JST and DFG co-organized the 4th Funding Agency Presidents' Meeting (FAPM) on October 7 in Kyoto. The FAPM was first held in 2010 with the aim to provide an opportunity for representatives of funding agencies (FAs) from around the world to gather to discuss common interests and concerns, thereby facilitating and enhancing networking and cooperation among them.
This year's meeting was co-chaired by DFG President Peter Strohschneider and JST President Michiharu Nakamura. Thirty-three representatives of FAs from 25 different countries and 2 international organizations had a lively discussion on 2 topics: "Potential advancement of FA roles" and the "Contribution of FAs to fostering human resources in research", under the comprehensive theme of "Core values and further advancement of Funding Agencies from the viewpoint of the world in 2020".
Regarding the "Potential advancement of FA roles", the importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach in tackling global issues and the development of mechanisms to best promote brain circulation were among the issues pointed out.
The discussion on the "Contribution of FAs to fostering human resources in research" identified the necessity to ensure an environment in which researchers can most effectively pursue their careers, by providing international exchange programs, training courses, etc. This includes not only supporting the development of young researchers, but also improving the representation of female researchers at all levels. In addition to supporting researchers themselves, the discussion also touched on the need for funding agencies to make efforts for the development and training of the various research support professionals that provide invaluable support to the overall research environment.
A summary of the 4th FAPM will be made available on the following website:
JST, an integrated organization of science and technology in Japan, establishes an infrastructure for the entire process from the creation of knowledge to the return to the society. For more information, visit http://www.jst.go.jp/EN/