The Graduate School of Innovation and Practice for Smart Society is a graduate school involving faculty members from four research departments at our university: Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, and Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences. With the catchphrase "SmaSo-X," we aim to embody the concept of " Innovation and Practice for Smart Society " by promoting transdisciplinary practical research (crossover research) that transcends expertise (fields), internal and external organizations, as well as boundaries of nations and generations.

In order to achieve the international expansion of Society 5.0 towards the realization of an Super Smart Society, our graduate school has established six research fields (Cyber Physical System, Smart Mobility, Smart Energy, Smart Agriculture, Global Health and Medical Science, Social Innovation Science). Furthermore, faculty members from various fields collaborate flexibly beyond the boundaries of research domains to conduct student-centered collaborative education and research from a multidisciplinary perspective. Faculty members and students of our graduate school are expected to play roles as practical leaders providing practical solutions to various social issues faced by complex international societies. Moreover, they are expected to engage in crossover research toward the realization of a Super Smart Society and actively contribute as innovative international researchers who generate, disseminate, and lead the results.

In the SmaSo-X Challenge project, as part of promoting crossover research in " Innovation and Practice for Smart Society " initiated by our graduate school, we will provide focused support for interdisciplinary collaboration among young faculty members and students across fields.

「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. 

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. 

All of the following conditions must be met at the time of application. Note that applicants who received support for「SmaSo-X Challenge Project 2024 Young Researchers Research Grant」or「The IDEC Institute Young Researchers Research Grant, FY2024 」 are not eligible to apply. （ Those who received the aforementioned research grant in FY2023 may apply, but applications for the same research content will not be accepted.）

1. 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”
2. The applicant must be 40 years old or younger by the end of FY2025

Please submit the required documents in the following manner.
　Application period: Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 5:00 p.m. (must arrive) 
　Submission address: IDEC Support Office 
　Submission method: E-mail (koku-soumu@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp) 

Please submit all of the following. One application per person.
　1. Application form (as prescribed Word format, either in Japanese or English)
　2. Punch picture (1 A4 size page in PowerPoint format)

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. 

After the selection by the SmaSo×IDEC Challenge Project and the Steering Committee, the applicants will be notified of the results in mid-October 2025. 

The selected candidates will be asked to make a presentation at the results reporting meeting or FD hosted by SmaSo and the IDEC Institute. 

*We are calling for the application to AY2024 selection.

We encourage graduate students who engage in crossover research to provide the support as below. Please refer to the application guidelines for further details.

Research grant:  Up to 300,000 yen per project
Grant period:  Students enrolled in April From April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025
                       Students enrolled in October From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025
                       *Grant period is different depending on the enrollment month.

Graduate students (both master’s course and doctoral course) of the Graduate School of Innovation and Practice for Smart Society

*The applicant should be in a standard study period.
** Those who have been selected (including unofficially selected) for the Research Fellowship for Young Scientists by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, or HU-SPRING Research Project by Hiroshima University are NOT eligible for this research grant.
*** If you are currently receiving research grants or scholarships, please confirm that you can receive both grants before applying. If it is proved after the start of the grant period that it is not possible to receive the grants at the same time, the selected candidate’s acceptance may be rescinded and the candidate may be required to reimburse the amount of this research grant (including the amount which has already executed).
**** Applicant should obtain approval from supervisor before applying. If selected, the supervisor will be responsible for the grant administration and its execution will be made in accordance with the regulation by Hiroshima University.

After obtaining approval from the primary supervisor, please submit the required documents in the following manner.

Deadline:  Thursday, October 31, 2024, 5:00 p.m. (No submission will be accepted) 

Submission:  Upload the required documents to Microsoft Forms

https://forms.office.com/r/eWjBuhXsQY

Please submit all of the following documents. One application per person.

1. Application form (as prescribed Word format, either in Japanese or English)
2. Conceptual image of your research (1 page A4 size in PowerPoint format, Example)

Hiroshima University Graduate School of Practice and Innovation for Smart Society offers a scholarship for its doctoral students with the aim of providing support for their study and research activities.