The Initiative for Realizing Diversity in the Research Environment

In FY 2016, RIKEN was selected to take part in the Initiative for Realizing Diversity in the Research Environment, a support program for human resources development in science and technology established by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT).

In order to enhance the diversity of the research environment and promote the active participation of female researchers at RIKEN, the Diversity Promotion Office was established on December 1, 2016 to administer a system for achieving these goals across the institution.

The support program, the Initiative for Realizing Diversity in the Research Environment, requires selected institutions to establish and publish goals and action plans to promote the active participation of female researchers and enhance diversity in the research environment. This should be done with the characteristics of each institution and region in mind and should lead to the creation of outstanding research outcomes. The program aims to promote initiatives that improve the research environment for female researchers, enabling them to cope with life events and to balance their work and private life; enhance the research capabilities of female researchers; and facilitate the active recruitment of female researchers and their promotion to higher-ranked positions.

Diversity is said to stimulate intellectual activity and create new industries, thereby generating value, and it is also said to be a driving force and lubricant for the promotion of innovation. At RIKEN, we will not limit our target to female researchers, but will link our efforts in promoting diversity with broader goals to “maximize research and development outcomes” and further promote creative scientific activities and innovation.

In addition to achieving the numerical targets set forth in RIKEN’s mid-term plan and objectives, as well as the action plan established based on the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace and the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children, we will aim to further maximize research and development outcomes by creating a diverse research environment that attracts talented researchers from around the globe.

Objectives:

• 1. Improvement of diversity in research environments
• 2. Enhancement of research capabilities of female researchers
• 3. Facilitation of proactive recruitment/promotion of female researchers

Please refer to the Japan Science and Technology Agency’s website for more details on the program, the Initiative for Realizing Diversity in the Research Environment.

The External Evaluation Committee