Research Institute for Humanity and Nature Research Projects
2022 Call for Proposals for Incubation Studies and Feasibility Studies
Ⅰ Purpose of RIHN
The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) is an inter-university research institute founded in 2001 for the purpose of conducting multidisciplinary research aimed at generating fields of academic inquiry for solving environmental issues.
The mission of RIHN is to bring together research efforts from multiple fields to shed light on the fundamental nature of environmental issues and present comprehensive ideas on the relationship of humans and nature. Since our founding, we have taken the view that problems of human cultures lie at the root of environmental issues. Accordingly, we have always promoted solution-oriented research through a diverse range of research projects characterized as interdisciplinary projects which span the natural sciences and humanities and as transdisciplinary projects* which involve direct collaboration with social stakeholders.
*Transdisciplinary projects: In transdisciplinary research projects, researchers collaborate with various social stakeholders with the aim of generating new knowledge. These projects involve a number of processes, including identifying the stakeholders, planning the collaboration, organizing the collaborative research, communicating the study’s findings, and applying these findings in society.
Ⅱ Research Projects within RIHN’s Program-Project Management System
In fiscal 2016, we introduced a new system of program and project organization under which we comprehensively manage and integrate projects that have been developed in a bottom-up manner in order to facilitate the generation of robust comprehensive knowledge. Our programs now consist of Research Programs and Strategic Program.
Under the leadership of each program director, the research projects conduct research in line with the research themes of the relevant research program. Research Project Leaders are employed by RIHN and form research teams inside RIHN while collaborating with universities, research institutes, companies, and regional public organizations. In doing so, they leverage the various resources available within RIHN. In this way, the projects can make use of all the resources at RIHN. In the end, it is expected that this scholarly research, in collaboration with social stakeholders, is aimed at solving global environmental issues and produces options for social transformations to reshape public attitudes and values or usher in new social models.
The project trajectory for research projects aims to fine-tune research proposals by having projects pass through internal reviews at RIHN as well as an external review. The trajectory of a project includes three stages: the Incubation Study stage, the Feasibility Study stage, and the Full Research stage. Before entering the Full Research stage, projects may go through a preparatory Pre-Research phase. Proposals with the potential to contribute to a research program swiftly may skip the Incubation Study stage and move directly to the Feasibility Study stage.
Ⅲ Content of the Call for Research Proposals
The open call for research projects will be based on the mission statement of RIHN and the Research Programs. Multiple research programs will be set; one of them is Matsuda Program (Towards a global environmental culture by articulating science with indigenous knowledge), and we are calling for applicants for the program. It is requested that the direction indicated by the attached mission statement is fully understood and the content of the research is consistent with or partially related to its direction.
We are soliciting two types of research proposals, one starting from Incubation Study stage and the other starting from Feasibility Study stage. Research proposals starting from the FS stage need to undergo a review for transition to Full Research about half a year after the start, so it is necessary for the applicants to fully understand the contents of the program.
Programs and research themes
Overview of research areas
(Matsuda Program) Towards a global environmental culture by articulating science with indigenous knowledge
To clarify the complex processes of interrelating and coupling forces acting on sites of global environmental problems using interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods. Specifically, to realize a new interrelationship between humanity and nature for a sustainable future society by including the role of culture in its scope.
Feel free to direct any questions about the research areas contained by the program and similar matters to Professor Motoji Matsuda, Program Director. Contact:
Ⅳ Project Trajectory
The project trajectory for research projects is as follow.
These joint researches are conducted through systematic cooperation between RIHN and the institution to which the project representative belongs, and if necessary, a cooperation agreement will be concluded.
Incubation Studies (IS)
Incubation Studies are joint research projects that aim to discover new avenues of inquiry for comprehensive research aiming to solve global environmental issues. Incubation Studies are meant to lead to Feasibility Studies. RIHN will provide a maximum annual budget of ¥1 million during this stage.
Selected projects may also submit themselves to internal review by RIHN after six months to be fast-tracked for advancement to the Feasibility Study stage. In this case, RIHN will provide a maximum budget of ¥500,000.
Feasibility Studies (FS)
Feasibility Studies are joint research projects that aim to verify the potential of a project as a fully implemented Full Research project. Feasibility Studies are meant to lead to Full Research projects. RIHN will provide a maximum grant of ¥4 million during this stage.
When a project is approved as a Feasibility Study, the project representative must become a Visiting Professor or Visiting Associate Professor of RIHN. (The FS project representative who is affiliated with RIHN will undergo a personnel review to become a full-time researcher at RIHN.) For example, a Feasibility Study that commences in April 2022 and passes an internal review by RIHN (usually held in late November) will then be evaluated by the Japanese and overseas members of the External Research-Evaluation Committee (usually held in February). Transition will then be determined by RIHN’s CRS and authorized by RIHN’s Board of Advisors and the project can advance to the Full Research stage in April 2023 at the earliest.
Pre-Research (PR)
After a project is recommended for Full Research status by the external review, it may go through a one-year preparatory phase. RIHN will provide a maximum annual budget of ¥16 million during this stage (reduced by the appropriate monthly amount if the preparatory phase is less than one year). Project leaders can use this preparatory phase to assemble their team and make other preparations necessary to ensure that research can commence smoothly as soon as the project enters the Full Research stage.
A project cannot enter the Pre-Research phase until the project leader has become employed by RIHN and (if necessary and appropriate) joint-appointment arrangements have been made so that the project leader is a full-time researcher at RIHN.
Full Research (FR)
There are two types, X and Z, and mutual changes are possible until transition to Full Research stage. The two are designed to respect the nature of research themes and the diversity of methods of interdisciplinarity and collaboration, and do not represent the difference in the importance of the project.
X (Maximum annual budget is ¥50 million / ¥250 million maximum for 5 years)
Z(Maximum annual budget is ¥30 million / ¥150 million maximum for 5 years)
Please note that upper limit of budget shown at each research stage may change depending on the budget amount allocated as management expenses grants.
Ⅴ Personnel Matters for Project Leader
When a project advances to the Full Research stage, the project leader can become a full-time researcher at RIHN by complete transfer to RIHN or by using the joint-appointment system. A project leader must be a professor or associate professor. RIHN will consult extensively with the project representative’s institution of affiliation about employment and related personnel matters. This will be stipulated in the partnership agreement or memorandum of understanding between RIHN and the institution of affiliation.
If the project leader plans to use the joint-appointment system, RIHN and the institution of affiliation will enter into discussions to establish the percentage of time the project leader will devote to research at RIHN before FS to FR transition selection at the RIHN General Meeting in November. To encourage project leaders to make research at RIHN their primary focus to the maximum extent possible, RIHN requires those who use the joint-appointment system to devote at least 70% of their work time to research at RIHN (including participation in meetings at RIHN).
Ⅵ Submitting Documents
1．Documents to Submit
1) Incubation Studies
Form 1–1a or 1b: Application Form for 2022 Incubation Study (IS)
1-1a:（ＷＯＲＤ／ＰＤＦ）
1-1b:（ＷＯＲＤ／ＰＤＦ）
*RIHN staff are to use Form 1b: Only difference is “Certificate of Authorization”
Form 1–2: 2022 Incubation Study Proposal（ＷＯＲＤ／ＰＤＦ）
Names and contact information of two people who can be contacted for referral (only for those in section VI Submitting Documents / 4. Eligibility (2).
Feasibility Studies
Form 1–7a or 7b: Application Form for 2022 Feasibility Study（FS）
1-7a:（ＷＯＲＤ／ＰＤＦ）
1-7b:（ＷＯＲＤ／ＰＤＦ）
*RIHN staff are to use Form 7b: Only difference is “Certificate of Authorization”
Form 1–8: 2022 Research Project Feasibility Study Proposal（ＷＯＲＤ／ＰＤＦ）
Names and contact information of two people who can be contacted for referral (only for those in section VI Submitting Documents / 4. Eligibility (2).
2. Deadline
Documents must arrive no later than 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 24, 2022 (JST)
Please email the documents as attached PDF files. The PDF of Form 1–1 or Form 1–7 should be a scanned copy of a printed form bearing the necessary seal (signature). In the subject line, please write “Re. 2022 Call for Proposals for Incubation Studies (or Feasibility Studies)” followed by the name of your institution and your name. You will receive a confirmation email after you email the documents. Please contact us if this confirmation email does not reach you by 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 26. Please send us Form 1–1 or Form 1-7 by postal mail by Monday, January 31, 2022 (must arrive by this date).
3. Where to submit
E-mail：
Sending by postal mail or delivering in person:
Research Planning Subsection, Planning and Collaboration Section,
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,
457-4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8047
4. Eligibility
Applicants must:
1) be a professor, associate professor, lecturer, or assistant professor at a national, public, or private university or similar institution; or
2) those who are equivalent to 1) above. (Please provide name, phone number and email address of two people to contact for referral.)
5. Research Period
April 2022 to end of March 2023
6. Expenses
RIHN will cover the cost of travel and expendable items within the scope of the project’s budget. Please prepare a plan with a budget of maximum ¥1 million for the Incubation Study and a budget of maximum ¥4 million for the Feasibility Study. Please note that we do not subsidize fixtures and fittings with a purchase price of ¥100,000 or more during the Incubation Study and Feasibility Study periods.
7. Schedule Following Application (subject to change)
・Deadline
Monday, January 24, 2022
・Result of document screening
Monday, January 31, 2022
・Research proposal presentation (of proposals that passed document screening) (@RIHN)
Thursday, February 24, 2022 (Possible second day*) Friday, February 25, 2022
・Research project commences
Friday, April 1, 2022
・IS report, FS application presentation (@RIHN) [Only for those who wish to transit to FS from October]
Around September, 2022
・Presentation at RIHN General Meeting (@Kyoto city) [FS only]
Tuesday, November 29, 2022 to Thursday, December 1, 2022
・Presentation at External Research-Evaluation Committee Meeting (@RIHN) [FS only]
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 to Thursday, February 9, 2023
Tuesday, February 21, 20233 (Possible second day*) Wednesday,February 22, 2023
*The possible second day is planned just in case, due to a large number of applicants, the presentations cannot be finished in one day. The second day is therefore not an option applicants can choose according to their schedules.
8. Review Process and After the Project is Approved
Research proposals will be reviewed by RIHN’s Council for Research Strategy. The council will review the documents you submitted in your application, including your budget plan. If your application passes this step, you will be invited to present your proposal at a public seminar at RIHN for comprehensive review.
When evaluating and adopting a research project, RIHN takes the following three points into account: 1) Scope of research and its importance 2) Appropriateness of the research proposal 3) Sound project design.
1)
We are seeking research to be novel with clear backgrounds and issues in relation to existing research. All research projects of RIHN are international joint research, but this does not simply mean conducting research at overseas research sites, but it is required to be research that is related within an international framework. In addition, it is necessary to integrate the perspectives of various fields in research topics and concepts, not limited to the fields of specialization.
2)
It is required that the project leader has a strong academic background as well as the ability to collaborate with society and manage, and that appropriate methodologies are applied to achieve the research objectives.
3)
The project is required to have an appropriate structure, including appropriate research objectives, human and physical resources, and budget plan.
[Projects starting from Incubation Study stage]
After the commencement of project, you will participate in a workshop (sponsored by RIHN) with prospective research participants, program directors, and RIHN researchers, for the purpose of deepening the understanding of the goal of RIHN and the mission of the research program, and for exchanging opinions on the research direction toward Feasibility Study stage. Regarding the transition to Feasibility Study stage, you will be subject to the FS transition review in September 2022 by presenting Incubation Study report and a plan to transition the project to the Feasibility Study stage if you wish to transition to Feasibility Study stage from October 2022. You will be subject to the FS transition review in February 2023 if you wish to transition to Feasibility Study stage from April 2023.
[Projects starting from Feasibility Study stage]
After the commencement of the project, the project leader will present a Feasibility Study report and a plan to transition the project to the Full Research stage at the RIHN General Meeting in November 2022. If the project passes an internal review by RIHN’s Council for Research Strategy, it will advance to review by the External Research-Evaluation Committee in February 2023. At RIHN, all Feasibility Studies will be subject to transition screening because Incubation Studies and Feasibility Studies are adopted on the assumption that they will transit to Full Research in the future.
9. References
For more information on creating a proposal, consult the following contents on the RIHN website.
Guidelines of research activities at Research Institute for Humanity and Nature：PDF
When preparing the documents to submit, please be aware that certain sections must be completed in the language indicated. Where there is no such indication, you can use either English or Japanese.
For the research proposal presentation (presentation of proposals that passed document screening), you may use either Japanese or English. RIHN does not subsidize any travel expenses for attending the research proposal presentation.
RIHN General Meeting may be conducted in Japanese or English, but the External Research-Evaluation Committee uses English exclusively.
As a general rule, you will give presentations at the respective presentation venue.
-Inquiries- Planning and Collaboration Section (Research Planning Subsection) of the Administrative Office
Email:
