2022 Researcher New-mode Mobility Accelerator Program

（Last Update : September 20, 2022）

Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) announces the launch of the Researcher New-mode Mobility Accelerator Program (ReNewMAP) in order to support young researchers with a potential to contribute to science and technology fields in the future to pursue short-term research in other countries. The program aims to serve as a first step for young researchers towards long-term international research activities, such as studies and research abroad, full-time work as a researcher abroad, and leading and participating in international collaborative research activities.

Support through this program is provided on a research team-basis, supporting a Principal Investigator (PI) serving as a mentor to one or several visiting researchers based at the same research institution.

Japanese

Target fields of research and applicable countries

1 Target fields of research

Digital sciences (ICT), artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology and related fields

2 Applicable countries

Researchers belonging to research institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Australia, France, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden that are currently receiving or expecting to receive support for their research from applicable funding sources.

Details of support

Support will be from the start of activities to the end of the 2023 fiscal year and should be approximately one year and cover the period before, during and after the visiting researcher (several weeks up to three months) is based abroad.

The application should detail the travel arrangements and research plan, including relevant dates for research commencement.

If unexpected travel issues arise making it impossible for the visiting researcher(s) to go to the planned destination, a research period extension may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

A total of 2 to 4 million yen (including indirect expenses, which should constitute 30% of direct expenses) will be awarded to each successful project.

It is envisioned that a total of approximately 10 projects with visiting researchers will be supported.

Call deadline

Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - 12:00 (noon, JST Japan Time)

Eligibility

Japan-side team application requirements

a)

In principle, visiting researchers need to meet either criteria (i) or (ii):

• (i) Students who are enrolled in a master's or doctoral program as of the time of the call deadline and throughout the support period.
• (ii) Researchers affiliated with a research institution, having obtained their last degree no earlier than in 2012, i.e. ten years prior to the call year.

Additionally, the visiting researcher(s) must be affiliated with the same supported research institution for the duration of the support period. However, the visiting researcher(s) may proceed from a master's program to a doctoral program, or proceed from a doctoral program to a postdoctoral position, during this period proceeded they remain at the same institution.

b)

The Japan-side team must consist of one Principal Investigator (PI) who serves as a mentor for the visiting researcher(s) throughout the support period. There is no upper limit of the number of visiting researchers, but they must be reasonably supported for travel and research with the indicated level of support.

c)

The Principal Investigator (PI) must be affiliated with the same research institution in Japan as the visiting researcher(s). A research contract will be concluded between JST and the research institution with which the Principal Investigator (PI) and visiting researcher(s) are affiliated.

d)

In regard to the hosting research team(s) at the research institution(s) which the visiting researcher(s) will be hosted by, at least one must fulfil one of the two criteria (i) and (ii) below:

• (i) Already be receiving research support from an eligible funding agency in their country
• (ii) Are currently applying for research support from an eligible funding agency in their country, with the outcome known by the call deadline (October 11, 2022)

Points of caution

• Japan-side researchers must reach out to and confirm a willingness of hosting research team(s) in the eligible countries meeting the above criteria to host visiting researcher(s) prior to submitting an application.
• If a hosting research team in the application is not receiving research support from an eligible funding agency in their country the application will not be considered. Applicants should contact JST if it is unclear whether a hosting research team and research institution are eligible.
• If several research institutions will be hosting visiting researchers, at least one of them must meet the above criteria. Hosting research institutions in multiple countries (among the eligible countries) may be included in the same application.

How to apply

Application instructions

• Please refer to the application guidelines (公募要領) (only available in Japanese).
• The required application forms should be submitted to the below call on the e-Rad platform:

• o In Japanese: 新たな国際頭脳循環モード促進プログラム
• o In English: Researcher New-mode Mobility Accelerator Program（ReNewMAP）

Points of caution

• The Confirmation Letter (日本側研究機関の長による確認書) must be stamped by the institutional representative, which for a university normally is the president, not a dean or department head. The official seal of the institution can be omitted if this is in accordance with the organization's own rules, in which case the appropriate approval reference number should be included in its stead.
• A Letter of Intent (LOI) should be included with the application indicating the intention of a hosting research team at a foreign research institution to accept the visiting researcher(s) from Japan. If several hosting research teams and institutions are involved, LOIs should in principle be included from all the involved institutions.
• If the research organization is a national or local government (including organizations under the jurisdiction of MEXT) body lacking a juridical personality such as that of a national university, it is the responsibility of the contracted research organization to carry out the necessary budgetary measures and other relevant procedures in advance of entering into the contract. In such cases, please contact JST in advance of making an application.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Click here.

Inquiries

Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Department of International Affairs
Ms. TOYOFUKU Kaoru, Ms. SHIRAISHI Junko, Ms. OAKU Hiromi
E-mail： renewmap(at)jst.go.jp　(replace (at) with @).