As of July 2, 2021

HIRAKU 3MT Competition 2021
Application Guideline(for both the Japanese and English Divisions)

1. Competition Outline
2. Competition Schedule
3. Application Procedure
4. Presentation Rules and Screening Processes
5. Judging Criteria
6. Creating Your Presentation Video
7. References/Other Points to Note

1. Competition Outline
What’s the HIRAKU 3MT Competition?

PrizesThe HIRAKU 3MT Competition is an exciting opportunity
for doctorate students to effectively explain theirresearch within a limited time-span of three minutes, ina language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. The
Competition aims to develop the doctorates’
presentation and research communication skills, whileleading to broader society (as the audience) further
enhancing their positive understanding of doctorate
resources and researches.

● Winner

The Winner of each division will receive a certificate, a¥300,000 scholarship, and more.
● Runner-Up
The Runner-Up of each division will receive a certificate,a ¥150,000 scholarship, and more.
● People’s Choice
The Competition has been held as a part of the initiatives The People’s Choice (to be decided by the Audience
Polls) of each division will receive a certificate, a ¥80,000of the consortium program, “Home for Innovative
scholarship, and more.
Researchers and Academic Knowledge Users (HIRAKU)”(Lead Partner Organization: Hiroshima University, Co*In addition to the above, several video presentations from
Partner Organizations: Yamaguchi University andthe Video Presentation Screening stage will be selected for
Tokushima University), with the aim of promoting thea Sponsor Award (these awards will be specifically titledadvancement and development of young researchers
after the Special Sponsors’ names).
through regional collaboration. The HIRAKU 3MT
Competition has been held annually since 2015, with thisHost Organization
year being the 7th edition of the Competition. It will be
conducted entirely online this year, expanding the scope“Home for Innovative Researchers and Academicof the eligible participants to all doctorates in Japanese
Knowledge Users (HIRAKU)” under the Building ofuniversities.
Consortia for the Development of Human Resources andScience and Technology

Eligibility

Doctorate students (from any research field) enrolled at
any university in Japan as of November 3, 2021.
*Excluding students enrolled in master’s programs and/or
professional degree programs.

Number of Divisions
Two (Japanese and English).

Competition Stages
The Competition will be held across two judgement
stages for each division. Prior to the judgement stages
though, all prospective entrants are required tocomplete the Competition Entry.

1. Competition Entry
Starting from July 2 (Fri), 2021 (Deadline: August 4 (Wed)17:00 (JST))2. Video Presentation Screening
Mid-September, 2021 (Video Uploads can be made from
August 17 (Tue) to September 6 (Mon) 17:00 (JST))
3. Final Stage (online presentation judging)
November 3 (Wed, Japanese National Holiday), 2021
*Please note that you can complete the Competition
Entry for both the Japanese and English divisions, but, if
your presentation is selected for the Final Stage, theVideo Judging Panel will decide which division you willcompete in (as you cannot compete in both divisions
during the Final Stage).
*Approximately ten presenters will be selected for the
Final Stage of each division (10 for Japanese, and 10 forEnglish).

Special Sponsors
Acaric Co., Ltd.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
Springer Nature
Chugai Technos Corp.
Tempearl Industrial Co., Ltd.
Tosoh Corporation
TODA KOGYO CORP.
The Japan Steel Works, Ltd.
Micron Memory Japan, G.K.
Mazda Motor Corporation

Sponsors
Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., Ltd. Technical Research Laboratories
Nomura Research Institute, Ltd.
Manac Incorporated

Cooperators
Acaric Co., Ltd.
Springer Nature

HIRAKU 3MT Official Website
https://hiraku.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en/event/competition_2021/

22. Competition Schedule
2021 Schedule
November 3 (Wed, Japanese National Holiday):Final Stage (online presentation judging);
Selection of Award Recipients & Award Ceremony

Late-September:
Selection of the Finalists and Sponsor Award Recipients

Mid-September: Video Presentation Screening
August 17 (Tue):
Start of Video Upload (Deadline: September 6 (Mon) 17:00 (JST))

Selection of Award Recipients
Selection of Award Recipients
Final Stage (Online Presentation)
3 min. Live Presentation and 2 min. Q&A Session
Final Stage (Online Presentation)
3 min. Live Presentation and 2 min. Q&A Session
Selection of the Finalists andSponsor Award Recipients
Selection of the Finalists andVideo
Presentation
Screening
SponsorAward RecipientsVideoScreening
UploadVideo
Video Upload

July 2 (Fri):
Start of Competition Entry (Deadline: August 4 (Wed) 17:00 (JST))

Competition Entry
Competition Entry

Video Presentation Screening- Only those who complete the Competition Entry will
be able to upload their presentation videos.
- The Video Judging Panel will conduct the screeningof the video presentations in mid-September inorder to select the Finalists.
- The HIRAKU 3MT Operating Office (the Competition
Office) will publish the list of Finalists on the official
competition website in early October. The
Competition Office will also convey the video
presentation screening results via email to the
Finalists only (i.e. non-Finalists will not be
contacted).
- Several video presentations will be selected for aSponsor Award in late October. The Competition
Office will invite those recipients to the Award
Ceremony which will be held on November 3 (Wed,Japanese National Holiday).

Final Stage (online presentation)‐ The selected Finalists will participate in the Final
Stage by accessing the Zoom Webinar link which will
be designated by the Competition Office.
‐ Every presentation and Question-and-Answer
Session will be separately held within the Japaneseand English divisions in the following order:
Online Presentation (3 minutes):
The Finalists will present by following the rules andregulations outlined within the “4. Presentation
Rules and Screening Processes”, “5. Judging Criteria”
and “6. Creating Your Presentation Video” sectionsof this guideline.
Question-and-Answer Session (2 minutes):
The Finalists must answer questions from the Judges.
Please note that this Session will not be judged.

‐ The spoken content of the presentation for the Final
Stage can differ from the submitted video
presentation, (i.e. it does not have to be the same
presentation, word for word). However, thepresentation title and slide for the submitted video
presentation and the Final Stage must be the same.

‐ A single static slide must be uploaded within theZoom Webinar and be used as a virtual background
during the presentation within the Final Stage.
‐ The Final Stage Judging Panel (see “4. Presentation
Rules and Screening Processes”) will select theWinner and Runner-Up for both the Japanese andEnglish divisions. The People’s Choice for eachdivision will be decided by the Audience Polls and be
confirmed by the Final Stage Judging Panel.

＜Notice＞ Final Stage Schedule & Program (TBC)*Details of the below schedule/program are subject to change.

November 3 (Wed, Japanese National Holiday), 2021
<English Division> *Japan Standard Time
10:30 Opening Remarks
10:40 Online Presentations
11:40 Panel Talk Session with the Presenters
12:10 Closing Remarks
12:30 Conclusion<Japanese Division> *Japan Standard Time
14:30 Opening Remarks
14:40 Online Presentations
15:40 Panel Talk Session with the Presenters
16:10 Closing Remarks
16:30 Conclusion*After the Japanese Division has been completed, there isa possibility that an online networking session will be heldin which the Finalists, Final Stage Judging Panels andothers involved from both of the divisions may participate.

33. Application Procedure
1. Competition Entry*Deadline for Competition Entry: August 4 (Wed) 17:00 (JST), 2021

Firstly, please choose a division (Japanese and English), and then fill in the appropriate Competition Entry Form
within the link for each division below.
Please note that you can complete the Competition Entry for both divisions, but, if your presentation is selected
for the Final Stage, the Video Judging Panel will decide which division you will compete in (cannot compete in bothdivisions).

Japanese Division
English Division

Competition Entry Form
Competition Entry Form*The Competition Office will send you an e-mail to confirm that your Competition Entry has been received. Thise-mail may also be sent to your supervisor, whom you have listed within your Competition Entry Form, to confirm
your institutional affiliation/graduate school, etc.

2. Video Upload*Deadline for Video Upload: September 6 (Mon) 17:00 (JST), 2021

Those who have completed and submitted the Competition Entry Form will receive the Video Upload Form via ane-mail from the Competition Office on around August 17 (Tue).
*The Video Upload Form will only be available to those who complete and submit the Competition Entry Form.
*The videos of the selected Finalists and the Sponsor Award recipients will be uploaded onto the official
competition website, amongst others.

Preparation & Points to Note for the Video Upload
Please prepare the items below before you start filling-in the Video Upload Form.
‐ Google Account: You need to have a Google Account to access the link of the Video Upload Form. If you don’t
have a Google account, please create one in advance.
‐ Presentation Title: Japanese → Within 25 characters / English → Within 12 words‐ Self-Promotion Statement: Japanese → Within 300 characters / English → Within 150 words
Please describe your appeal points briefly, such as your goals, commitments, strengths, etc.
*Please access this link (PDF file) if you would like to read the examples which were submitted by the presentersof the prior editions of the Competition.
‐ Full-Face View Photo: A clear, full-face view photo, JPEG file, width 228 x height 300 pixels or more.
‐ Video: For details on how to properly create your 3 minute presentation video, please refer to the“4. Presentation Rules and Screening Processes”, “5. Judging Criteria” and “6. Creating Your Presentation
Video” sections within this guideline. Please upload your presentation video to YouTube first and then provide
us with the link.
‐ Single Static Slide: A single static slide to explain the content of your presentation effectively (JPEG file, 16:9
(width:height))

Publication of your registration details within the Competition’s official website and the online
booklet for the Final Stage*Only the details of the Finalists and the Sponsor Award recipients will be published.

The Competition Office will publish some of your registration information (detailed below) on the Competition’s
official website and in the online booklet for the Final Stage. This information will be submitted to the Competition
Office when you complete the aforementioned Competition Entry (1) and Video Upload (2).
- Affiliation (University and Graduate School）- Name- Grade- Full-Face View Photo- Presentation Title- Self-Promotion Statement
44. Presentation Rules and Screening Processes
Presentation Rules
The Presentation Rules are for both the Video Presentation Screening stage and the Final Stage (online
presentation).
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes. Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenterstarts to move their body/mouth in order to give the presentation. Presentations which exceed 3 minutes
will be disqualified at the Video Presentation Screening stage, and be stopped at the Final Stage.
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment, etc.) are permitted within
the presentations.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. poems, raps, songs, etc. are not permitted).
- Only a single static slide in 16:9 (width : height) is permitted in the presentation (e.g. slide transitions,animations, sounds/videos, ‘movement’ of any kind, etc. are not permitted).
- Please respect any copyrights and/or portrait rights of others when creating your slide. If necessary, pleaseindicate the source of the materials.
- The Competition Office won’t accept any replacement file/s for the slide after the appropriate deadline has
passed. Therefore, please make sure to take care when submitting your slide.
- Please confirm to your academic supervisor or any other appropriate parties in advance whether thecontent of your slide can be shared and/or published or not. The Competition Office shall take no
responsibility for any issues/problems which may arise as a result of the content outlined within thepresentations.

Screening Processes
1. Video Presentation Screening
The Video Judging Panel will conduct the Video Presentation Screening to select the Finalists for each division.
Furthermore, the Special Sponsors will select several video presentations from this stage for a Sponsor Award.
*In the event that the number of applicants is quite substantial, the Competition Office may screen the video
presentations by region.

2. Final Stage (online presentation judging)
The Final Stage Judging Panel (detailed below) will select the Winner and Runner-Up for each division. The
Audience Polls will select the recipient of the People’s Choice in both the Japanese and English divisions. Eachaudience member must register beforehand to be able to observe the Final Stage and partake in the Audience
Polls.

Final Stage Judging Panel
There will be a Final Stage Judging Panel for each division (Japanese/English). The Panels will consist of
university/enterprise officials, experts, amongst others, invited from within and outside of Japan.
Details and the latest news on the respective Final Stage Judging Panels will be announced on theCompetition’s official website below.
https://hiraku.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/event/competition_2021/judgingpanel/55. Judging Criteria
1. Video Presentation Screening
For the Video Presentation Screening stage of the Competition, each presenter will be assessed by the Video
Judging Panel according to the judging criteria listed below, which is based on the University of Queensland’s
Judging Criteria for the 2020 Virtual UQ 3MT Competition.
*About the 3MT: The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition was developed by the University of Queensland(UQ). Nowadays, the 3MT Competition is held at over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide.
To find out more about the 3MT Competition, please refer to UQ’s official website below.
https://threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au/＜Attractiveness of Research Theme and Content＞- The presentation title and slide are clear and straightforward in describing the content of the presentation.
Furthermore, their contents extract the attractiveness of the presentation itself.
- The presentation provides an understanding of the background and significance of the research question being
addressed.
- The presentation conveys the enthusiasm of the presenter for their research and makes the audience want toknow more about the research.
- The presentation clearly describes the impact and results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes.

＜Communication＞‐ The wording used for the presentation is understandable and proper for everybody, (avoiding the use oftechnical terms, etc.).
‐ The presentation is well structured and follows a clear and logical sequence.
‐ The presenter is careful not to trivialize or generalize their research.
‐ The presenter has sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintains a steady pace, and has aconfident stance.

2. Final Stage (online presentation judging)
The Final Stage Judging Panel will use the aforementioned criteria to judge the presentations.
*A Question-and-Answer Session will be held after each Finalist’s presentation. This Session will not be judged.
Moreover, the audience members (general public,
university/enterprise officials, etc.) will poll each presenter
according to the criteria below.

Clear & Agreeable
Future Vision?

- The presentation describes the vision and the importance of theresearch. Also, the presentation develops a response from theaudience towards the presenter and the content.

- The presenter intrigues and excites the audience with theirpresentation.

Easy toFollow?

Interesting &Exciting?

- The result and the approach of the research seems novel, andamazes.
- The presentation is easy to understand by everybody within theaudience/general public.

New & Surprising?

66. Creating Your Presentation Video
Please refer to the “4. Presentation Rules and Screening Processes”, “5. Judging Criteria” and “6. Creating Your
Presentation Video” sections within this guideline to help you to understand how to edit the video of yourpresentation. Feel free to use any video editing platform you are familiar with.
However, the selected Finalists will be required to upload their single static slide within the Zoom Webinar on
November 3, and use it as their virtual background during their presentation within the Final Stage.

Good Examples
1. Using Zoom: Adjust your slide to be the backgroundimage (16:9-widescreen) within Zoom’s settings (as afull screen image or only a part of the screen). Set up
your shot so you are in a specific position within thedisplay and record the video. Make sure that thecontents of the slide are clearly viewable/readable
when you adjust it for use as a background. Also, makesure that your face is clearly shown within the video.

- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes. Presentations
are considered to have commenced when a presenterstarts to move their body/mouth in order to give thepresentation.
- The 3 minute presentation must be continuous with novideo edits and/or breaks, except when forming the
beginning and ending of the video.

- The overall length of the video should be within
3 minutes and 5 seconds. If you submit a video which
exceeds this, you could be disqualified.
- The quality of the video is not included within the
Judging Criteria and will therefore not be judged.

2. Record the video, then edit the slide into it.
Another option is to have a monitor/screen with yourslide behind you and use it to record yourpresentation. Make sure that the contents of the slide
are clearly viewable/readable when you adjust it for
use as a background. Also, make sure that your face isclearly shown within the video.
＜Some Examples of Video Editing Tools＞
・KAPWING
・VideoPad(NCH)- Adjust the size of your slide so that it takes up at least
25% of the full screen when using it as your backgroundwithin the video. For further help in regard to creating
your presentation video, please refer to thedescriptions of the “Good Examples” and “Bad
Example” on this page.
- The viewable space for the video, not including theslide, must be pattern-less and only contain any
monochromatic color.
- Set up your shot so you are clearly in the frame, andnot being cut off at the top (visible from the waist up)
throughout your presentation. Make sure your face isin front of the camera and is clearly visible. Record yourvideo in a bright room so that the audience can clearly
see you.
- Set up your standing position in a way that secures thespace needed for your slide.
- Adjust both the slide and the video in 16:9-widescreen,and save the video as an mp4 file.
- Upload your edited video onto YouTube. Set your video
as “Unlisted“, and enter your video’s YouTube link
within the Video Upload Form.

Bad Example--

The slide is too small
to be able to read thewords and/or view thepictures/diagrams.
Difficult to recognize
facial expressions.
77. References/Other Points to Note
References
Promotion Video for the HIRAKU 3MT Competition
https://youtu.be/xTX8Yrvj4NQ
Past HIRAKU 3MT Winners’ Presentation Videos
https://hiraku.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en/hiraku3mt_pastwinners/

3MT Training Videos: Presentation Training 2019 (Hiroshima & Tokushima Universities)
https://youtu.be/w2IjkHN5_G8?t=1491

Other Points to Note
Handling of Personal Information- Personal information collected throughout the Competition Entry/Video Upload process shall be handledappropriately within the scope of the purposes of utilization set forth within the various privacy policies andrules concerning the handling of personal information at Hiroshima University. The Competition Office will takenecessary measures to prevent the leakage, loss of or damage to information and shall otherwise manage suchinformation appropriately.
- The Competition Office shall utilize the supplied information to communicate with applicants regarding theirapplication/registration, to publicize the presenters’ information within the official websites and/or
brochures/booklets/other materials which are to be distributed throughout the Competition, in order to
conduct the smooth operation of the HIRAKU 3MT Competition, including the screening processes and final
announcement of results, as well as to send you information about events/seminars hosted by HIRAKU andothers, in the future.
- Submitted video presentations will also be viewed by relevant enterprise officials/members of the Special
Sponsors, and others who are involved with the Competition.
- Please also kindly note that a Sponsor Award recipient might be directly contacted by the sponsor, via thecontact information held by the Competition Office. Also, recipients may be individually invited to join aninternship program or an enterprise tour. In such a case, the Competition Office will contact the recipient.

Live-Streaming & Publication of Videos/Photographs Online‐ Please note that the Competition Office is planning on recording and taking screenshots of the Final Stage (onNovember 3), in addition to the live-stream of the Competition. The video recordings and screenshots of the
Final Stage are planned to be publicized at a later date within the official website and other relevant outlets.

Others- Please note that the Competition Office cannot respond to individual inquiries in regard to the screening
results.
- The Competition Office may request presenters to kindly cooperate in helping to operate and/or develop
future HIRAKU 3MT Competitions and/or other HIRAKU-related PR and other activities.

Inquiries/Contacts
The HIRAKU 3MT Operating Office (the Competition Office)Global Career Design Center at Hiroshima University
7-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8514
TEL: 082-424-6213 E-mail: hiraku3m@hiroshima-u.ac.jp8