March 25, 2020
How to Compile and Handle External Evaluation Reports of the Initiative for Realizing
Diversity in the Research Environment (Advanced type) in AY2018

Gender Equality Office, Kobe University1) Achieve a recruitment rate for women researchers of 30% or more.
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ Established the New Human Resource Governance System (Mitsunari, Ozawa,Bando).
○ Achieved/made visible the target recruitment and retention rates for women faculty(Mitsunari, Ozawa, Bando, Corat, Jean).
B. Challenges/areas for improvement and reform strategies○ The absolute value of the retention rate should be increased (Bando and Jean).
・① assessment of the achievements/outcomes attained bydispatched researchers;interview for dispatched researcher to meet directly with their deans to share
their achievements and enhance their performance reviews, ② establishing a
PDCA cycle for the New Human Resource Governance System, and ③
conducting a visit to the departments by the Executive Vice President and Gender
Equality Office director.

○ Need to evaluate recruitment rate related data classified by ① fixed-term and fulltime, ② position, and ③ field (Mitsunari).
・Immediately evaluate recruitment rate related data classified by ① fixed-term
and full-time, ② position, and ③ field.
○ Change the University website's hierarchical structure to make access easier andshow the data in a graph (Mitsunari).
・Take immediate action to change “the University website’s hierarchical structureand show the data visually in a graph.”2) Improve the percentage of women holding (or promoted to) higher-ranking positions.
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ Achieved the target promotion rate (Mitsunari, Ozawa, Bando, Corat, Jean).
○ Achieved the target rate of women professors and board members (Ozawa, Bando,Jean).
○ Conducted the “PI Training Program for International Collaborative Research”(Mitsunari, Ozawa, Bando, Corat).
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B. Challenges/areas for improvement and reform strategies○ The absolute value for setting the target is low (Mitsunari).
・The “target value” is set by the University, so it is difficult to raise it. However,
we will report this harsh remark to the executive vice-presidents and vice presidents
and Faculty Human Resources Committee, and be certain to achieve the currenttargets.
○ Women should be promoted to administrative positions more proactively (Mitsunari).
・The Executive Vice President and Exective Assistant to the President
will actively work with the university administration to promote increasing thenumber of women in administrative positions.
○ The percentage of women associate professors has decreased (Ozawa, Bando, Jean).
・① analyze the cause of the decrease, ② engage in follow-up of dispatchedresearchers, as mention above, and so on.
○ With regard to targets that have been achieved, analyze the factors that led tosuccess (Jean).
・Conduct factor analysis (e.g. Ask deans the reasons behind successful promotions).

3) Increase the number of next-generation young researchers.
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ “International Human Resource Exchange Program,” and the fact that many
women researchers were invited from overseas (Mitsunari, Ozawa, Bando).
○ The open application system, provision of funding for research, and giving
consideration to special needs (Mitsunari and Ozawa).
○ Implemented the “International Collaborative Early-career Researcher TrainingProgram” (Ozawa and Jean).
○ A dual strategy for the “International Human Resource Exchange Program” and“International Collaborative Early-career Researcher Training Program” (Corat andJean).
B. Challenges/areas for improvement and reform strategies○ The number of dispatched researchers should be increased. Also, outcomes should
be assessed after researchers return (Mitsunari).
・① improving the University website, ② conducting public relations strategies
through the University public relations magazines, and ③ aforementioned
follow-up measures for dispatched researchers and so on.
○ Outcomes of collaborative efforts should be made public on the University website,etc. (Mitsunari).
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・① Improve the University website, ② conduct publicity strategies through theUniversity public relations magazines, and ③ aforementioned follow-up
measures for dispatched researchers and so on.
○ The actual conditions and outcomes of the “International Human Resource
Exchange Program” should be identified (Bando and Jean),・Identify the actual conditions and outcomes through the follow-up measures
mentioned above and announce them publicly on the University website.

4) Enhance the internal diversity environment and expand it beyond the University.
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ Establishment of the Diversity Co-creation Network with partner companies(Mitsunari, Ozawa, Bando, Corat).
○ Hosting of a forum (Mitsunari, Ozawa, Corat).
○ Adoption and making public the Kobe University Diversity Statement (Mitsunari,Ozawa, Corat, Jean).
B. Challenges/areas for improvement and reform strategies○ Efforts to expand the internal diversity environment beyond the University andestablish the Diversity Co-creation Network have not been publicized (Mitsunari).
・① Improve the University website, ② conduct publicity strategies through theUniversity public relations magazines, and so on.
○ The Japanese version of the Kobe University Diversity Statement should berephrased to read, “Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity” (Mitsunari).
・Rephrase the Japanese version of the Kobe University Diversity Statement as“Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity.”○ The content of the Kobe University Gender Equality Declaration may need to be
examined and reviewed (Jean).
・Review and consider the revision of the Gender Equality Statement.
○ Need for immediate concrete efforts to promote and expand the Diversity Cocreation Network (Bando).
・Work to expand the network to include companies that donate funds is alreadyunderway, and we will promote the education program.

5) Efforts specific to this Initiative
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ Establishment of a system to support the dispatch of researchers (Mitsunari, Ozawa,Bando, Corat, Jean).
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○ Cooperation with Diversity Co-creation Network partner companies and overseas
institutions for the development of the education program (Mitsunari and Ozawa).
B. Challenges/areas for improvement and reform strategies○ Continuity and linkage between “starting lectures” and the education program are
not clear (Mitsunari and Jean).
・Lectures are intended for students, while the education program is intended for
the University faculty. We will make the relationship clear.
○ Cooperation within the University is necessary for determining the details of thecontent of the education program and for its implementation (Mitsunari and Bando).
・ The prototype version of the education program including videos has been
completed, and the final version is expected to be completed in the next academic
year. We will also promote cooperation within the University to implement theprogram.
○ Collaboration with local organizations and actors is necessary with regard to thesystem to support the dispatch of researchers (Bando).
・We are also promoting cooperation and collaboration from former international
students involved in overseas alumni associations.
○ Need to ask

the views of dispatched researchers with regard to the system tosupport them (Jean).
・ We will include this as part of the aforementioned follow-up measures for
dispatched researchers.

6) Challenges for this Initiative
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ Set concrete challenges and seriously tackled them (Mitsunari).
○ Set up the fund and an annual membership-based organization (Mitsunari, Ozawa,Bando, Corat, Jean).
○ Upgraded the human resource governance system to the one complete with a PDCA
cycle (Ozawa and Bando).
B. Challenges/areas for improvement (Most of the following reform strategies havealready been described)○ Set more concrete targets for recruitment and retention rates of women faculty andmake more detailed analysis of the actual conditions of these rates (Mitsunari).
○ Set the target percentage of women professors at least above the average of national
universities, and then work backward from this target percentage to set the target
recruitment and promotion rates (set long-term objectives for a 10-year plan)4

(Mitsunari).
○ The effort to increase the percentage of women in the university administration
should be positioned as the base of this Initiative (Mitsunari).
○ The number of women researchers to be dispatched overseas should be increased asmuch as possible (Mitsunari).
○ Outcomes attained by women researchers dispatched overseas should be madevisible and publicized within and outside of the University through the University
website (Mitsunari).
○ Make good use of the dedicated website (Mitsunari).
○ Collaboration with the Gender Equality Office in promoting the Initiatives(Mitsunari).
○ Smooth operation of the New Human Resource Governance System, interviews
conducted by the Executive Vice President and Gender Equality Office director andparticipation in the Faculty Human Resources Committee.
○ Clearly define the relationship and differences between the Diversity Co-Creation
Partner Club and the Diversity Co-Creation Network (Bando).
○ It is beneficial to strategically support the departments where human resources
related problems are occurring (Jean).

7) Overall Comments about the Initiative
A. Things that can be positively evaluated○ Serious commitment to achieving this Initiatives by setting concrete goals andmaking consistent progress toward meeting the target values (Mitsunari).
○ The establishment of a support system for international exchange by women faculty
members (Mitsunari).
○ The Initiative is progressing in such a way that challenges can be clearly identified(Mitsunari and Ozawa).
○ High expectations for more active communication among women faculty and thewomen in the Diversity Co-creation Network Partners companies, so they can learn
together , encourage one another, and ultimately achieve the project objectives(Ozawa).
○ Trying hard to eliminate unconscious bias which is essential for increasing thepercentage of women (Bando).
○ Trying hard to tackle not only gender issues but also a wide variety of diversity
issues (Bando).
○ Expectation that

this Initiative will serve as a catalyst for promotion of thediversity as a vision in education, research and social collaboration activities (Bando).
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B. Challenges/areas for improvement○ The information and documents provided for review should be more explicit about
the evaluation process. Examples of concrete efforts should be documented andincluded in the attachments, in addition to numerical information such as the numberof cases and percentages/rates (Bando).
○ The verification and analysis of the effects and challenges of the Initiative programs
within the University should be done more thoroughly (Bando).
8) Strategic action plans based on comments made by the International Advisory
Committee for Diversity Promotion
A. Follow-up checks on outcomes and achievements attained by dispatched women
researchers and interviews with deans.
○ Up until now, dispatched researchers were asked only to submit written reports andmake a presentation at a general meeting.
○ It is necessary to motivate women faculty to seek promotion to higher-ranking
positions and to conduct interviews with those who have authority over promotion andhiring to encourage the positive evaluation of the work of dispatched researchers. .
● (Expected results) ① Increased promotion and retention rates and ② strict
observance of the PDCA cycle of the New Human Resource Governance System.
B. (PR strategy) Have the outcomes of the Diversity Initiatives publicized in theUniversity public relations magazines and renew the University website drastically.
○ Report the “results of external evaluation and measures” to the Vice-presidents andFaculty Human Resources Committee to gain support.
○ Have the outcomes of the Diversity Initiative publicized in the University public
relations magazines.
○ Renew the University website dedicated to the Diversity Initiative drastically(placing banners and posting the outcomes of the Initiative).
○ Correction the Kobe University Diversity Statement● (Expected results) ① Increased number of dispatched researchers thanks to therole model effect.
C. Strict observance of the PDCA cycle of the New Human Resource Governance System.
○ Conducting of visits to the deans by the Executive Vice President and Gender Equality
Office director.

○ Make visible the recruitment, retention, and promotion rates to the Faculty HumanResources Committee and on the University website.
● (Expected results) ① Increased recruitment, retention, and promotion rates and② strict observance of the PDCA cycle of the New Human Resource Governance
System.
D. Enhance the internal diversity environment including Diversity Co-Creation
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Network and expand it within and beyond the University.
○ Expand the diversity environment within and beyond the University through theDiversity Education Program.
○ Increase the number of Diversity Co-creation Network partner members.
○ Increase sources of funding by setting up a fund and an annual membership-basedorganization.
● (Expected results) ① Expand the Initiatives within and beyond the University and② guarantee the source of funding.

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