Ver. 2.03 updated on July 20, 2020

RIMS Guidelines for Organizing Online Joint Research Meetings Using Zoom
Ver. 2.03
Joint Research Support Section,
Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences,
Kyoto University
The guidelines compile the procedure when a principal organizer holds anonline joint research meeting outside the Research Institute for Mathematical
Sciences (RIMS).
The principal organizer is requested to study the possibility of organizing a joint
research meeting online based on the guidelines, communicating with the Joint
Research Support Section at RIMS (by email or online meeting). The final
judgment whether holding it online is possible or not should be made at least by
30 days prior to the day of the meeting.
The guidelines offer a standard model (with top priority placed on security) andtherefore it is not our intention to prevent organizers from familiarizing themselveswith the Zoom features and making changes as appropriate.
Introduction
A paid account for Zoom is required to organize online joint researchmeetings. For smoother administration of online meetings, the free version is notrecommended as it is difficult to organize online meetings on the free version withmany restrictions. For example, the duration of a meeting is limited to 40 minutes
maximum, and having more than one host (who manage joint research meetings)
is not possible. (The free version is, however, helpful to familiarize yourselveswith the Zoom features.)
If you do not have a paid account, RIMS will prepare one. Follow theprocedure, etc. indicated in the guidelines when organizing online joint researchmeetings. (Up to 300 persons can join.)
If you own a paid account available, you may organize online meetings on yourown responsibility. Take action as appropriate while referring to the procedure
indicated in the guidelines, etc.
Basically, online joint research meetings are closed “workshops” . If they
are switched to open-type “Symposia” (i.e., URLs are openly available so thatanyone can freely join), irrelevant outsiders may disrupt online meetings. (Thisproblem is known as Zoombombing.) It is necessary to manage participants
properly for the “workshop” to be held without such problems.

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If you wish to hold an online joint research meeting open to the public (i.e., a
URL is posted on the website so that anyone can join a Zoom meeting anytime
during a session), consult with our section in advance.
The specific procedure is explained below.
The details are provided in the two types (indicated in two different
colors) of Zoom procedure manuals (“The Manual” hereafter), which areattached for reference.
Blue text: Refer to the host manual for details.
Red text: Refer to the guest manual for details.
Terminology, etc.
Organizer
Organizers have the overall responsibility for joint research meetings.
Organizers have host privileges of Zoom. Organizers are responsible forthe management duties for holding a Zoom meeting (e.g., admission andremoval of participants on the day of the meeting and designation of cohosts), identification of prospective participants in a joint research meeting,sending out invitation emails, management of participants on the day ofthe meeting, preparation of a final list of actual participants and editing ofKôkyûroku on their own responsibility, etc.
* It is strongly recommended to designate a vice organizer(s) orappropriate a co-manager(s) to delegate co-host privileges of Zoom for
management.
Chairs (chairpersons)
Chairs facilitate a meeting of a specific section of a joint researchmeeting. Chairs require host privileges (as co-hosts) of Zoom. Chairs aredesignated as co-hosts by the organizer. Chairs also control duties, suchas receiving questions and allowing participants to speak.
Speakers
Speakers deliver online presentations and lectures, using the sharefeatures of Zoom to share PDF and PowerPoint images and/or projecting,the actual blackboard/whiteboard with a built-in camera. Speakers require
host privileges (as co-hosts) of Zoom. Speakers can be designated as cohosts by the organizer.
Participants
A participant joins a meeting by starting Zoom on a PC, tablet, or
smartphone. It is possible to join a meeting without a Zoom account.
Participants are not allowed to speak out during a presentation (forcibly
muted). In a Q&A session, a participant uses the (Raise Hand) button andobtains permission to speak from the chair before asking a question.

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Ver. 2.03 updated on July 20, 2020

Who are hosts and co-hosts?
Hosts and co-hosts refer to persons who have management privileges on
Zoom. The main management duties of hosts are as follows.
• Ending a meeting room (Only hosts can end a meeting room while only the
RIMS staff can start a meeting.)• Approving admission of participants and forcibly removing outsiders (Bothhosts and co-hosts have these privileges.)• Forcibly muting or unmuting participants (disabling or enabling theirmicrophones) (Both hosts and co-hosts have these privileges.)• Delegating host privileges to any other person (Only hosts have thisprivilege.)• Designating any other person as a co-host (Only hosts have this privilege.)
Default setting for Zoom
It takes some time to understand the Zoom setting. At first, simply try thefollowing setting recommended by RIMS.

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•
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•

The default setting for Zoom recommended by RIMS is as follows
Disable the chat (private chat) and file transfer features.
Disable the polling feature.
Enable the screen sharing privilege only for hosts and co-hosts (organizers,
chairs, and speakers).
Enable the annotation feature for screen sharing only for hosts and co-hosts(organizers, chairs, and speakers).
Disable participants to unmute themselves. (Enable this feature only forhosts.)For others, maintain the standard setting of Zoom.

* Organizers who are familiar with Zoom may change the setting as
appropriate on their own responsibility. If a special setting is required, consult
with us in advance.

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The following sections explain the specific actions to be taken byorganizers, chairs, speakers, and participants.

Organizers
The organizer must perform various duties as an overall manager. Thissection explains the specific actions to be taken and roles to be fulfilled in
the time series, from making preparations to holding a meeting.
Overall schedule (from preparations to the day of a meeting)0.
What to do before the submission deadline of the documents for a
research meeting (Deadline: 30 days before the meeting)
The organizer makes preliminary arrangements with the person in chargeof the Joint Research Support Section at RIMS (“RIMS staff” hereafter) by email
or online Zoom meeting at least 30 days before the meeting, which is thedeadline to submit the required documents for a research meeting, and makes a
final judgment to determine whether it is possible to hold an online Zoom meetingfor the joint research. The organizer submits a joint research program (final
version) to the RIMS staff. The organizer confirms the contact information (email
address), etc. of prospective participants and applicants.
1.
Promptly after 0.
Based on the joint research program and documents submitted by theorganizer, the RIMS staff will set up an online meeting using the privileges of thepaid account, and obtain an automatically generated URL for pre-registration forjoining a meeting room.
(The meeting room should be scheduled to be open at least one hour prior to
the actual start time of the research program. This is to have enough time for abriefing with the RIMS staff and to do necessary preparations (e.g., designationof co-hosts) before it starts.
The RIMS staff will notify the organizer of the generated URL for preregistration.
2.
After 1. until the previous day of a meeting(1) The organizer sends out the URL for pre-registration and the joint
research program to prospective participants by email (forinvitation).
[Note] Principal organizers are to assume responsibility for theconfidentiality of URLs, IDs, and passwords. It is also strictly
prohibited to post such URLs, IDs, and passwords at locations thatare accessible to many and unspecified third parties (e.g., websites,
social media).

4Ver. 2.03 updated on July 20, 2020

(2) Organizers, chairs, and speakers should rehearse using a paid
Zoom account of RIMS. The Organizer should make a request to the
RIMS staff in advance for a rehearsal to be conducted in the samemanner as that on the day of the meeting (as described in 3.). The
Organizer and the chairs should test the host privileges to know how
they work. Speakers should rehearse checking the presentation methods
available on Zoom.
(It is possible to rehearse on a free account with the limited features. It
is, however, recommended to use the paid account of RIMS for therehearsal.)(3) Participants must click the URL for pre-registration in 2.(1) by the day
before the meeting. After pre-registration (e.g., name, affiliation, email
address) is completed, the URL (or ID and password) for the online
meeting room for joint research is notified by email and on the nextscreen. Record the URL, etc.
[Note] Do not share URLs, IDs, and passwords with outsiders. It is also
strictly prohibited to post such URLs, IDs, and passwords at
locations that are accessible to many and unspecified third parties(e.g., websites, social media).
3.
On the day of a meeting(1) The online meeting room for the joint research will become available on apaid account. The organizer clicks the URL (or enters the ID andpassword) for the meeting room notified in 2.(3) and waits in the Waiting
Room until the RIMS staff approves his/her admission. After final
arrangements are made online on the day of the meeting, host privileges
are delegated from the RIMS staff to the organizer.
(2) The organizer designates a vice organizer(s), chairs, speakers, etc.
as co-hosts and approves admissions of participants, etc. before theonline joint research meeting starts.
(3) Participants click the URL (or enter the ID and password) for the meetingroom notified in 2.(3) to follow the admission procedure. (Participants areadmitted to the Waiting Room temporarily. They are admitted to themeeting room when the host approves their admission.)(4) The organizer (or the co-hosts designated to manage the meeting)manages the overall situation during the online joint research meeting.
The organizer is responsible for checking on the names of participantsin the Waiting Room, approving admissions or forcibly removing
participants, designating other co-hosts when chairs and speakers
are being changed, and ending the online meeting room (ending theonline joint research meeting).

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(5) Chairs manage to facilitate the presentations delivered by the speakers
and control Q & A sessions after presentations, etc. (e.g., unmuting
participants who raise hands for permissions to ask questions).
(6) When the online joint research meeting ends for the day, the organizer
ends the meeting room. (Make sure to select [End Meeting for All] andreport the end of the meeting to the Joint Research Support Section at
RIMS by email. (The Joint Research Support Section offers support until
17:00.)(7) To hold a meeting on the following day, follow instruction in 3.(1).
4.
After the end of a joint research meeting
The organizer is asked to submit lists of participants based on the preregistration data (name, affiliation, position, email address) offered by the RIMS
staff along with the lists of participants who would fall into the categories as‘participants from foreign institutes’, ‘researchers aged 35 or younger’,‘researchers aged 36 to 39’, and/or female participants.’* Basically, the Joint Research Support Section at RIMS is not responsible forthe administration of online joint research meetings explained in sections in
3. except for (1). During a meeting, hosts (e.g., organizers [co-managers,
including vice organizers] and chairs) are responsible for its
administration.
* Note that host privileges can be delegated (from the RIMS staff to theorganizer) only when the meeting room is open and that host privileges are
only effective during the meeting and invalidated when it ends.
* When a host (organizer) leaves the meeting for some reason, he/she candelegate the host privileges to a designated participant to continue themeeting.
* If the Zoom meeting ends halfway through (e.g., a host accidentally clicks
the (End) button when leaving the meeting or the screen blacks out due to asystem failure), RIMS staff will open up the meeting room again. Contact the
Joint Research Support Section of RIMS (+81-75-753-7206:
kyodo(at)kurims.kyoto-u.ac.jp) immediately.
For details (e.g., how to send email to participants, how to designate viceorganizers, chairs, speakers, etc. as co-hosts, how to approve admission or
forcibly remove participants), refer to the host manual.

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Ver. 2.03 updated on July 20, 2020

ChairsChairs are designated as co-hosts by the organizer to control the section
they are in charge of (management of facilitation, including introduction of
speakers and Q&A).
Not only the organizer, Chairs are also required to familiarize themselveswith the Zoom features as in the case of the organizer. Read the manual,etc. carefully before an online joint research meeting.
Standard procedure to hold an online joint research meeting (on the dayof a meeting)• Example of facilitation of presentations and Q&A* Organizers who are familiar with Zoom may change the settings orprocedures as appropriate on their own responsibility.
[0][1]

The organizer designates chairs and speakers as co-hosts.
The chair (co-host) clicks the (Mute All) button and unchecks (Allow
Participants to Unmute Themselves) for all participants (except for thehost) so that they cannot speak out freely.
[2] Speakers (co-hosts) unmute themselves when delivering a presentation.
[3] While a speaker delivers a presentation, the chairs are responsible formanaging the Zoom screen.
[4] During a presentation, all participants are muted and cannot speak. The
chair is also muted in principle.
[5] When a presentation is finished, the chair unmutes him/herself andfacilitates Q&A.
[6] Participants click the (Raise Hand) button to request to speak out.
[7] The chair checks the status, unmutes the participant (who asks aquestion), and asks the participant to speak.
[8] The speaker communicates with the participant (who asks a question) for
Q&A.
→ When the question is finished, go back to [5]. (Move on to the next question.)→ When the presentation is finished, go back to [0].
(Start the next presentation.
→ The organizer designates the next speaker as a co-host.)
For details (e.g., how to mute and unmute participants including yourself,
explanation of the Zoom screen), refer to the host manual.

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Ver. 2.03 updated on July 20, 2020

Speakers
Speakers are designated as co-hosts by the organizer and deliver apresentation to the Zoom audience (participants) using the share screenfeatures and camera features of Zoom.
Regarding the presentation procedure on the day of the meeting, refer tothe procedure written in the section for Chairs above.
Presentations are conducted mainly in one of the two methods below.
(1) Deliver a presentation showing PDF and PowerPoint files using the sharescreen feature(2) Deliver a presentation while showing the image of the speaker and theblackboard/ whiteboard, etc. using the camera of the speaker’s PC
For details (e.g., how to use the share feature), refer to the host manual.

ParticipantsParticipants pre-register following the instructions in the invitation email
sent from the organizer and join an online joint research meeting by
clicking the URL for the meeting room notified in a later email, etc. Join ameeting at an appropriate timing, referring the program.
Register your real name when joining a meeting so that you are identified
correctly.
In Q&A, click the (Raise Hand) button and wait before asking a question.
For details (e.g., how to join an online joint research meeting, how to register
your name, how to use the Raise Hand feature when asking a question), refer tothe guest manual.

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Ver. 2.03 updated on July 20, 2020

Rules that must be observed by all participants of an online joint researchmeeting● Do not share URLs, IDs, and passwords for online joint research meetings
with outsiders. It is also strictly prohibited to post such URLs, IDs, andpasswords at locations that are accessible to many and unspecified third
parties (e.g., websites, social media).
→ Outsiders (third parties) may enter without permission and jeopardize
the online joint research meetings by engaging in annoying behavior(e.g., activities irrelevant to joint research).
→ The use of an incorrect address may result in information leakage tothird parties.
● It is prohibited to record and store the videos and images of presentations,
except for recording of presentations within the scope of personal use, etc. It
is strictly prohibited to distribute such videos and images at locations that areaccessible to many and unspecified third parties.
● Speakers must exercise utmost care in handling of reference materials usedas presentation documents. They must implement appropriate measures(e.g., clearly indicating the source).
→ Regarding handling of copyright, appropriate measures must be
implemented in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

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Finally, there are two requests to organizers.
Manage participants properly.
• Note when inviting participants
Organizers must send an invitation email to prospective participants before ameeting. Please pay extra care not to send the emails to incorrect addresses.
There have been many reports about incidents in which outsiders accessed
online joint research meetings and disrupted administration.
When sending invitation emails, make sure to ask participants not to share theinformation (e.g., URL, ID, password) with outsiders or via social media, etc.
• Checking participants in the Waiting Room (to the extent possible)
Participants are sent temporarily to the Waiting Room at first when they click
the URL for the joint research meeting (notified by an invitation email and a final
email after pre-registration) until the organizer or a person with the host privileges
admits them into the meeting room.
The Waiting Room is set up to have chances to confirm those in the Waiting
Room are actually the prospective participants, thus to prevent outsiders fromentering the meeting room.
When the number of participants is large (e.g., 50 or more), it may not be apractical task to identify each of them and give approval one by one. Although it
is unlikely that outsiders could intrude the meetings when the standard preregistration method of Zoom is taken, we advise to make the arrangements to theextent possible to have two or more co-managers [co-hosts] who have theprivilege so that approvals are given properly to right participants, and thus
intrusions of outsiders will be prevented.
When there are many prospective participants (e.g., 50 or more), it will requireconsiderable time to give approval to those in the Waiting Room. In such cases,
the setting can be changed to the version in which participants are admitted
directly without the Waiting Room feature. Consult with the Joint Research
Support Section in advance.
• Submitting a list of participants after an online joint research meeting
The organizer must submit a list of participants to the RIMS staff after the endof an online joint research meeting. (It is also necessary to identify and specify
participants who are categorized as those from foreign institutes, young
researchers, and female participants.) (The lists are to be reported to the Ministryof Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.)

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The organizer must specify into lists the participants who fall in the categories
of ‘Participants from foreign institutes,’ ‘Participants aged 35 or younger,’‘Participants aged 36 to 39,’ and ‘Female participants’. These lists are asked tobe submitted to the RIMS staff after the joint research meeting.
This process is not to require thorough surveys on the participants and thejudgements can be made based solely on the organizer’s impressions.
Exercise utmost care in administration and be ready to cope with
unexpected incidents properly.
The organizer are asked to give special consideration so that all relevant
participants will observe the following points to prepare themselves for any
possible contingencies in the meeting beforehand.
● Do not share URLs, IDs, and passwords for meeting rooms for online
joint research with outsiders. It is also strictly prohibited to post such
URLs, IDs, and passwords at locations that are accessible to many andunspecified third parties (e.g., websites, social media).
● If there is information leakage about the URL, etc. and outsiders log in during
an online joint research meeting, the organizer must take appropriate
action (e.g., remove such outsiders). Organizers are expected to be
familiarized with the Zoom features beforehand to take actions promptly.
● It is prohibited to record and store the videos and images of presentations,
except for recording of presentations within the scope of personal use, etc. It
is strictly prohibited to distribute such videos and images at locations that areaccessible to many and unspecified third parties.
● Speakers must exercise utmost care in handling of reference materials usedas presentation documents. They must implement appropriate measures(e.g., clearly indicating the source).
● If a Zoom meeting is forcibly ended due to a problem, RIMS staff will open
the meeting room again. Contact the RIMS staff immediately.
● RIMS is not held responsible for any problems that may arise during online
joint research meetings, except in cases where such problems are caused by
failure of the Zoom account (paid version).

When using the guidelines for purposes other than joint usage projects of RIMS,
contact the Joint Research Support Section (kyodo(at)kurims.kyoto-u.ac.jp).
© RIMS11