Purpose
「The Graduate School of Innovation and Practice for Smart Society (SmaSo) 」, which promotes
transdisciplinary research across research fields with the participation and cooperation of faculty members
from four graduate schools, and「The IDEC Institute」which aims to lead the globalization of the entire
university and form a world-class center for practical research and human resource development that
contributes to international contributions, will support young researchers as follows as part of the SmaSo
×IDEC Challenge Project, based on the common philosophy of aiming for the international expansion of
Society 5.0 through transdisciplinary and international education and research.
SmaSo×IDEC Challenge Project 2026 Young Researchers Research Grant Application Guidelines.pdf
Details of Support
We will support following research:
1. Transdisciplinary research across research fields
2. international practical research
Research grant: Up to 500,000 yen per project (about 10 projects to be selected)
※Furthermore, an additional grant of 500,000 yen will be awarded to one research project recognized as
the most outstanding from a transdisciplinary perspective in the form of the “SmaSo Award,” and one
research project recognized as the most outstanding from an international perspective in the form of the
“The IDEC Institute Award.”
Support will be given to research that can be expected to produce certain results within approximately
one year from the date of selection.
Eligibility
All of the following conditions must be met at the time of application. Note that applicants who received
support for「SmaSo×IDEC Challenge Project 2025 Young Researchers Research Grant」are not eligible
to apply.（Those who received the aforementioned research grant in FY2024 may apply, but applications
for the same research content will not be accepted.）
- The applicant must be a faculty (associate professor or below) or a full-time contracted education and
research–related employee (specially-appointed faculty, endowed chair faculty, researcher, or faculty in
collaborative research laboratories) of Hiroshima University who are eligible for “KAKENHI” - The applicant must be 40 years old or younger by the end of FY2026
How to Apply
Please submit the required documents in the following manner.
Application period: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m. (must arrive)
Submission address: IDEC Support Office
Submission method: E-mail (koku-soumu@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp)
Required Documents
Please submit all of the following. One application per person.
1. Application form (as prescribed Word format (docx), either in Japanese or English)
2. Punch picture (as prescribed PowerPoint format (pptx), A4 size, 1 page)
Selection Criteria
The selection will be made according to the selection criteria specified separately to ensure that the content
of the application is appropriate for the transdisciplinary, international, and practical research that SmaSo
and the IDEC Institute are aiming for.
Selection and Notification of Results
After the selection by the SmaSo×IDEC Challenge Project and the Steering Committee, the applicants
will be notified of the results in mid-October 2026.
Others
The selected candidates will be asked to make a presentation at the results reporting meeting or FD hosted
by SmaSo and the IDEC Institute.
