Japan: The JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship
The JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme was launched in 2002, and is jointly organised by UNU and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS). It is designed to provide opportunities for promising, highlyqualified, young researchers to conduct cooperative research under theleadership of their host researchers of Japanese universities andresearch institutions especially in the fields relevant to the mainthematic focus of UNU-IAS, located in Yokohama, and UNU Centre, locatedin Tokyo.
UNU acts as the nominating authority for the JSPS-UNUProgramme, and UNU-IAS administers the programme on behalf of UNU inthe nominating process. Candidates apply to UNU-IAS using theprescribed application form with the following documents:recommendation letters, and a certificate of his/her Ph.D. degree, etc.
It is necessary for applicants to indicate the prospective host researcher at the time of submitting the application. The list of prospective host researchers and their areas of specialisationis available as an example for candidates. (It is not necessary toobtain confirmation of acceptance from the prospective host researcherat this stage.) After screening the candidates, UNU will assist inreceiving acceptance from the host researchers for the short-listedcandidates. After the host researcher is secured for each short-listedcandidate, UNU will make nominations to JSPS, which contributesfinancially to this programme. The final award decision will be made byJSPS and Awards Letters will be issued by JSPS to the fellowshipawardees. An advisor for each fellowship awardee will be selected forthe period of research in Japan from among the UNU (UNU-IAS or UNUCentre) faculty members after consultation with the host researcher.
Allfields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences,particularly those related to the main thematic focus of UNU'sprogramme activities with emphasis on policy issues. Research proposalsshould relate clearly to one of the following current research areas ofUNU-IAS and UNU Centre (see UNU-IAS, UNU Centre/Peace and Governance and UNU Centre/Environment and Sustainable Development websites):
- Biodiplomacy
TheBiodiplomacy Initiative (BI) is a multifaceted approach to supportinginternational, regional and national processes concerning developmentand implementation of law and policy relating to conservation and useof biodiversity, access to genetic resources and benefit sharing,protection of traditional knowledge, intellectual property rights,bioethics, biosafety and biosecurity. The BI includes policy research,outreach and capacity building activities. - Sustainable Development Governance
Studieson the governance and effectiveness of institutions for sustainabledevelopment, interlinkages/interplay between MEAs, both at global andregional levels; ethics and the role of environmental principles ininternational governance, WTO and sustainable development in developingcountries, development of markets and policies for environmental goodsand services, WTO and investment in developing countries, and impactsof WTO accession on sustainable development particularly sectoralanalysis on health, welfare, poverty reduction, culture and environment. - Science Policy for Sustainable Development
Studies on policy issues related to the implementation of technologytransfer provisions of Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD),International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food andAgriculture (ITPGRFA), and the United Nations Convention to CombatDesertification (UNCCD); country case studies and best practices inbiotechnology development and transfer in developing countries context;policy studies on the application of science and technology forachieving the millennium Development Goals, particularly in regard topoverty alleviation in Africa; institutional innovations in linkingscience and technology with the development process in developingcountries. - Ecosystems & People
Studies on the linkages between human well-being and ecosystems;poverty and environment; poverty reductions strategies/MillenniumDevelopment Goals related to environment; pro-poor markets forecosystem services, roles of MEAs in improving human well-being; andecosystem assessment leading towards integrated policy making;particularly focused on the development of training and teachingmaterials for policymakers in these areas. Also, this programme has anexisting concentration on Urban Ecosystems - including the applicationof the ecosystem approach to the study and management of cities.Current priorities include exploring the drivers of urban environmentaland ecosystem change, urban metabolism and other ecosystem approachesto understanding cities. The programme is also exploring the relevanceand effectiveness of ecosystem approach influenced policies as they areapplied to urban regions. - Education for Sustainable Development
Further development and implementation of the UNU strategy to promoteeducation for sustainable development (EfSD) and the Decade ofEducation for Sustainable Development (DESD), which started in January2005. Possible topic for research may include, for instance, casestudies of Regional Centers of Expertise (RCE) on EfSD regarding theirdevelopment processes and success factors, development of curricula forpriority topics on EfSD etc. An RCE is a group of organizations thatdeliver education for sustainable development at regional and locallevels. Research may document how an RCE is developed to translate andarticulate a global vision of education for sustainable developmentinto the context of the local community in which it operates, therebycritically examining whether an RCE can serve as a platform to promotedialogues among EfSD stakeholders towards locally relevant andculturally appropriate EfSD. - Sustainable Management of Fragile Ecosystems - Satoyama Area (Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Center- IICRC)
Analyticalresearch on the management of fragile ecosystems, especially theconservation and sustainable use of satoyama (traditional rurallandscape) and its multidimensional values including ecological,social, cultural and economic aspects in Asia (including Japan),Europe, Africa and Oceania. - Peace and Governance
1)International order and justice (analyzes and contributes to the UN'sroles in meeting the most pressing challenges to international orderand justice; addresses proposals to make the UN system more efficientin strengthening international peace; in promoting human rights, ruleof law and good governance)
2) Conflict and security (focusing onthe roots of human, national, regional and international securitythreats, and the provision of security by civil society, state,regional and international actors, including conflict prevention andpeacebuilding)
3) Human rights and ethics (focusing on thechallenges of promoting human rights in a divided world, and theethical and normative dimensions of contemporary foreign policy andinternational institutions)
4) Policy and institutional frameworks(exploring the modalities, values and institutions that are employed toorganize governance at the regional, transnational and global levels) - Environment and Sustainable Development
1)Management of fragile ecosystems (managing agrodiversity, sustainableland management in drylands, mountains and forests). Three programmesare conducting research that would lead to integration ofsustainability into the management of endangered fragile ecosystems.
2)Water crises (international rivers and lake basins management, managingbasin water cycle for sustainable water resources development,environmental monitoring and governance in coastal hydrosphere) Theresearch programme on ‘Water crises' seeks to promote sustainableenvironmental and political management of critical water resources thatwill ensure adequate quality and quantities of water for all.
3) Sustainable urbanization (research on multi-hazard risk assessment, innovative communities, Zero Emissions Forum)
4)Global environmental governance and information (studies on Forum forGlobally-Integrated Environmental Assessment Modeling, informationsociety and environmental issues, The Inter-linkages Initiative)
5)Holistic view of environmental transitions. This is the new thematicarea that addresses global view on diverse environmental challenges.
- Citizens of UN member countries that have diplomatic relations withJapan. (Japanese nationals that do not have citizenship or permanentresidency of foreign countries are not eligible.)
- Holders ofa doctoral degree when the Fellowship goes into effect, which must havebeen received within six years prior to 2 April 2006.
Those who have research experience (at least 10 months) after receiving their doctoral degree are encouraged to apply.
JSPSand UNU cannot accept nominations for persons who have in the past beenawarded either a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship or STA (Japan Science andTechnology Corporation) Fellowship (Long-term) for a term of 12 monthsor more.
Fellowships are awarded for a period of 12 to 24 months.
- A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
- A monthly maintenance allowance of 392,000 yen
- A settling-in allowance of 200,000 yen (based on JSPS regulations)
- An annual domestic research travel allowance of 58,500 yen
- Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage
Note:
- The amounts of the Awards indicated above are subject to change.
- Ifthe Fellow resides in Japan on the date his/her award letter is issued,the above-mentioned air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance willnot be provided.
- A research grant, "Grant-in-Aid forScientific Research" or "Research Grant", of up to 1,500,000 yen peryear (total of 3,000,000 yen for two years. The amount varies dependingon the areas/disciplines of research.) is available to covercooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants ismade by the host reseacher through his/her institution.
This award is provided by JSPS, and follows JSPS programme guidelines.
6. Eligible Host Institutions in Japan
Eligible host institutions in Japan are universities, inter-university research institutions, and other research institutions designated by JSPS.
- UNU will act as a nominating authority of the Programme, and application should be submitted to UNU-IAS.
- UNU will try to inform the applicants of the results of the nomination by the middle of July.
- JSPS takes about 2 months after receiving the nominations to process its award decision.
8. Starting Date and Deadline for Applications
TheJSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme begins on 1 November eachyear and the selected fellows are required to be in Japan by this date.
The closing date for applications for the 2006 Fellowships is 12 May 2006.
Application forms are available for download as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Portable Document Format (.pdf ) files. The application form can also be obtained through email fellowships@ias.unu.edu.
All applications must be received by post on or before 12 May 2006 to the address below:
JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
6F, International Organizations Center, Pacifico-Yokohama
1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8502 Japan
Fax: +81-45-221-2303
Applicants are encouraged, in addition to the mailed hard copy, to alsosubmit application electronically as an email attachment. Theseelectronic applications represent a supplement to the hard copiesmailed to the UNU-IAS, and they do not replace the mailed hard copy.All parts of this form must be completed in English. Uncompleted partsmay result in the application being rejected.
