Global COE Program - Kyoto University - In Search of Sustainable Humanosphere in Asia and Africa

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Applications are invited to approximately five untenured positions at Kyoto University (Global COE Assistant Professors, and Researchers (Global COE)). This Global COE (Center of Excellence) program, sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, for a period of five years, began in July 2007 to conduct a wide range of interdisciplinary studies on sustainable development in Asia and Africa from a global, long-term perspective. It is designed to create a new paradigm by activating multiple dialogues between specialists of Asian and African area studies with backgrounds in natural sciences, politics, economics, anthropology and history, and scientists working on various frontier technologies. Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Center for Integrated Area Studies, Research Institute of Humanosphere and related schools and research institutions at the University are working together to train specialists capable of tackling the questions which demand dynamic mobilization and interaction of unusually disparate knowledge across disciplines, such as the impact of global warming upon the local societies of Asia and Africa.
The program has four specific research sub-projects (initiatives), reflecting the strength of the faculty involved. They are (1) “Long-term Dynamics of Environment, Technology and Institutions”, which traces multiple paths taken by the regions’ economic and social development over a few centuries to determine the direction of technological and institutional change for the next hundred years, (2) “Toward Co-existence of Human and Nature”, which conducts case studies of local society and its environmental sustainability by combining the orthodox approach of resource management with the analysis of material and energy flows and conversions, (3) “The Forestry Model of Sustainable Humanosphere”, which examines the process of introduction of frontier science and technology into a particular regional community in Sumatra, largely living on forestry and its spin-off industries, to suggest an appropriate policy for sustainable humanosphere, (4) “Studies in the Potentialities of Local Culture, Institution and Technology”, which explores various knowledge and practices embedded in local societies, to seek local developments of sustainable humanosphere. These clusters are in turn linked to an overarching “paradigm cluster” where cross-fertilization of varied approaches is sought to formulate an alternative paradigm to existing intellectual and institutional framework.
Successful candidates will be associated with one of the four clusters and conduct their own research, which should have a bearing on the theme of the program. They are also expected to spend a certain amount of time to support the program’s academic, educational and organizational activities.
We seek candidates from the fields of natural science, social science and humanities who are willing to cooperate with and exchange ideas across a wide range of researchers and to incorporate interdisciplinary approaches to their own research.

Application Guidelines Application Form for COE Assistant Professor Application Form for COE Researcher