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FY2024 JSPS London BRIDGE Fellowship Call for Applications
13 November 2023
Closing date: 9:00 am (UK time), Monday 18th December, 2023
Visit start period: Between 1st July 2024 to 31st March 2025
Outline
This award gives the opportunity for past Fellows of JSPS programmes to revisit Japan to create, sustain and/or strengthen collaborative linkages with the Japanese academic community. The objective is to build strong networks between researchers in Japan and the UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) through a variety of academic activities. All researchers who are registered with the UK & RoI-JSPS Alumni Association are eligible to apply.
These visits may include Fellows revisiting their past or new host institutions, holding meetings to plan or arrange joint research projects or seminars, training young researchers, giving lectures, and preparing or attending scientific conferences and research meetings.
Please visit the JSPS Tokyo head office webpage for more information:
http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-plaza/bridge/index.html
Applicable Field
All fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are included.
Eligibility of Applicant
To be eligible, the researcher must meet all of the following requirements:
* Researchers who have conducted research in Japan under a JSPS International Programme and are registered with the JSPS Alumni Association of the UK & RoI.
*Researchers who are employed as an active researcher working at a university or a research institute in the UK or RoI.
* The host researcher must be in support of all 7 administrative clauses on Form B (Agreement by Host Researcher) and e mail correspondence must be provided as evidence.
* Researchers who have received a BRIDGE Fellowship within the last 5 years (FY2019 to FY2023) can not apply to this call.
Eligibility of Host Researcher
In principle, researchers who are employed full time or classified as such at one of the Japanese research institutions listed below are eligible to host a BRIDGE Fellow.
(1)Universities, inter-university research institutes
(2)Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) facilities and other institutions engaged in scientific research
(3)Colleges of Technology
(4)Institutions designated by MEXT
*Eligible institutions under (1)-(4) are listed at:
https://www-kokusai.jsps.go.jp/jsps1/kikanList.do
*Definition of “full-time employment” is according to the regulations of the host institution.
*There are cases where researchers not employed in a full-time position may be eligible. Such persons must be eligible to apply for Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) and their affiliated institution must judge them able to implement the project and provide an appropriate research environment (e.g. laboratory, equipment, personnel) for it.
Requirements of BRIDGE Fellows
*JSPS Fellows are required to submit a report to the JSPS Tokyo head office and JSPS London within one month of completing their tenure. This report, including details of the affiliation of the host researcher and BRIDGE Fellow, may be given public access on the internet. Fellows may also be invited to take participate in surveys aimed at improving JSPS programmes.
*JSPS Fellows are asked to mention they have been invited under the JSPS BRIDGE programme when giving lectures and presentations in Japan.
* During their tenure, the Fellow is obligated to concentrate on creating, sustaining and strengthening research and academic networks related to the BRIDGE programme and should not be engaged in other paid or non paid activities.
Commencement of Awards
JSPS London will make up to 7 recommendations for awards to the JSPS Tokyo head office in this call. This will be the only call covering visits to Japan during FY2024.
Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing by JSPS London within 3 months of the closing date. Successful applicants will receive an award letter and pre-departure preparation documents from the JSPS Tokyo head office by mid-April 2024.
* Fellowships are awarded for a period of 14 to 30 consecutive days
* Successful applicants are asked to start their Fellowships in Japan between 1st July 2024 to 31st March 2025.
*All offices are officially closed between 28th December 2024 to 8th January 2025 (9 days) in Japan and researchers may not be able to carry out their activities at Japanese universities/ research institutions during this period. The time requested for the BRIDGE Fellowship to cover can not include these dates. Fellows need to provide for their own expenses during this time.
Value of the Award
* Round trip air ticket (arranged by JSPS’ designated travel agent). JSPS can not reimburse BRIDGE Fellows for air tickets they have purchased by themselves.
* Daily maintenance allowance of 13,000JPY
* Research Support allowance of 100,000JPY
(This allowance covers cooperative research-related expenses and can be applied for by the host researcher through their host institution to the JSPS Tokyo head office once award of a fellowship has been confirmed.)
* Overseas travel insurance coverage.
* These terms of award are subject to change.
Application Assessment Criteria
* Provision a: Recruitment Policy
* Provision b: Screening Criteria
* Provision c: Rules for Nominating Committee Members
These documents can be found at the following URL:
http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-plaza/bridge/uk/index.html
Application Procedure
To apply for the scheme, please download and complete the application form and agreement by the host researcher, available below:
JSPS BRIDGE Fellowship Application Form FY2024 (FORM A)
Agreement by the Host Researcher FY2024 (FORM B)
* In addition to Forms A and B the following information should be submitted:
E mail correspondence between the applicant and host (of no more than 10, A4 pages) which discusses the research to be undertaken during a BRIDGE Fellowship. Please provide e mail correspondence in English and a translation where necessary.
*One, A4 page CV
* One, A4 page list of selected publications.
* For the application form (Form A), a hand written signature scanned (digital image) is acceptable.
Any additional information given will not be considered.
All completed application forms, e mail correspondence, CV and publication list should be e mailed to JSPS London at:
lon-info@overseas.jsps.go.jp
Further Notes
* There is a limit of one application per person in any fiscal year, irrespective of whether the applicant may belong to more than one JSPS Alumni Association.
* A researcher may not be a candidate for the BRIDGE Fellowship and another JSPS Programme at the same time.
* A researcher may not be awarded a BRIDGE Fellowship and a fellowship from another funding organisation at the same time to fund the same research trip.
* Researchers who have been supported under any JSPS international programme are required to describe the results and its relevance, if any, in their application for a BRIDGE Fellowship.
* JSPS does not support any research or network building activity directly related to military affairs.
* Applicants should be aware that all information provided will be dealt with in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Privacy Notice of JSPS London. Information will be held and processed at JSPS London, JSPS Tokyo and possibly other JSPS overseas offices and will be used exclusively for the implementation of JSPS programmes. Please see our Privacy Notice at the following link: https://www.jsps.org/about_us/privacy.html
* Should JSPS London determine any information provided is incomplete, falsified, plagiarized or otherwise flawed, the application will be rejected.
* Using generative AI when preparing an application risks an unintentional infringement of copyrights and leakage of personal or confidential information. It is the applicant’s responsibility to consider this risk when deciding whether to use generative AI.
* JSPS Fellows and host researchers must follow the rules established by the host institution and JSPS that prohibit infringement of human rights and research misconduct. JSPS will take appropriate measures (e.g termination of fellowship, require reimbursement of part or all allowances paid) in cases of misuse of research funds, improper conduct (e.g. fabrication, falsification, plagiarization), unjustifiable acts (e.g. discrimination, harassment), or violation of laws. The host institution is responsible for explaining these rules and penalties for violation to the JSPS Fellow.
* When presenting or publishing the content or results of research conducted under the fellowship, the JSPS BRIDGE Fellowship should be acknowledged. Below is an example of how to write an acknowledgment in a research paper:
International Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Bridge Fellowship) 2. JSPS Bridge Fellow (Graduate School of XX, XX University)
* When accepting JSPS Fellows, the host institution should perform necessary procedures for the export and provision of technology concerning security trade control in accordance with the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Control Trade Law (Act No. 228 of December 1, 1949). JSPS Fellows must follow all of Japan’s pertinent laws and ordinances, guidelines and directives in this regard.
* Host Institutions are also required to establish regulations/rules and control management related to the conflict of interest and the conflict of responsibility based on the “Policy on Measures to Ensure Research Integrity Against New Risks as a Consequence of the Globalization and Openness of Research Activities (April 27, 2021, Decision of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation in Japan)." It is essential for researchers and host institutions to proactively ensure the research integrity for every research activity undertaken.
* JSPS strictly enforces the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2321. Not limited to technologies restricted under Japan’s Foreign Exchange Law, Item 11 of this Resolution suspends all scientific and technical cooperation with North Korea with the exception of medical exchanges. Research organizations are required to bear the stipulations of this Resolution in mind when carrying out their various research activities.
* It is JSPS’s policy to provide open access to research papers. Research supported by Grants-in-Aid (KAKENHI) and other JSPS funding, and resulting research papers should, as a rule, be given open access. However, please note that open access is not mandatory if there are justifiable reasons for deferral such as copyright-related issues or insufficient repository infrastructure at the research institution. The open access implementation policy of JSPS is described on the following webpage: https://www.jsps.go.jp/data/Open_access.pdf (Japanese only)
* As the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, we may apply flexibility in our handling of some aspects of the application and post-award processes. Please consider that travel restrictions to and in Japan are still highly changeable and it may be difficult for JSPS Fellows awarded in FY2024 to go to Japan as planned.
