The Basic Act on Ocean Policy of Japan states that "it is important to realize a new oceanic state in harmonization of the peaceful and positive development and the use of oceans with conservation of the marine environment, under the international cooperation". Kochi prefecture is faced to the Kuroshio Current of the Pacific Ocean; Taking advantage of it, Kochi University has provided the essential research infrastructure and the research system such as Center for Advanced Marine Core Research, etc. We have also developed our original applied investigation and fundamental one in the world class.

  The Medical Graduate School and Graduate School of Science have appointed 56 assistant professors in the three years since FY 2007, and the number of temporary employment for assistant professors and postdoctoral researchers (PD) has increased. Moreover, we support research funds by President’s discretionary grants, advice for acquisition of the external capital, and give incentives to work to enhance their research environment. We have awarded 67 doctor’s degrees, and produced 11 teachers and 10 public researchers in these three years.

  Since FY2004, the Medical Graduate School has introduced fixed term employment (reappointment is possible) for all teachers. The Graduated School of Science has also introduced this for newly appointed assistant professors (reappointment is possible for five years).

  Our university executed a large-scale reorganization of teachers in FY 2008. Also, we are organizing the "Research Center for Innovation of Marine Science and Technology" assembling human resources on marine life science research, and are aiming to develop researchers who are able to pioneer new interdisciplinary areas of marine science research by posting and training them as a "Tenure Track Teacher", and to build a world-class research center. To this end, we are going to set up an "Evaluation and Support Organization for Young Researchers" to promote a system which is able to train young researchers, and to spread fair and transparent "Tenure Track System" throughout the University.

  

“Tenure-track system” is a development opportunity to support young researchers during five consecutive years of provisional period. Six positions were available at the first year, and three positions have been recently available (FY 2013) as international career opportunity. All applicants will be reviewed equally and competently by evaluation standard, and successful candidate will be appointed as either tenure-track assistant professor or lecturer.

Tenure-track researchers will be provided an independent research environment and facilities to pursue their research project by working closely with the other faculties. Tenure shall be based on recognized achievement, progress of the mission statement and management skills in accordance with tenure review standard. Also, the evaluation will be assessed fairly and equally by the standing committee. Successful candidate will be promoted to Associate Professor or Lecturer when passing the final assessment at the end of the fifth year (FY 2017).

  We will support independent and well-equipped research space, research expenditure including start-up funds, travelling expenses for collecting overseas information abroad and for presentations at academic conferences, strategic distribution of teaching assistant/research assistant funds for student assistants, and arrange for PDs or research assistants. Also, we are going to plan programs for promoting researchers with mentors (inside/outside the University) and develop world-class researchers by international exhibitions and a faculty-development program.

  We will continue promoting young researchers through our innovative approaches, and verify the results of this method of adopting and promoting tenure track teachers through an external evaluation by a third party. We are aiming at the introduction and establishment of the new talent system through the whole University.

  We will offer internationally six tenure-track positions for the first year, and equip research environment and personnel development system by the end of the third year. They will be evaluated in the mid- term by the evaluation committee (including external members), advised for progress and direction in research, and guided with the evaluation. Researchers achieving excellent performance will be considered to promote to tenure position. And details of the examination system and criteria will be announced. Additional three positions will be advertised in the third year, and they will be appointed in the fourth year.
In the final year (fifth year), We will provide tenure positions which enable all the teachers to be tenured and employed as an associate professor or a lecturer after executing the selection by research report and presentation method with the evaluation committee including external members. We will execute external evaluation of the program and build the new talent system. It will be begun with available posts to spread the system to the University.