Report on the Results of the Initiative to Realize a Diverse Research Environment (AdvancedType) Project for 2018
Gender Equality Office, Kobe University
1．Project Goals and Action Plans
By promoting this project, Kobe University’s goal was to 1) achieve a recruitment rate forwomen researchers of 30% or more; 2) improve the percentage of women holding higher-ranking
positions; 3) increase the number of next generation young researchers; and 4) enhance theinternal diversity environment and expand it beyond the university, as shown in (A) through (F)below. Table 1 shows the relationships between goals and initiatives.
Table 1 The relationships between goals and initiatives
Objectives
Initiatives(1) Reach and (2)Improve (3)Expand (4)Improvethemaintaincareer

support for the environment

for

employment

progression/next generation diversity

andrateof

over promotion rate of30%

early-career promoteresearchers

outsideuniversity(A)

Buildnewhuman

resource governance system＊＊＊(B) Implement PI training
programfor＊＊international

collaborative research(C) Implement international＊＊

human resource exchange
program(D) Implement international
collaborative＊＊

early-career

researcher training program(E)Establish

aninternal＊＊

Diversity Promotion Council(F) Establish a diversity fundand build a Network for
Cooperative

Diversity＊＊Promotion

1＊＊＊

thisthe2．Achievement of Project Goals
1)

Achieve a recruitment rate for women researchers of 30% or more
The following initiatives were implemented in 2018 to achieve this goal.
① Revision of the Faculty Human resources Committee system
To verify the recruitment rate of each department and increase the number of women
researchers hired and promoted to senior positions, it was decided that, from the next
academic year, the Executive Adviser to President for Diversity become a member of theFaculty Human resources Committee.
② Review of the New Human resources Governance system

To increase the number of women researchers hired and the number of senior
women researchers, and to establish a highly transparent new human resources
governance system, the form submitted by the departments to the Faculty Humanresources Committee is to be reviewed, and the number and ratio of women faculty will
be assessed twice a year.
③ Visualization of the recruitment and retention status of women faculty

A website dedicated to the Initiative to Realize a Diverse Research Environment(Advanced Type) was launched, and the recruitment and retention rates of women faculty
were made public.
The resulting recruitment and retention rates for women researchers at Kobe University andnumerical targets during the project period are shown in Figure 1 below.

35%
30.0%
30%
25%

32.5%

33.2%

27.6%
24.6%

13.8%

25.7%

25.5%
22.4%

21.3%

23.8%
20.7%

19.9%

20%
15%

31.4%

16.9%

17.0%

17.0%

17.2%

17.5%

17.1%

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

18.0%

19.2%

20.4%

21.7%

22.8%

15.0%

10%
2011

2012

採用比率

2019

2020

202120222023

在籍比率[Recruitment rate; Retention rate]

Figure 1 Changes in recruitment and retention rates (Results up through AY 2018; numericaltargets after AY 2019)
The target retention rate for women staff of 17.1% in AY 2018 was achieved with an actual rate2

of 17.1%, as was the recruitment rate, which had a target of 23.9%, with an actual rate of 25.7%
achieved.
2）

Improve the rate at which women hold higher-ranking positions

To achieve this goal, the following initiatives were implemented in AY 2018.
Implementation of an international joint research PI training program①The University dispatched top-caliber women researchers to overseas research
institutions (three researchers; one each to Thailand, Australia, and Germany) topromote women researchers at the level of associate professor and below to higher
positions. Acting as research representatives, these researchers organized international
joint research, conducting joint research in their host countries. The researchers wereprovided with funding in preparation for their research. In AY 2018, the University also
conducted an abbreviated, preliminary study program for international joint research PI
training, and dispatched eight individuals to participate.
Table 2 International Joint Research PI Training – Program Results
AffiliateJob classification

Dispatch period

Destination Country

Inland Sea Region

Associate professor

12 months

Thailand

Associate professor

12 months

Australia

Associate professor

6 months

Germany

Research Center
Graduate School of System
Informatics
Graduate School ofIntercultural Studies

Table 3

International Joint Research PI Training – Pre-Survey Program Results

AffiliateJob classification

Deployment period

Destination Country

Graduate School ofAssistant professor

1 weekUKGraduate School of Economics

Instructor

2 weeks

Netherlands

Graduate School of Health

Associate professor

1 weekThailand

Associate professor

1 weekSwedenAssociate professor

1 weekUS

Bio-signal Research Center

Assistant professor

1 monthUS

Graduate School of Agriculture

Assistant professor

1 weekUS

Graduate School of Agriculture

Assistant professor

1 weekUSEngineering

Sciences
Graduate School of Maritime
Science
Graduate School of Human
Development and Environment

3

In AY2018, the promotion rate for women was 22.0% (11 women out of a staff of 50) , achieving the goalof 20.0% or more. Regarding senior positions, there were 66 (women Associate Professors out of 436(15.1%), against the goal of 70 out of 453 (15.5%), and the number of women professors actually exceeded
the goal, with 63 out of 615 (10.2%) professorships held by women, compared to the goal of 57 out of 597(9.5%). Regarding women research directors and similar positions, the Gender Equality Office Directorand Career Center Director were given positions as Executive Advisers to the President. The target oftwo such professionals was exceeded with three actually in place.

3）Increase the number of young researchers

To increase the number of young researchers, the following initiatives were implemented inAY 2018.
Implementation of an international human resources exchange program①To recruit more women faculty and cast aside unconscious bias within the university, four
women researchers were dispatched overseas in research exchanges, and 24 women
researchers from overseas were invited to the University to conduct seminars in a variety ofdepartments. The dispatched researchers applied through open recruitment available to all
women researchers in the university. Full funding was provided to those selected.

Table 4

International Human resources Exchange Program – Results

AffiliateJob classification

Dispatch period

Destination CountryGraduate School of HumanAssistant professor

1 monthIndonesia

Professor

2 months

UKProfessor

1 monthUK

Assistant professor

1 monthUS

Development and Environment
Graduate School of HumanDevelopment and Environment
Graduate School of Health
Sciences
Graduate School ofEngineering②Implementation of an international joint research training program for youngresearchers
To expand the field of talented young women researchers playing an active internationalrole, five young women researchers (45 years of age or under) were dispatched to overseas
research institutions. These researchers conducted research at the host organizations asmembers of international joint research projects. The dispatched researchers were provided
with research funds and the employment of temporary academic staff to fill in during theirabsence.
4Table 4International Joint Research Training Program for Young Researchers – Results

AffiliateJob classification

Dispatch period

Destination Country

Graduate School ofResearcher

2 months

MexicoBio-signal Research Center

Assistant professor

2 months

US

Graduate School of System

Assistant professor

12 months

UKAssistant professor

3 months

USInstructor

6 months

South Korea/US

Intercultural Studies

Informatics
Graduate School ofInternational CooperationStudies
International Education Center4）

Enhance the diversity environment and expand it beyond the university
To enhance the diversity environment and expand it beyond the University, the following

initiatives were implemented in AY 2018.
①

Construction of a co-creation network for diversity
To develop an economic foundation for working with individuals and companies on
this project, and to advance diversity projects on an ongoing basis and encourage joint
research between private enterprises and women researchers and personnel exchanges
with companies, the University joined with Daicel, Sojitz, Kobe Shimbun Newspaper,
Ikeda Senshu Bank, and Bando Chemical as founding members of a co-creation
partnership promoting diversity to establish a co-creation network for diversity, holding
a “Diversity Co-creation Network Conference” to examine how the network should workand how it should be expanded.

②

Holding a Diversity ForumTo deepen the understanding of this project amongst Kobe University members(particularly the Director and Secretary) and co-creation network partners and, thus,
promote the recruitment and promotion of women researchers in various departments,
the University held a forum on March 27th at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Kobe thatconsisted of 1) an overview of the project, and 2) lectures covering the status of genderequality in Japan and overseas, policies, and corporate measures.

③Diversity Statement
On December 13, 2018, the University announced its Diversity Statement aiming toovercome unconscious gender bias and promote greater diversity at Kobe University.
http://www.office.kobe-u.ac.jp/opge-kyodo-sankaku/en/about/promotionofgenderequality.html

55）

Initiatives particular to this project① Examining support systems for women researchers dispatched overseas

We began establishing a system for supporting the work-life balance of women
conducting research overseas. This support is to consist of overseas offices, studentassociations, and alumni associations providing information related to everyday life in
the host country, such as opening bank accounts, housing, medical care, education, etc.
Also, if the dispatched researcher so desires, members of the various organizations
would, in the role of coordinators, respond to inquiries regarding work-life balance byemail or face-to-face. Concerned individuals, including project managers (directors incharge) and the Director and Vice-Director of the Gender Equality Office visited theoverseas offices in Brussels, the Students’ Association offices in San Francisco and NewYork, and the Alumni Association offices in Germany and the UK, and requested support
on behalf of the women researchers mentioned.
②Research and development of diversity education programs
To overcome unconscious bias and increase the recruitment and promotion of womenin research fields, the University worked with its diversity co-creation partners on
diversity education programs to be implemented for members at the Co-Creation
Network for Diversity Conference. In developing this educational program, university
representatives visited the Los Angeles LGBT Center (Los Angeles, USA), Columbia
University (New York, USA), and UNESCO (Paris, France), learning about diversity
programs at each organization and exchanging opinions. We asked our diversity
promotion co-creation partners what they expect of diversity education programs andcompiled their replies in a report.

6） Issues to be addressed with respect to this project①

Introduction of a new human resources governance system (operational revisions)
The University has yet to complete the PDCA cycle below for the human resources

governance system, which previously only consisted of “Do” and “Check.” A highly
transparent new HR governance system promoting the recruitment and promotion of
women faculty will be implemented.
(Plan) The departments submit their plans for recruiting and promoting women

researchers to the Faculty Human resources Committee.
(Do)

The departments submit their recruitment, promotion, and retention
numbers for researchers to the Faculty Human resources Committee forapproval with each occurrence of an HR-related issue.

(Check) The departments meet with the trustees and the Director of the Gender

Equality Office to confirm recruitment and promotion results of the previous

6

academic year and recruitment and promotion plans for the current academicyear.
(Action) The departments submit their recruitment/promotion results andrecruitment/promotion plans at the annual meeting and departments thathave not achieved their objectives review their plans and obtain approval fromthe university administration.
②Funding for voluntary operations after AY 2021

Because the project must be financially self-sustaining for three years after AY2021,
the question of how to fund the voluntary operating expenses of the Diversity Fund andother programs poses a major dilemma. Accordingly, the University is seeking
contributions from companies for the Diversity Fund and is planning to establish aDiversity Co-Creation Partner Club (tentative name) with an annual membership fee
system.

7