Govt to pay for 2,500 research supporters at universities

The Education, Science and Technology Ministry will for the first time help universities hire research supporters, who assist with the research activities of teachers and doctoral students, by covering their employment costs।

Starting by paying for 2,500 research supporters at 50 universities throughout the nation this fiscal year, the ministry aims to improve the employment situation for young postdoctoral researchers, who often have trouble finding stable jobs after receiving their PhDs, and to improve the nation's research environments।

The government incorporated 30 billion yen into an additional economic stimulus package for fiscal 2009, assuming required costs to be 4 million yen per person। But it will be left up to each university's discretion how to disburse the allocated funds, and any surpluses may be used for administrative and public relations costs.

After the supplementary budget bills pass the Diet, the ministry will invite applications from national, public and private universities, and select those deserving of assistance by considering their research performance and enrollment levels in doctoral courses। Research supporters are tasked with duties that include maintaining observation instruments used for experiments, applying for research funds and generating data for external evaluation, cooperating with universities abroad and companies, helping with the hosting of international conferences.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090425TDY02307.htm