It is our great pleasure to start core to core program between Finland, Germany and Japan. Through this program, we will make international network in the field of cardiac tissue engineering and also educate many excellent young researchers in this field.

April 2009
Yoshiki Sawa 　

This program works to create world-class research hubs and foster young researchers through networking to advance multilateral collaboration in cutting-edge fields of science among the most advanced research institutions in Japan and the following countries: The US, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

The program is implemented in two types: The first is called “Integrated Action Initiatives,” and the second “Strategic Research Networks”. The objective of the first is to support short-term collaborations among researchers in Japan and in other scientifically advanced nations that will lay the foundations for establishing cooperative research networks. The second is to expand and strengthen research networks that will from a relatively long-term perspective sustain and advance cooperative relations between such researchers and research institutions. JSPS issues a call for proposals for “Integrated Action Initiatives”. Based on the screening of the results, projects conducted under the first type may be elevated to the second “Strategic Research Networks”.

Research field considered both in Japan and counterpart countries to be scientifically cutting-edge in the respective research areas.

In each designated field, a coordinator will be appointed in both Japan and the counterpart countries. Transcending their own affiliated institutions, they will form research groups to advance collaborations that combine the three components of joint research activities, scientific meetings, and researcher development.

JSPS will provide the Japanese core institutions with the following funding:
Integrated Action Initiatives: Up to 20 million yen/year
Strategic Research Networks: 10-30 million yen/year

JSPS will cover the following major expenses of the Japanese core institutions.

• International travel expenses
• Domestic travel expenses
• Costs of expendable supplies
• Conference expenses
• Honorariums

Upon applying for project funding under Strategic Research Networks, counterpart core institutions are required to obtain project funding equivalent to JSPS's.