## Details of Regional Innovation Strategy Support Program

The Regional Innovation Strategy Support Program provides support with special focus on forming intellectual assets and developing human resources in regions where MEXT's support is expected to contribute largely to the realization of their regional innovation strategies. Regions eligible for receiving support are selected among the regional innovation strategy promoting regions (see page 3). This program is shown below. (Each selected region can combine these the concept of programs to promote projects for the creation of regional innovations.)

## (1) Concentration of researchers who play core roles in regional innovation strategies

It is quite important to have competent researchers who play core roles in regions. At the same time, it is necessary to strategically allocate researchers who will lead the creation of regional innovations in order to prevent research activities from halting in the future due to shortages of researchers with similar technological knowledge or young researchers.

To this end, support is provided for the purpose of inviting researchers from the inside and outside Japan who will contribute to the realization of regional innovations based on strategic plan.

[Organizations eligible for receiving aid]

Research institutions such as universities

## [Use of aid]

Personnel costs of researchers (including the initial costs of facilities and equipment, the costs of project implementation, etc.)

## (4) Support for sharing of research facilities and equipment among local universities and other research institutions

Research institutions such as universities possess many research facilities and equipment that local small and medium-sized companies would like to use in order to conduct their research activities more effectively and efficiently. The use of such research facilities and equipment is expected to revitalize the research and development activities in regions.

Therefore, support for allocating staff members for showing how to use the equipment and for giving technical advice is provided to universities and other organizations that make their facilities and equipment available to companies in local areas.

## [Organizations eligible for receiving aid]

Universities and other research organizations whose research facilities, equipment, etc. are not intended to be available to external groups or individuals

## [Use of aid]

Personnel costs of technical staff members, and the expense of their activities (costs of project implementation)

## (2) Development and implementation of human resource development programs toward the realization of regional innovation strategies

In order to develop capable individuals who will contribute to local communities and ensure continuous efforts toward the realization of regional strategies, characteristics of individuals, and suitable prosrams have to be developed must be identified.

To this end support is provided for the development and implementation of programs on capacity building for both the development of new local industries and the revitalization of local communities.

## [Organizations eligible for receiving aid]

General coordinating organizations or research institutions such as universities

## [Use of aid]

Costs of development and implementation of human resource development programs,

## (3) Establishment of knowledge networks of universities and other research institutions

For the creation of regional innovations, it is important to conduct a series of activities, such as sharing of many excellent technology "seeds" possessed by universities and other research organizations, identification of technology needs of local companies, and commercialization of results deriving from such technology "seeds."

Support is provided for the activities of local collaboration coordinators who render necessary support aiming at establishing knowledge networks of local universities through activities to collect and organize the information on technology "seeds" possessed by universities and company needs.

## [Organizations eligible for receiving aid] General coordinating organizations

## [Use of aid]

Personnel costs of local collaboration coordinators, and activity expenses for local collaboration coordinators, project directors and general coordinating organizations (costs of project implementation)