World Premier International Research Center (WPI) …World Premier International Research Center...

World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative

Strategic Programs Division,

Science and Technology Policy Bureau, MEXT

World Premier International Research Center (WPI) InitiativeWorld Premier International Research Center (WPI) InitiativeWorld Premier International Research Center (WPI) InitiativeWorld Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative


World Premier International Research CentersRealizing a superb research level and outstanding research environment.

Establishing hubs that attract world’s finest brains and generate excellent research results.

Globalizing of universities and other research institutions

Fostering world-class researchers byglobalizing the research environment

Generating seeds of innovation byadvancing cutting-edge research

Implementing the World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative

FY2008 budget : 7,109 mil. Yen（（（（ FY2007 budget : 3,500 mil. Yen））））

Based on the 3rd S&T Basic Plan and Comprehensive Strategy for Generating Innovation, this initiative aims, through concentrated support of advanced research bases in Japan, to establish “globally visible research centers” which attract world-class researchers eager to work in their superb research environments.

World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative

・・・・Critical mass of outstanding researchers

- Bringing together top-level researchers within a host research institution

- Inviting top-notch researchers from within Japan and abroad

・・・・Attractive research environment of top international standard

- Strong management system with superb center director

- Use of English, performance-based remuneration system

- Strong support functions

- Facilities and equipment appropriate to a top world-level research center

・・・・ 5 center projects selected for funding in FY2007

- Eligible applicants：Universities, Inter-university research institutes,

Independent administrative institutions, Public interest corporations

- Support period ：10-15 years （Interim evaluation at every five years）・・・・Follow-up procedure

- WPI Committee conducts follow-up activities on progress being made by the

WPI centers with an eye to realizing “highly visible research centers”.

１



Globally Visible Research Centersthat attract top-level researchers

from around the world

Overseas Examples

U.S.A.• Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University

• Stanford University Bio-X Program

• MIT Media Laboratory

• HHMI's Janelia Farm Research Campus

U.K.• MRC Laboratory of Molecular

Biology

Top World-Level Research HubsTop World-Level Research Hubs

２



ProjectsProjects

• Singapore: Research Centres of Excellence (RCEs)

• Korea: Global Research Lab (GRL)

International Science Business City (ISBC)

• China: Plan 111

• Germany: Excellence Initiative

Overseas Examples

⇒To elevate the standard of science and technology in Japan

It will be necessary to establish research centers that attract outstanding

researchers from around the world, placing themselves within the global

flow of intellectual mobility.３

Recent competition to globally acquire the best brains has intensified.



“3rd Science and Technology Basic Plan”(Issued by Cabinet, March 28, 2006)

Related Japanese Government’s Policies

RecommendationsRecommendations

Stipulates that “It is necessary to create about 30 top world-level research centers in Japan.”

Sets highest priority on establishing “top world-level research centers” and provides a concrete profile

for them.

“Comprehensive Strategy for Creating Innovation”(Issued by Council for Science and Technology Policy, June 14, 2006)

Specifies creating top world-level research centers as a top-priority policy target.

“Innovation 25”(Issued by Cabinet, June 1, 2007)

Requires more robust effort to build top world-level research centers as one means of strengthening

Japan’s international competitiveness.

“Economic Growth Initiative” (Revised Edition)(June 19, 2007)

４



Application and Screening Process

• March 29, 2007: Call for applications

• May 28-29: Application deadline

⇒33 applications from 22 institutions

• Early June to late August:

Screening by document reviewers including overseas experts

（155 document reviewers, 46 of whom were overseas experts ）⇒13 applicants from 10 institutions selected to receive

hearing by WPI Program Committee

Panel review by WPI Program Committee

⇒5 center projects selected for funding

５



Atsuo IIYOSHI Chancellor, Chubu University; Former Director, National Institute for Fusion Science

Toshiaki IKOMA Director, Center for Research and Development Strategy, Japan Science & Technology Agency (JST); Former CEO, Texas Instruments Japan Limited

Hiroto ISHIDA President, Kanazawa Gakuin University; Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic

○Hiroo IMURA Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University; Chairman, Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation; Former Member of Council for Science and Technology Policy, Cabinet Office; Former President, Kyoto University

Yotaro KOBAYASHI Principal Advisor, Fuji Xerox Company Limited; Former Chairman, Japan Association of Corporate Executives (KEIZAI DOYUKAI)

Kiyoshi KUROKAWA Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan; Former President, Science Council of Japan;

Former Member of Council for Science and Technology Policy, Cabinet Office

Ryoji NOYORI President, RIKEN; Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2001)

Yasuharu SUEMATSU Advisor, National Institute of Informatics; Former President, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Yoji TOTSUKA Director, Research Center for Science Systems, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS);

Former Director, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization

Robert AYMAR Director General, CERN

Rita COLWELL Professor, University of Maryland, U.S.A; Former Director, National Science Foundation, U.S.A.

Richard DASHER Professor, Stanford University, U.S.A; Director, US-Asia Technology Management Center, U.S.A.

Ian HALLIDAY President, European Science Foundation

LIM Chuan Poh Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore

Matthew MASON Director, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, U.S.A.

World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative Program Committee

Program Committee Members ListProgram Committee Members List 15 members, 6 of whom were overseas experts

６



○：Chairperson

Kyoto UniversityWPI Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS)

An interdisciplinary field is being created that integrates material and cell

sciences, with an emphasis on stem cells. It seeks to elucidate phenomena

on the mesoscale of 10-100 nm, which cannot be predicted using empirical

knowledge. Applications of this research will include environment-friendly,

energy-saving chemical reaction systems, artificial photosynthesis, in vivo

drug synthesis and detoxification technology, and world-leading regenerative

medicine.

Tohoku UniversityWPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR)

By integrating Tohoku University’s fundamental research capacity in such

fields as material science, physics and chemistry, methods are being

developed to freely manipulate atoms and molecules. They will be used to

produce new forms of matter and new materials—e.g. nano-patterned

metallic glass with hardmagnetism and eco-model emission of light

materials—with novel, highly advanced functions.

World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative Selected Projects

７



National Institute for Materials ScienceWPI International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA)

By introducing “nanoarchitectonics”—that is, a new system for arranging

nanoscale units in an intended configuration—effort is being made to shift

the paradigm of materials development. Being sought are new materials that

can sustain the ongoing advancement of materials science. These include

the development of revolutionary super-conductive materials, novel materials

for advancing neural information processing, and innovative materials for

fabricating photoelectric conversion devices.

The University of Tokyo WPI Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU)

Research on dark energy, dark matter, neutrinos, the grand unified theory

(e.g., superstring theory, quantum gravity) is being combined

synergistically with knowledge derived from mathematics, cosmology and

physics in an effort to elucidate the forces acting on elements and the

relationship between time-space structure and the origin of gravity, and, in

turn, to unravel the mysteries of the universe’s birth and evolution.

Osaka UniversityWPI Immunology Frontier Research Center(IFReC)

Highly advanced imaging technology is being developed to allow in vitro

observation of in vivo immune cell behavior and inter-cellular

communication. Using this technology to fully elucidate the dynamic

immune system, breakthrough advances will be sought in the diagnosis

and treatment of infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and

cancer.

○○○○Globalizing universities and other research institutions

○○○○Fostering world–class researchers by globalizing the research environment

○○○○Generating seeds of innovation by advancing cutting-edge research

５５５５WPI Centers５５５５WPI Centers

Follow-up Procedure

○Carry out a steadfast and robust system of project follow up.

• PD and POs mobilized to carry out continuous follow-up activities.

• Working groups, comprising Japanese and overseas experts, established under WPI Program Committee. They conduct periodic site inspections.

• WPI Program Committee meets annually to receive reports from theWPI centers and working groups to ascertain the state of projectprogress and recommend improvements when necessary.

Given Japan’s geographical environment and language, building globally visible

research centers that attract the world’s frontline researchers will not be an easy task.

Follow-up Functions Follow-up Functions

８



⇒A robust follow-up system, carried out by the WPI Program Committee, has been

established to check the building of globally visible research centers through to successful

completion.

Examples of Top World-level Research Hubs (No.1)＜＜＜＜＜＜＜＜ Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon UniversityRobotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University ＞＞＞＞＞＞＞＞（（（（（（（（EEstablished in 1979stablished in 1979; Robotics Science ; Robotics Science ））））））））

○○○○Scale：：：： 49 faculty researchers, 40 visiting researchers, 18 postdoc fellows,95 PhD students

○○○○Commissioned research: About $40 million (FY 2004) from DARPA, NASA,the military, industry, etc.

○○○○Over 200 projects from basic research to applied research for bothcorporations and government agencies

○○○○Participation by start-up businesses that provide research funding○○○○Development of driverless car with stat-of-the-art automated obstacle

avoidance system＜＜＜＜ Stanford University Bio-X Program ＞＞＞＞（（（（（（（（ EEstablished in 19stablished in 1999; B99; Bioengineering ioengineering BBiomedicine and iomedicine and BBiosciencesiosciences））））））））

○○○○Scale: 38 faculty researchers, about 600 researchers and technicians○○○○Merit-based salary system (decided via negotiation with department heads)○○○○Internal system for soliciting public funding established to promote

interdisciplinary fusion within the research center○○○○Communication conducted in simple English to promote interdisciplinary

exchange○○○○No partitioning between research sections○○○○Line-up of world-class researchers including 1997 Nobel Prize winner

for developing optical tweezers capable of trapping a single atom９



Examples of Top World-level Research Hubs (No.2)＜＜＜＜＜＜＜＜ MIT Media LaboratoryMIT Media Laboratory ＞＞＞＞＞＞＞＞（（（（（（（（ EEstablished in 19stablished in 1985; Physics, biosciences, digital art85; Physics, biosciences, digital art ））））））））

○○○○Scale: 30 faculty researchers (20% of whom from other countries), 110 researchers and technicians, about 300 students

○○○○90% of research funding external (by 70 organizations, half of which overseas)

○○○○$75,000 of annual support for superlative students○○○○Developed gigabit transmission, optical fiber network with 3-D

printing capability○○○○Over 50 spin-off companies○○○○Winner of World Technology Award and numerous other prizes

＜＜＜＜＜＜＜＜ HHMI'sHHMI's JaneliaJanelia Farm Research Campus Farm Research Campus ＞＞＞＞＞＞＞＞（（（（（（（（ EEstablished in stablished in 2003 2003 〔〔〔〔〔〔〔〔completed in 2006completed in 2006〕〕〕〕〕〕〕〕; B; Biomedicineiomedicine））））））））

○○○○Scale: 250 scientists, 80 supporting staffs○○○○Researchers receive internal funding, mitigating need to secure outside

grants○○○○Lifetime tenure system not used○○○○Small groups of six or fewer members○○○○No departmentalization; interdisciplinary exchange promoted○○○○Research environment free of teaching and administrative tasks○○○○Modeled upon MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Bell

Laboratories １０



Examples of Top World-level Research Hubs (No.3)

＜＜＜＜＜＜＜＜MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyMRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology＞＞＞＞＞＞＞＞（（（（（（（（ EEstablished in stablished in 119947; 47; Molecular BiologyMolecular Biology））））））））

○○○○Scale: 280 scientists, 140 supporting staffs○○○○Produced 12 Nobel laureates○○○○Flexible organization comprising small (3-4 person) independent research

groups○○○○Research funding and evaluation systems that allow long-term

implementation of important, high-risk research projects○○○○Outstanding young researchers serve as group leaders○○○○Environment that allows researchers to concentrate on their work by

curtailing admin tasks to a minimum

１１



Date post:	25-Jun-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	7 times
Download:	0 times

World Premier International Research Center (WPI) …World Premier International Research Center...

Documents