Purpose of the Project
Under this system, Tokai University trains young personnel who have the ability to perform international research in a frontier field, as well as those with the potential to become mentors to nurture the development of researchers who come after them.
In fiscal 2019, the Institute of Innovative Science and Technology was established as a special research zone and efforts were made to establish and expand the tenure track program. From fiscal 2020, the Institute of Innovative Science and Technology was reorganized and the tenure track faculty who had been recruited were assigned to conduct their research activities at the laboratories and centers of the relevant fields.
The assignment of these tenure track faculty to highly specialist laboratories and centers makes it possible for them to focus on their research in an ideal environment. At the same time, it becomes possible for them to build up cooperation with the faculties and graduate schools they are likely to belong to in the future, and for them to slowly improve their abilities as educators. After appointment as full-time faculty, the personnel will belong to a faculty, graduate school or other whilst continuing their advanced research in the laboratory or center they belong to. The program to nurture the next generation of researchers is promoted under this university-wide research support system.
Specific Details of Activities
As mentioned above, Tokai University has been working on its tenure track system since 2010. By utilizing Tokai University’s strengths, tenure track faculty have been employed in a wide range of fields so far, in the fields of medicine, science and technology, oceanography, humanities and social science. The support provided for these tenure track faculty to focus on their research has included a laboratory, administrative work support and initial equipment, the employment of research assistants and research support from technical employees. In addition, highly experienced faculty or researchers who specialize in an area close to them are assigned as mentors and provide advice as they deem appropriate.
Tokai University also actively promotes the integration of the arts and the sciences and interactions between people from differing fields. In order to make it possible for tenure track faculty to have a wide perspective and exchanges with a large number of other researchers, we provide opportunities for active participation in research exchange meetings, industry-university collaboration fairs and other societies within the university.
As one of the outreach activities, the tenure track faculty are required to act as coordinators and plan and operate symposiums where first-class lecturers from each specialist field are invited. Support is provided to cover expenses.
Annual Evaluations, Interim Examinations and Tenure Examinations
In the annual evaluations, the Tenure Track Steering Committee and evaluation subcommittee made up of faculty and researchers from both within the University and beyond evaluate the progress of the research in each fiscal year and give the researchers feedback on the results.
The interim evaluations are implemented in the third fiscal year. If distinguished achievements have been produced at the time of the interim evaluation during the third fiscal year, then the faculty member may move to a full-time teaching post at an early stage. In principal, the interim evaluations and the examination for full-time teachers are conducted with the same evaluation methods and structures. The transfer to a full-time teaching post is recommended by the Tenure Track Steering Committee and then decided after examination by the faculty personnel committee.
In addition, the individual researcher is given feedback on the interim evaluation results and given guidance that is intended to help them satisfy the examination criteria for future recruitment as a full-time faculty member.
The examination for full-time teachers is implemented early in the fifth fiscal year. This examination is the final examination for securing a post as a full-time teacher. If a full-time teaching post is not obtained as a result of this examination, there is a one-year period as a safety net. A wide variety of career path support is provided.
The mentor for the tenure track faculty is excluded from all the processes of the evaluations and examinations.
After the transition to a full-time faculty member, a research environment appropriate for an independent principal investigator (PI) is provided.
*Tenure examination criteria
