of S&T Events in Japan

In the 5th seminar organized by the J-BILAT project, we are going to discuss the potential and outlook of the EU-Japan cooperation, focusing on ICT and aeronautics.

In the plenary session, we are also going to summarize the Marie-Curie Actions.”
1. Target: Researchers and research managers from public/private organizations, funding agencies and other multipliers, 80-100 participants
2. Date: 11th November 2010 (Thu), 13:30 - 17:30 (registration starts at 13:00)
3. Venue: Katahira Sakura Hall, Tohoku University (Sendai);
For directions, please visit the venue’s website:
http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/english/profile/about/10/about1002/index.html (No.51 on the map)
4. Language: Japanese or English, without interpretation
5. Participation and registration

Free, but advance registration is required. Please use the following online registration form

or send

1. Your name, 2. Position, 3. Affiliation (if possible 1.-3. also in Japanese), 4. Telephone number, 5. E-mail address to the J-BILAT project manager, Toshiyasu Ichioka

The British Council and the University of Tokyo are co-organising the Japan-UK Forum for Higher Education Collaboration, Realizing the Full Potential of PhD Graduates in a Global Society: Learning from Transferable Skills Training in UK Universities. The forum will be held on Monday 22 November at the Tokyo International Forum in Japan.

In both Japan and the UK, universities are increasingly expected to produce PhD graduates with the skills required by employers of various sectors. There is a growing need to demonstrate the value of a doctorate to individual students and PhD graduates are expected to contribute to society not only as academics but also as highly skilled research staff in wider areas. Against this backdrop, UK universities, with the support of the Research Council UK, have been developing Transferable Skills Training for PhD students and postdoctoral research staff over the last 8 years. This forum is the first opportunity in Japan to introduce the concept and good practices of Transferable Skills Training in the UK. It aims to provide a platform for:

• those involved from the UK,  where a national framework for postgraduate transferable skills training has already been established, and Japan, where HE - Industry collaboration in “Innovation Education” has been developed, to exchange views.
• participants to think together about the way in which the value and appeal of a doctorate can be duly promoted, and as a result, PhD graduates can play new roles in wider society – in the research, business, community and public administration sectors.

Date:  Monday 22 November 2010, 9:30 -13:00

Networking lunch: There will be a networking lunch after the forum. The fee for this lunch will be 3,000 yen per person.

Application details: Please apply in advance using the registration form below.
https://ssl.form-mailer.jp/fms/c63ef921113488

Application deadline: Friday 12 November

The EC launched a number of FP7 calls for proposals for 2011 on July 20, and the deadlines for submitting proposals are approaching. Please be reminded that some of the calls target cooperation with Japan (in the areas of photovoltaics, superconductivity, aeronautics, space, environment etc.) and we strongly encourage interested persons to submit proposals.
For the general description of the calls and the sort of fund available, please refer to the announcement published in August.

J-BILAT is organizing the 4th seminar focusing on health and biotechnology, social sciences and humanities. After a plenary session, reports by specialists will be made in topical sessions.
J-BILAT 4th Seminar “EU-Japan collaboration in health and biotechnology, social sciences and humanities”

J-BILAT is organizing the 4th seminar focusing on health and biotechnology, social sciences and humanities. After a plenary session, reports by specialists will be made in topical sessions.

The seminar will be held mostly in Japanese and partly in English without interpretation. Participation is free, but advance registration is required. For the details of the programme and on-line registration, please visit the following site.

http://www.j-bilat.eu/seminar/seminar_4

In this month's Newsletter, the following information is presented:

FP7 Calls

• FP7 Calls for Funding with Japan

Recent Calls

• AIST Positions: Japan
• Economist: Delegation of the EU in Tokyo
• ERC Starting Grant
• Euraxess Jobs Portal
• Grant in Aid for Scientific Research: Japan
• Honjo International Scholarships
• Japan-Finland Joint Call: Functional Materials/Biomaterials
• Japanese-German Externship
• Joint Research Centre: Europe
• Japan Partnering Awards: UK-Japan
• Japan-Sweden Cooperative Call: Multidisciplinary Bio
• J-Recin Highlights: Japan
• Junior Research Associate: RIKEN
• JSPS Award for Eminent Scientists
• Karolinska Institute - RIKEN Doctoral School
• Kyoto University: ICEMS
• Nagoya University Positions
• Marie Curie Positions: Europe
• Materials Science Positions: Japan
• TITECH: Tenure Track Positions
• Toshiba Fellowship Programme
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Epigenome Network, Development and Reprogramming of Germ Cells
• ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference
• Events to Celebrate German-Japanese Relations
• Japan-Austria ICT Workshop
• J-Bilat Event in Kobe
• J-Bilat in Sendai
• Karolinska Institute’s Bi Centenary Photo Exhibition
• NSS 6
• UQCC2010
• Sciencescope Event
• 12th Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics: Call for Papers
• Researchers Informal Pub Night
• Re-Thinking CSR: Perspectives and Experiences of Europe and Japan

News & Developments

• EU Innovation Strategy: 1 Million Extra Researchers in Europe
• University President’s Appeal for Comments on Budget
• ERC Grant Recipient Awarded Nobel Prize
• Ventures from Research Institutes in Japan
• German JSPS Alumni Association
• Innovation for a Greener and Healthier World: Sweden & Japan
• THES Ranking of Universities
• International Exchange of Researchers: Japan and Europe

List of S&T Events in Japan

Toshiba, supported by the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) is offering outstanding European scientists the opportunity to join one of its high-technology research teams in Japan for up to two years.
The Toshiba Fellowship Programme is open to PhD level researchers of EU nationality currently working in a UK academic institution.

Further Information: Toshiba
Deadline: 13 December 

8 Oct. History of Japan German Relations

Sciencescope, association of French-speaking researchers and students in Japan, and the Maison Franco-Japonaise (MFJ) co-organize the 28th "Rencontre Scientifique Francophone de Tokyo (RSFT)", a symposium where three researchers will present their research work.

Date: Saturday October 16th from 14:00.
Location: room 501 of MFJ,  Ebisu, Tokyo. 
Language: French. Admission free.

Program (French) : http://sciencescope.org/article.php3?id_article=136
Program (Japanese) : http://sciencescope.org/article.php3?id_article=137

A joint international doctoral course on the subject “Functional Architecture of the Cell Nucleus” between the RIKEN Yokohama institute Omics Science Center and Karolinska Institutet Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (Sweden) will be held from November 24th to 30th at the RIKEN Yokohama Institute. Doctoral students (biology or biology related fields) currently enrolled in universities in Japan.

Further Information: RIKEN
Deadline: 18 October 2010

The Delegation of the European Union to Japan has a vacancy for an experienced Economist in its Politics and Economics Section. The applicant should at least have a Master degree and 5 years of experience, preferably in the field of economic research / financial sector.

Further information is available from the Delegation.
Deadline: 22 October 

This call was launched on 1 October. The Welcome II Programme targets the recruitment of European researchers to join Portuguese research institutions after work outside of Europe. Duration: 3 years. 
All fields of research applicable. Fellow salary: €61,000.

Deadline: 12 December
Further details: FCT / FCT

Tokyo Institute of Technology is seeking applicants for Tenure-Track Associate Professor positions in the following research fields:

- Energy-conversion Materials
- Mechanical and Control Engineering

Pre registration for application is necessary by 22 October. Deadline for Applications: 29 October.
Further Information: TITECH

Talk to be given on 6 October. Topic: "From Giant Magnetic Resistance to World Energy Problem". Further information & registration: TITECH.

A communication platform where the innovative strength of German research institutions and business will be presented to further enhance science and business cooperation with Japan.

Date: 6 October
Location: Roppongi Academy Hills, Tokyo
Further information: Fraunhofer Institute

In late August the ERC Visited Japan to promote their Starting and Advanced Grants. Read more about the visit here.

Ritsumeikan University have opened applications for scholarships to their graduate schools. In particular, note the MEXT International Priority Graduate Placement Programs (PGP) in two programmes. The deadline for this is 30 November. Further information: Ritsumeikan University

The August newsletter contains the following information:

FP7 Calls

• FP7 Calls for Funding with Japan

Recent Calls

• Advanced Fellowships in Physics and Astronomy: UK
• CERN Non-Member state Fellowship Programme
• Core to Core Program
• ERC Starting Grant
• Euraxess Jobs Portal
• Fellowships for Doctoral Students: Croatia
• Grant in Aid for Scientific Research: Japan
• Grant for Invitation of Foreign Scientists: Sweden
• Homing Plus: Poland
• JAMSTEC: Climate Change Research
• Japan-Finland Joint Call: Functional Materials/Biomaterials
• Japanese-German Externship
• J-Recin Highlights: Japan
• JSPS Short Term Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology: Physics
• PRESTO & CREST Calls: Japan
• Research Fellow: Marine Governance: Japan
• Sabbatical Abroad: Sweden
• Scientific Research Networks: Belgium
• Welcome II: Portugal
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Cooperation between Germany and Japan in FP7
• Epigenome Network, Development and Reprogramming of Germ Cells
• ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference
• Events to Celebrate German-Japanese Relations
• German-Japanese Science and Innovation Forum 2010
• German-Japanese Solar Day
• Innovation Day
• Japan-Austria ICT Workshop
• J-Bilat Event in Tokyo
• Osaka University in Groningen
• UQCC2010
• Sciencescope Event
• Sweden-Japan Energy Seminar
• 12th Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics: Call for Papers

Call Results

• ERASMUS Mundus Call Results
• Japan-Croatia Call Results: Materials Science

Other News

• Follow-up Review of the WPIs
• Twitter Account for Sciencescope
• 3% Decline in University President Salaries
• Kobe University Establishes Brussels Office
• Osaka University Signs MOUs with institutions in Germany
• Academic Ranking of World Universities

In Focus

• European Research Council in Japan

List of S&T Events in Japan

Event as part of the 150th Anniversary celebrations for German-Japan relations.

Talks at this symposium will focus on the following:

• Environmental & resource constraints
• consequences of energy use for transport
• Mobility & future opportunities by ICT
• Information society
• status of IT security research

It will also feature an introduction to the German JSPS Alumni Club and an introduction to the JSPS.

Date: 13-14 September
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo
Further Information: JSPS / JSPS (registration)

The President of the European Research Council, Professor Nowotny will give two talks in Japan.
The aim of the visit is to publicise opportunities that the ERC offers to first-rate researchers of any nationality, including Japanese. The visit is also meant to develop closer ties with Japanese research and funding organisations.
As part of the visit Professor Nowotny will make speeches on ERC activities and grants together with Dr. Hiiragi, a Japanese researcher who received an ERC Starting Grant (see the June Euraxess Newsletter for background).

Two talks will be given at the following institutions:

1. Tokyo Institute of Technology, 10:45-12:15hrs, Royal Blue Hall, Ookayama Campus, Thursday, 26 August (Click here for further information)

2. RIKEN, 13:30-15:00hrs, Wako Campus Friday, 27 August
(Click here for further information)

To register to attend these events, please contact

Tokyo Institute of Technology: kokuren.kik.cho@jim.titech.ac.jp
RIKEN: gro-visitors@riken.jp

The July Newsletter contains the following information:

FP7 Calls

• FP7 Calls for Funding with Japan

Recent Calls

• Brain Gain: Croatia
• ERC Starting Grant
• Euraxess Jobs Portal: Positions in Europe
• ICYS Young Research Positions: Materials Sciences: Japan
• Jean Monnet Fellowships: Italy
• J-Recin Highlights: Japan
• Lichtenberg Professorships: Germany
• Marietta Blau Grant for PhD Students from Austria
• Max Weber Programme: Italy
• Odysseus Programme: Belgium
• Pre-Announcement for Japan-Finland joint Call in Biomaterials and Functional Materials
• RIKEN Research Scientists Positions: Japan
• Rubicon Programme: Holland
• Waseda University: Tenure Track Positions
• Waseda University: Contemporary Japanese Studies
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Cooperation between Germany and Japan in FP7
• Transport and Mobility - Challenges for the Future
• Science in Society: A Challenge in Japan
• The Urban Internet of Things: Call for Papers
• 4s: Society for the Social Studies of Science
• RIETI Brown Bag Seminar
• 12th Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics: Call for Papers

Call Results

• New WPI for Kyushu University: Carbon Neutral Energy Research

Other News

• 150th Anniversary of Germany-Japan Relations
• R&D Budget in Europe
• Swiss - Japanese S&T Relations
• Income from Industry Declines by 13% for Japan’s Universities
• NIMS signs MOU with the University of Rennes 1

In Focus

• Recent Developments in Science and Technology Policy in Japan
• List of S&T Events in Japan

The JST and EU have issued a call to fund and support Japanese participation in FP7 in the field of superconductivity.
Projects are called for to investigate the fundamental properties of novel superconducting materials, with a focus on their synthesis, structural and/or physical characterisation, mechanisms and theoretical modelling in combination with experimental validation.
The Japanese and EU applicants shall write a common application that shall be handed in both to JST and EC DG RTD in parallel.
The application shall be written in English. For the Japanese applicants, a Japanese version of the application is also required.

Deadline: 17 November 2010
Further Information: JST (English explanation from 2nd page)

The JST and EU have issued a call to fund and support Japanese participation in FP7 in the field of the environment.
There are 20 topics on which applications are solicited.
The JST will support Japanese researchers who participate in FP7 consortia which apply into these research areas and calls for Japanese researchers to submit proposals for cooperative research projects. Projects submitted by researchers who have already on-going research activities with each partner are highly welcome to reinforce and strengthen already initiated cooperation efforts.
There are two deadlines, depending upon the research topic selected. These are:

Deadline for the research areas 1-9, 11-13, 19for proposals: November 19th, 2010.
Deadline for the research areas 10, 14-18, 20 for proposals: February 2nd, 2011.
Further Information: JST

We have added some new information to the Careers and Funding Page, with the addition of new information from the Japan Student Services Organisation.

A talk to be given by Professor Stefan Dilhaire, from the Centre de Physique Moleculaire Optique et Hertzienne, Bordeaux, France. The talk is entitled: “When Photons Listen to Phonons”. To be held at the C-Lounge, Building C, 2nd Floor, IIS-University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-1, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo.

Date: 27 July from 2pm.
Further Information and Contact: LIMMS

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced its fourth call for proposals for the "ERC Starting Grants", open to early-career top researchers of any nationality, working - or moving to work - in host institutions in Europe.
The three calls are for applications (and respective deadlines) are as follows: 

1. Physical Sciences and Engineering (14 October)
2. Life Sciences (9 November)
3. Social Sciences and Humanities (24 November)

Projects will be funded for a period of five years, with funding available up to EUR 2.0m per grant.

Further Information:

ERC Starting Grants

Press Release for the Call

Call - Cordis

In this month's edition, the following information is presented:

Recent Calls

• Canon Foundation in Europe
• CERN Fellowships (France)
• Daiwa Foundation Grants (UK-Japan)
• EMBO Long Term Fellowships (Europe)
• ERC Starting Grant Calls to be Opened in July
• FIDIPRO: Finland
• J-Recin Highlights (Japan)
• JSPS/ESRC Collaborative Seminars 2011 (UK-Japan)
• JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Foreign Researchers: Short-Term
• JSPS Bilateral Projects
• JSPS Researcher Exchange Programme
• JSPS International Conferences Call
• Positions at Tohoku University
• Pre-Announcement for Japan-Finland joint Call in Biomaterials and Functional Materials
• Pre-Announcement of FP7 Calls
• Project Faculty Positions at Tokyo University
• RIKEN Research Scientists Positions
• Visiting Professors Programme: Holland
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters

Event Announcements

• Cooperation between Germany and Japan in FP7
• COSMO CosPA 2010
• Japanese-German Micro/Nano Business Forum
• Kyoto International EnviNano Forum
• NII Lecture Series
• Seminar on EU-Japan Research Cooperation & the Forthcoming Calls
• Spin Related Phenomena in Semiconductors (PASPS VI)
• 4s: Society for the Social Studies of Science
• 16th MEMS World
• 6th ICNSEE Seminar
• Pub Meeting

Other News

• President of the European Research Council to visit Japan
• Survey finds Low Levels of Career Satisfaction amongst Japanese Academics
• QS Asian University Rankings
• Hokkaido University establishes new Strategic International Headquarters
• Innovation and Japanese Universities

In Focus

• The Belgian Presidency and the European Patent

Events in Japan

The Canon Foundation in Europe grants up to 15 Fellowships to highly qualified European and Japanese researchers.

The European Fellowship holders pursue a period of research in Japan whereas the Japanese Fellows do their research at host institutions in Europe.

The Fellowships are awarded for a minimum of three months and maximum of one year. The Fellowships are awarded regardless of discipline and existing employment positions.

The financial support for Research Fellows ranges from €22,500 to €27,500 per year and pro-rata for different periods.

Deadline: 15 September
Further Information: Canon Foundation

The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) have opened calls for applications under its long term fellowships scheme.
Applicants must hold a PhD and have at least one first authored paper.
The fellowships last for two years.

Deadline: 15 August
Further Information: EMBO

The Daiwa Foundation seek to promote UK-Japan cooperation through the following schemes for exchange or seminars: 

1. Small grants (between £3,000 to £7,000 GBP)
2. Foundation Awards (between £7,000 to £15,000)
3. Royal Society Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation Joint Project Grants (to support travel & subsistence).

Deadline: 30 September 2010.
Further Information: Daiwa Foundation

The JSPS have issued a call for funding young Japanese scholars to spend time overseas. The programme provides funds for young researchers to engage in international research collaboration projects. Through doing this, the program seeks to advance science in Japan by vitalizing the international circulation of good brains.
Duration: 1-3 years. 

Deadline: 7-9 July
Further Information: JSPS

Nominations for the 2010 round of the Sir Martin Wood Prize were opened on 13 April.

The Sir Martin Wood Prize is to recognise and reward excellent research undertaken in by young scientists (<40 years old)  who have made significant contributions to research in the field of condensed matter science in a Japanese university or research institute.

The prize, valued at Yen 500,000, also allows recipients the opportunity to lecture at British universities.

Nominations should be made by a recognised expert in the field of condensed matter. Self nomination is also posible.

Last year the prize was awarded for the first time to a foreign born researcher in Japan. Please see this newsletter for prior coverage.

Deadline: 1 August 2010
Further information: MSF

The May Newsletter features the following information:

Recent Calls

• A-Step: Technology Development Programme for University Technologies
• Advanced Photovoltaics Center - NIMS
• Biomaterial Group: NIMS
• BSI Positions
• Chief Scientist: RI Beam Factory
• European University Institute: Italy
• Internships at the Delegation
• Internship at the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation
• J-Recin Highlights
• Positions at the National Institute of Informatics
• Pre-Announcement of FP7 Calls
• Project Faculty Positions at Tokyo University
• RIKEN Postdoctoral Positions
• Sir Martin Wood Prize: Condensed Matter
• Final Calls: Calls Highlighted in Recent Newsletters
  

Call Results & Developments

• JST & ANR Call: ICT
• Event Announcements
• COSMO CosPA 2010
• Governance & Regional Economic Integration in Asia from a European Perspective
• Harmony of Grobner bases and the modern industrial society
• NII Lecture Series
• Economic Transition in CEE Countries: Bulgaria
• Renewable Energy: 2010
• University-Industry Collaboration in Japan & its Impact on Innovation
• Pub Meeting: Postponed due to the 2010 World Cup

Other News

• ITER Faces Funding Shortfall
• Joint Statement from Green Innovation Summit in Tokyo
• S&T Counsellors Meeting: Tokyo
• Two Technology Licensing Offices are Closed

In Focus

• Japanese Universities after Incorporation

List of S&T Events in Japan

The Delegation of the European Union to Japan offers internships to university students and recent graduates eager to gain working knowledge of the European Union and its relations with Japan.

One internship is available per each of the following sections:

• Political & Economic Section
• Trade & Projects Section
• Press, Public & Cultural Affairs Section
• Science & Technology Section
• Candidates should have European or Japanese nationality; possess an undergraduate university degree

Internships are unpaid. They are intended to provide university students and recent graduates with the opportunity to acquire considerable knowledge of the European Union, its Institutions, activities, laws, statistics and relations with Japan.

Deadlines: 20 October 2010 for an internship in the Spring 2011;

20 May 2011 for an internship in Autumn 2011

Further Information:
Delegation of the EU to Japan

In July joint calls will be published between the EU and Japan. The four calls are to be in the following fields:

1. Joint Call with METI/NEDO for Energy" (photovoltaics)
2. Joint Call with JST in the WP for"Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies, Materials and new Production Technologies" NMP: on superconductivity,
3. Specific Support Action on "Transport, including aeronautics"
4. Space research. There is no dedicated action foreseen, but there is some interest by both European and Japanese partners to cooperate in this area.

The 2011 Work Programs will be published on 31 July, together with most calls for proposals for 2011.

More details will be made available on the Cordis Website. We will also highlight all such calls in this
newsletter and the website.

For these topics the minimum participation is from the side of EU Member States and associated countries: 3 different partners from three different countries (more are always possible).

From Japan: At least one Japanese partner - involvement of further Japanese partners and
partners from other countries very welcome.

ScienceScope, the association of French speaking researchers and students in Japan, and the Maison Franco-Japonaise (MFJ). will coorganize the 28th "Rencontre Scientifique Francophone de Tokyo (RSFT)", a symposium where three researchers will present their research work.

Date: Saturday June 5th from 14:00.
Location: Room 501 of MFJ, Ebisu, Tokyo.
Language: French. Admission free.

Programme: Japanese
Programme: French

The Fraunhofer Institute in Japan will host a seminar on Micro Fluidic Devices at the German Cultural Centre on 8 June, between 13:30 and 17:00....
Mr Marcus Herz from Franhoffer IZM will give a talk on the “Theory of Microfluid Devices”, followed by a second presentation by Mr Yasunari Kabasawa from Kikuchi Seiakusho.

Further information and registration: Fraunhofer Institute

The April Newsletter includes the following information:

Recent Calls

• Advanced Photovoltaics Center - NIMS
• Euraxess Jobs Highlights
• Hakubi Project to Foster and Support Young Researchers
• International Incoming Fellowships (Marie Curie)
• International Outgoing Fellowships (Marie Curie)
• J-Recin Highlights
• JST-DASTI (Denmark): ”Molecular Diabetology”
• Positions at the National Institute of Informatics
• Research Unit Leader: RIKEN
• RISTEX launches three calls
• Call Results & Developments
• WPI Programme: Call Progress

Event Announcements

• Characterization and Manipulation at the Atomic Scale
• Green Innovation Symposium
• Harmony of Grobner bases and the modern industrial society
• Japan’s Galapagos Effect
• Job Embeddedness in Japanese Companies
• Next International Manned Space Program
• Microfluidic Devices
• ScienceScope Event
• Pub Meeting

Other News

• J-BILAT Seminar
• Citation Rankings for Japanese Institutes
• Commission Proposes to Simplify Funding Procedures
• 1st Anniversary of the DFG Tokyo Office
• EU-Japan Summit

In Focus

• What Happens to Doctorate Holders

List of Events in Japan

The JST and DASTI invite Japanese and Danish researchers to submit proposals for cooperative research projects in molecular diabetology. Projects will be supported for three years, and should not exceed ￥15m. The deadline is 22 June.

Further Information: JST (in English)

RIKEN is seeking an Initiative Research Unit Leader for FY2010. The Initiative Research Unit Leader Program was established in 2008 for outstanding non-Japanese young scientists to pursue independent research and further develop fields advanced at RIKEN, as well as promote internationalization.

The unit leader will select research associates and technicians to independently assemble a research unit and further his or her research objectives.

Eligible research areas are:

1) quantitative biology or computational biology; or

2) innovative and functional materials science which can be conducted at RIKEN. Applicants are welcome from
non-Japanese scientists with a doctoral degree in the natural sciences and an outstanding record. Salary: 10.9 million Yen.

Deadline: 11 June 2010

Further Information: RIKEN

Kyoto University are inviting applications under its Hakubi Scheme.

The University will appoint promising young researchers as program-specific faculty members (associate professor/assistant professor) and support their research activities on themes of their own choices, so as to develop visionary researchers who will pioneer new paths in their respective academic fields. All fields are eligible.

Up to 20 applicants will be appointed with priority given to female researchers and non-Japanese researchers.

Deadline: 24 June 2010

Further Information: Kyoto University

On 12 April, the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) opened a call for applications under the CREST scheme. Research proposals are invited in pre-existing research areas.

These include Nanotechnology, Photonics, iPS cell research,Immunology, Neural Science , Reducing global warming, Immunology, Information technology, Mathematical science, Efficient use of water, Light energy conversion.

The call will be open until 18 May. Further Information: JST

The March Newsletter contains the following information:

1. Recent Calls

• Marie Curie Incoming Fellowships
• International Outgoing Fellowships
• Establishment of European Union Institute in Japan
• Start Up Fund for Young Researchers
• Japan-Spain Collaboration
• Eminent Scientists Award
• JSPS Invitation Fellowships
• Chief Scientist Position at the Advanced Science Institute (RIKEN)
• JRC IPTS, Seville Spain
• ETH Zurich Position in Japanese Production
• Recent Highlights from J-Recin
• PRESTO
• National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences: Four Openings
• RIKEN FPR
• RIKEN SPDR
• Doctoral School in Technology Management: Italy
• Visiting Professors Programme to Holland

2. Announcements

• BILAT in Japan: Promotion of Japanese participation in FP7
• Funding Guide Booklet: JISTEC
• Funding Guide Booklet
• Pub Gathering
• EIJS Seminar

3. Call Results

• JST-ETZH Call Results in the Life Science Field
• JST-TEKES Call Results

4. Other News

• Forthcoming Calls: Photovoltaics/Researcher Exchange
• ASEPS Summit
• European Innovation Scoreboard
• Postdoc Mondai Latest: Companies paid to accept Postdocs

5. In Focus

• Funding Guide Booklet: A Preliminary Review and Analysis

6. Forthcoming Scientific Events

7. ABOUT EURAXESS LINKS Japan

BILAT in Japan, a newly launched EU project for the promotion of EU-Japan S&T collaboration will organize its first seminar on 14 April. The full schedule can be found here.

Speaches include:

• “International Dimension of the EU 7th Framework Programme"
• "The Overview, potential and outlook for EU-Japan joint research projects"
• “Promotion of science and technology and Japanese S&T policy”
• “METI's innovation Policy”
• "Current EU-Japan collaborative researches and future perspectives: Japanese funding
  agencies Case 1"
• "Current EU-Japan collaborative researches and future perspectives: Japanese funding
  agencies Case 2"
• "How to participate in the EU 7th Framework Programme"
• "The “People” programme - Mobility actions"
• "J-BILAT: organization and plans, activities and expected outcome"

Participation is free, but pre-registration is required. Please email the J-BILAT project manager, Toshiyasu Ichioka (toshiyasu.ichioka[@]eu-japan.gr.jp).

Please send:

1. Your name
2. Position
3. Affiliation (if possible 1.-3. also in Japanese)
4. Telephone number
5. E-mail address

The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) have launched a joint call to support collaborative projects, researcher exchange, or symposiums between Japan and Spain in the field of "Nanotechnologies and New Materials for Environmental Challenges".

The call was opened on 1 April and will close on 31 May.

Further information (only in Japanese): JST

JISTEC, the Japan International Science and Technology Exchange Center, have published a new funding guide. The document is specifically targeted to foreign researchers who would like to conduct research in Japan.

The document can be accessed here.

Our own funding guide document, which has many complementarities, can be found here.

The European Union (EU) and the government of Japan signed last November the "EU-Japan Science
and Technology Cooperation Agreement", which will trigger more and more cooperation between EU
and Japan in all fields of Science and Technology.

METI/NEDO and the Directorate-General for Research (DG Research) of the European Commission
have been negotiating a joint call on 'photovoltaic research'. It will be launched this summer. This
joint call is related on both sides to the political commitment to reduce CO² emissions by 2020 and
entre into a low carbon society. Scientific breakthroughs to generate a new generation of technology
can be achieved more quickly through an active research collaboration of Japanese and European
Researchers.

Researchers interested in the field and other science actors particularly those interested to receive
funding through this EU – Japan programme, are invited to join this seminar. We will discuss the
concepts behind and get an idea about the forthcoming joint calls of Japan and Europe in the field of
energy research:

Programme:

• The EU 7^th Framework Programme for Research – open to the world
  by Dr. Barbara Rhode, Head of S&T Section, Delegation of European Union to Japan
• EU-Japan Cooperation on Energy Technology Research and Development
  by METI (in Japanese)
• EU-Japan Cooperation
  by Mrs. Aires Soares, Head of Unit, Energy Directorate, DG Research (introduction)
  and Mr. Gilles Lequeux, International Cooperation Officer, Energy Directorate, DG
  Research (Presentation)
• Accelerating energy technology development through EU's joint programming
  by Dr. Harm Jeeninga, EERA (European Energy Research Alliance)

Followed by a Q&A session, where you can ask directly the speakers how to cooperate with European
researchers. Please find the brief information on FP7 and EERA below for your better comprehension
of the seminar.

Date: March 26^th, 2010
Time: 13:30-15:00
Venue: AIST/Tsukuba

Venue: Conference Room #01306-2, 1F, Headquarters Bldg., AIST, Tsukuba
http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_e/guidemap/tsukuba/pdf/guidmap_c.pdf
Please be so kind and register by e-mail to delegation-japan-st[@]ec.europa.eu

This Newsletter contains the following information:

1. Recent Calls

• G8 Research Councils Initiative
• World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) Call
• JSPS Invitation Fellowships
• United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
• Internship at the Swiss Embassy
• International Training Program for iPS Cell Research
• Chief Scientist Position at the Advanced Science Institute (RIKEN)
• Positions at RIKEN
• Internship at the University of Tokyo
• ERATO Positions
• Recent Highlights from JRecin
• NWO Rubicon Scheme (Holland - Outgoing)
• Visiting Professors Programme to Holland (Incoming)
• Homing PLUS Programme Poland (Incoming & Outgoing)
• Welcome Programme - Poland (Incoming)
• Daiwa Foundation Small Grants and Awards -UK-Japan

2. Announcements & News

• Funding Guide Booklet: Consultation
  
• Sinapse Call for Usage
• Japanese Participation in FP7
• ScienceScope event in Ebisu
• EU Related seminars in Kobe
• International Industry-University Collaboration Symposium at Keio University
• CREST 2010 International Symposium on Physics of Quantum Technology
• German Institute for Japanese Studies
• Keio Medical Science Prize: Call for Nominations
• First Asia-Europe Physics Summit
• JSPS Reduces Number of International Conference Grants
• New Poster for Euraxess Links Japan

3. Other News

• Essential Points of the 4th Science and Technology Basic Plan
• New President at the European Research Council
• New Economic Strategy for Europe

4. In Focus

• Japan’s World Premier International Research Centers

5. Forthcoming Events

6. Funding Opportunities

• Forthcoming Call Deadlines

Sciencescope, the association of French-speaking researchers and students in Japan, and the Maison Franco-Japonaise (MFJ) co-organize the 27th "Rencontre Scientifique Francophone de Tokyo (RSFT)",  a symposium where three researchers will present their research work.
Date: Saturday April 3rd from 14:00. Location: room 501 of MFJ, Ebisu, Tokyo.
Language: French.
Admission free.

Program (French)
Program (japanese)

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The Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme in the People program of FP7 aims at strengthening research partnership through short staff exchanges and networking between European research organizations and organizations in Third Countries (such as the United States). This funding is open to all domains of research, except for the areas covered by the Euratom Treaty.

A partnership under this scheme needs to be composed of at least two independent participants (e.g., research institutions) located in at least two different EU Member States or Associated Countries (Countries associated to the 7th Framework Program are: Albania, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Norway, Republic of Montenegro, Serbia, Switzerland, and Turkey), and one organization either located in countries with which the European Union has an S&T Agreement (i.e., Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Egypt, India, Japan, Rep. of Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine, United States) or in countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy (Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestinian-administrated areas, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Ukraine).

The program will involve short term exchanges (maximum of 12 months) of research staff. Technical and management staff can also participate in the partnership. The staff to be exchanged should be “seconded” (i.e., maintain their salary in their institution of origin and have the right to return, so as to guarantee the full reintegration and the positive recognition of the mobility experience).

The funding under this scheme will cover mobility costs of the “outgoing” European researchers in the amount of €1800 /researcher/month. Contracts between research organizations will be for a period of twenty-four to forty-eight months.

Application deadline: 25 March 2010.

Further information

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science launched a call for applications to its WPI initiative on 19 February.

The programme is to support proposals aimed at creating international research centres staffed by the world’s most talented researchers. This particular WPI Program call is for the establishment of one centre in the environmental domain, contributing to the realisation of a low carbon society. Funding will be provided for 10 years, with a possible 5 year extension.

Pre-application registration by 26 March 2010
Submission of application materials: 26-27 April 201

Further information: JSPS