取組・実施内容

Hiring and Training of Women Researchers in Science

NWU was selected and received a three-year Special Coordination Fund for Promoting Science specifically targeted to help women researchers to continue their research activities while being pregnant, raising children, etc. by establishing various programs to support them, during the Japanese fiscal year of 2006-2008. The specific name of that fund is ‟Program to Supporting Research Activities of Female Researchers”, and the fund was provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
Activities in which NWU engaged by using this fund resulted in: an increased number of opportunities for women researchers to participate in important decision-making processes; improved hiring system, such as implementation of positive action programs, etc. to employ a greater number of women researchers; and people’s heightened awareness of gender equality. To facilitate its further development, NWU applied for another Special Coordination Fund for Promoting Science, “Supporting Positive Activities for Female Researchers” and received that fund during the Japanese fiscal year of 2010-2014. Using the fund, NWU had worked on a university-based project, called “Creating the Center for the Development of Next-Generation Female Researchers by Tradition and Reformation”. As a consequence, the goal of making the percentage of NWU women researchers in science greater than 20% was accomplished. Moreover, the percentage of NWU women researchers in all fields combined went above 30%.
Even after the five-year funding period is over, NWU has been continuing to strengthen its effort to increase the number of women researchers in science by trying to make the best use of its tradition and knowledge/skills gained from its accomplishments in the past. On April 1, 2016, the Office of Reform Promotion in the Training System for Women Researchers that had carried out that project was combined with the Office of Mutual-Assistance and Support for Women Researchers (both of which are within the Organization for the Promotion of Gender Equality) to become the Office of Diversity in Research Environment. The Office of Diversity in Research Environment has been in charge of the continued activities previously mentioned.
※Besides science field, NWU enlarged support for research skills development grant to medical and health fields in May 2017.
＞＞Click here to see activities conducted and services provided in the past(Japanese)

Contents

The Office of Diversity in Research Environment provides the following services:

Start-Up Research Grant

NWU employs women faculty in science and engineering and provides them with the Start-Up Research Grant to help them develop as researchers. It aims to increase the percentage of women faculty in science and engineering.

Research Skills Development Grant

The aim for this grant is to improve research quality and skills of enrolled women researchers (in science, engineering, agriculture, medical and health fields) by collecting information and advices for advanced research which leads to external funds acquisition and research funding. This grant supports researchers by covering participation expenses for academic conferences, domestic and international travel expenses, the cost of reviewing English articles, etc.
＞＞Click here to see how to apply(Japanese)