The Japan Committee for IIASA

News:

• Dr. Albert van Jaarsveld became the eleventh Director General of IIASA on 1 October 2018.

Activity Report:

• ACP/IIASA Joint International Workshop (7 November 2019)
  Implementing Solutions to Air Pollution and Climate Change in Asia: Building Capacities, Strengthening Policies, and Financing Technologies
• International Workshop (19 February 2019)
  How Can Asia Manage Air Pollution and Climate Change?
  From Understanding Impacts to Implementing Solutions
• Seminar (9 October 2018)
  Future Outlook on “The World in 2050” Initiative (TWI2050)
• More Activity Report

In October 1972 at the height of the Cold War, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) was founded as an international research organisation conducting policy-oriented research. The IIASA project was to use scientific cooperation to build bridges across the Cold War divide and to research common mature society problems. Both East and West blocs left their political positions, and joined together to establish an independent (non-governmental) based International Research Institute.
After the ease of strained relationship between East and West, IIASA started to focus its research on solving global scale problems mainly in the field of systems analysis. IIASA has become one of the world’s leading international research institutes, with specialists like recipients of the Nobel Prize as well as IPCC lead authors. In recent years, developing countries have joined IIASA, and now the main issues of research are shifting from East-West problems to North-South problems (poverty, food, equality, etc.)

Austria, Brazil, China, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam (Total of 22 countries)

(as of 1 November, 2019)

IIASA’s research analyses the social sustainability as well as the effect of global changes in global environmental, economic, technological, and social changes.　Researchers from all over the world gathered to provide scientific insight based on the latest systems analysis to policy-makers and scientific society.
Currently IIASA research is based on three Global Problem Areas and nine Programmes.

From 1977, IIASA has conducted the “Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP)”. YSSP is held at IIASA headquarters from June through August. The programme accepts about 50 young scientists (post doctorate degree students) nominated by each country and they work within the Institute’s Research Programs under the guidance of IIASA scientific staff.
More about YSSP: https://www.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/education/yssp/Young_Scientists_Summer_Program.html

Japan established the Japan Committee for IIASA at the same time that the IIASA was founded in 1972. The Japan Committee of IIASA was organised by persons with academic standing, and has cooperated with IIASA for its operation and development. Currently, Professor Kazuhiko TAKEUCHI, President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies/ Project Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI), The University of Tokyo, is the Chair of the Japan Committee for IIASA. Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto, who is President, the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC)/ Project Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI), The University of Tokyo, serves as a Council Member of IIASA representing Japan. The Japan Committee for IIASA is made up of a total of 8 committee members.

IIASA’s annual 3-month Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) offers research opportunities to young researchers whose interests correspond with IIASA’s ongoing research on issues of global environmental, economic and social change. From June through August, accepted participants work within the Institute’s Research Programs under the guidance of IIASA scientific staff. Since the beginning of the Program in 1977, 1917 young scientists from 86 countries have participated.

For detailed information of YSSP, please see IIASA webpage:

• IIASA Young Scientists Program
• Application : 1 October 2020 – 14 January 2021
• Programme Begins: 1 June 2021– 31 August 2021

IIASA Japan Committee Support System

The IIASA Japan Committee implemented the "IIASA Japan Committee Support System" to fund Japanese participants in the Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) in 2021 to support part of their travel expenses. In this system, the IIASA Japan Committee will make a recommendation from among those Japanese applicants left in the final selection of the YSSP in 2021, and will provide JPY300,000 as part of the travel expenses to participate in the program. Since this system is operated based on information on those remaining applicants from the final screening provided by IIASA, there is no need to apply separately to the Japanese Committee for this support system. Any YSSP participant who received support from the IIASA Japan Committee is requested to submit a report to the Committee, after completing their participation in YSSP. Please note that this report may be made public in order to share information between IIASA and the Japanese research community.

The Japan Committee for IIASA Secretariat
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Strategic Management Office
2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama Kanagawa, 240-0115, Japan
Tel: 046-855-3852   Fax: 046-855-3809   [email protected]