(commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ; MEXT) |
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Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as SCF) is a budget for implementing science and technology (S&T) promotion in accordance with "Basic Policy on the Utilization of Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology," adopted by the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP). This budget is conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). In FY2006, based on "Report for Basic Policy of Science and Technology", and "Basic Guidelines for allocating SCF resources", the SCF is expected to be utilized for projects that will fulfill the following four aims;
| (1) |
Strengthening the control tower function of the CSTP |
| (2) |
Enhancing system reforms for developing human resource and for creating innovation |
| (3) |
Promoting R&D that meets the needs of society |
| (4) |
Promoting international activities in S&T |
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* Programs in operation |
| Programs which call for new projects during FY 2006 |
Programs which ended calls for new projects |
| 1. |
Strengthening the control tower function of the CSTP
Dealing with Politically Important Issues (Starting in FY2006)
Promotion of research and development (R&D) and implement of research surveys for political needs initiated by the CSTP
Effective and efficient promotion for cooperation of science and technology policies (Starting in and after FY2005)
Promoting coordination of R&D subjects between policies and effort to strengthen collaboration
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| 2. |
Enhancing system reforms for developing human resource and for creating innovation (Programs starting in FY2006)
Improvement of Research Environment Improvement for Young Researchers
Introduction of a tenure track system to provide young researchers with competitive research environment for promoting their independence and active research opportunities
Supporting Activities for Female Researchers
Supporting universities and research institutes, as initiative models, to implement efforts for promoting the activities of female researchers
Creation of Innovation Centers for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research Areas
Creating research education centers at universities that focus on advanced interdisciplinary research areas and that obtains the active participation of the private sector
Re-establishment of Vital Regions through Fostering Talents
Promoting the development of human resources at local universities to meet needs of local industries and societies by utilizing unique characteristics of the universities
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| 3. |
Promoting R&D that meets the needs of society
Research and Development program for resolving critical issues (starting in and after FY2004)
Promotion of research and development activities on themes that are nationally and socially important and that must be dealt with immediately by government, and implement surveys that are required for policies concerning science and technology
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| 4. |
Promoting international activities in S&T
Promotion of Cooperating Activities with Asian Nations for Science and Technology
Strengthen the S&T community in Asian nations through network formation and international research activities for common challenges in the Asian region |
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Fostering talent in emergent fields
Promote opening of new courses and divisions in emerging fields where training of personnel and increase of personnel are essential
Leadership for international scientific cooperation
Promote holding of conferences which Japan should lead activity, as well as accompanying activities such as international survey researches
Encouraging development of strategic research centers
Support activities such as establishing research and development systems in universities, etc. and reforms of organizational operations
Effective promotion of joint research with industries, academia, and government
Promote matching between seeds from academia and government and needs of industries
Supporting young researchers with fixed-term appointments
Support for researches by young fixed-term researchers during their tenure, with the aim to broad establishment of a tenure system for researchers
Fostering of the center of excellence (COE)
Expedite public research organizations to become COEs by supporting their effort to raise the level of the specific field of research to the world's highest |
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| JST is commissioned to implement the operations concerning the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology. |
Support for evaluations and other operations concerning
the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology
(Except for "Effective and Efficient Promotion of the Coordination Program of Science and Technology Projects") |
JST is commissioned to implement operations as follows:
- Acceptance of research proposals
- Conducting working groups for selection and evaluation
- Project management etc.
For these operations, JST deploys the Program Director and the Program Officer, and created the Department for the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology. |
Support in Connection with "Effective and Efficient Promotion of the Coordination Program of Science and Technology Projects" |
In July 2004, the Council for Science and Technology Policy established important national and social themes to be promoted through collaboration among the various government ministries concerned, with an eye to linking together the vertically-arranged policies of these ministries. It was determined that the elimination of unnecessarily redundant policies and efforts to strengthen collaboration would be actively promoted through the Coordination Program of Science and Technology Projects.
As a result, it was decided that "Effective and Efficient Promotion of the Coordination Program of Science and Technology Projects" would be launched as a new program of the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology for FY 2005.
The Department for Coordination Program of Science and Technology Projects supports a survey to clarify the scope of this program. Based on the results of this survey, the Department is assisting in adoption of R&D subjects that should be implemented in a supplementary
capacity among the themes of the Coordinated Program of Science and Technology Projects, and is currently supporting proper management and other duties connected with the adopted subjects. |
