Provide study and career support for female researchers

September 13, 2019

Nagaoka University of Technology and National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College, and eTrust Co. Ltd. (hereinafter designated as the “Cooperative Institutions”) support the expenses for joint research in which a woman belonging to the Cooperative Institution serves as the principal investigator and researchers from at least two Institutions work together.

1. Persons Eligible for Support

Researchers for joint research in which a woman belonging to the Cooperative Institution serves as the principal investigator and researchers from at least two Institutions work together. (Those eligible for support for the expenses are researchers at Nagaoka University of Technology and National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College)

Joint Research Eligible for Support

Support shall be provided to research to which all the following conditions are applicable.

1. Joint research conducted in the Cooperative Institutions with a woman principal investigator that starts on or after October 1, 2019.
2. Joint research that includes one or more researchers belonging to Cooperative Institutions other than the Cooperative Institution to which a woman principal investigator belongs.

3. How to Apply for Support

1. An application shall be made by the woman principal investigator.
2. Submit an application for support for joint research with a woman principal investigator by the deadline specified by each Cooperative Institution.
3. In the case of including facilities and equipment costing more than one million yen, attach an estimate for the facilities and equipment.

Documents to be submitted at the application stage

• An application for support for joint research with a woman principal investigator
• An estimate for facilities and equipment costing one million yen and more

4. Number of Research Projects to be Supported

Several joint research projects that are deemed particularly useful

5. Support Period

The research support period is one year. ※ Continuing application might be made until 2021.

6. Expenses to be Supported

1. Facilities and equipment expenses
2. Supplies expenses
3. Travel expenses (Limited to the expenses to participate in conferences to present the research results or to attend meetings for research. A separate upper limit on overseas travel expenses is available. Have a consultation separately.)
4. Other expenses that are found particularly necessary (e.g., communication and transport expenses, rental expenses, printing and publishing expenses, miscellaneous service expenses)

7. Submission and Contact Address

For detailed information, ask for the section in charge of each institution.

December 17, 2019

Nagaoka University of Technology and National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College (hereinafter designated as the “Cooperative Institutions”) implement an internship system that supports women researchers to improve their managerial ability and to advance their career to senior positions (hereinafter designated as the “System”).

1. Purpose

The System is intended to enable women researchers belonging to the Cooperative Institutions to gain knowledge and experience necessary to improve their managerial ability and to attain senior positions. For that purpose, the System supports women researchers to receive training to observe, record, and reflect on how to manage work, staying with women in senior positions in Japan, according to each researcher’s field of study and position.

2. Persons Eligible to Apply

Persons eligible for the use of the System shall be those to whom the following conditions are applicable.

1. Women researchers who belong to the Cooperative Institutions and who are in a position equivalent to Associate Professor or lower. However, those who have suspended research activities because of taking a leave of absence for maternity, childrearing, caregiving, or other reasons are not eligible for support.
2. Those who asked their superior (Head of Department or Dean) for a recommendation and who have obtained approval of the recommendation.
3. In addition to the above, those who are approved by the president of an institution.

3. Application

Submit an application form. When expenses (e.g., expenses for consumables) are incurred for the recipient to accept the internship, submit the estimate together with the application form.

4. Screening and Determination

The applicant’s institution of affiliation conducts screening based on the application and determines whether support will be awarded or not. The institution shall notify the applicant of the screening result.

5. Number of Persons to be Supported and Internship Contents

Each institution shall determine the number of persons to be supported and the internship contents, such as the duration, according to the budget and the actual conditions.

6. Submission of a Report

After the internship, the applicant shall submit a report of the internship.

Determined on February 3, 2020

This mentorship is intended to cultivate female researchers’ capabilities and to provide a system through which consultation is available to women as researchers facing questions and difficulties in their career formation, education, research, and college operations.

1. Purposes

To support female researchers working at joint facilities in brushing up their research and educational activities, to form their career, to improve their work–life balance, and to encourage them to continue their research through mentoring with mentor researchers within and beyond the joint facilities.

2. Range of mentees

Researchers

1. Female researchers working for joint facilities (including part-time researchers, those working more than 30 hours a week, and those having worked for more than two months since starting employment: with conditions also shown in the next range 2.)
2. Female researchers who have worked for fewer than three years since their start of employment by joint facilities.

3. Requirements of mentoring

Mentors must meet the following conditions.

1. Researchers who have worked for their current employer for three years or more
2. In principle, researchers must be higher in rank than their mentee.

4. Mentoring contents

1. Regarding research and education
2. Regarding career formation
3. Regarding work-life balance
4. Regarding adaptation to the workplace or organization

5. Designation of mentors

1. Mentors must be researchers inside and outside the joint facilities, including the university and corporations, who are designated by mentees and who provide consent.
2. Heads of facilities must ask some of their faculty members to be mentors for a certain period.
3. Each joint facility must conduct mentor education through lectures and training.

6. Others

Regarding implementation and operation of this system, each facility should decide them according to its own circumstances.