Open Call for Seed Funding for Japan, Australia & IndiaTrilateral Collaboration -Invitation for the Kyoto Roundtable- November 25-27, 2025

2025.08.21 Information

General Information

Kyoto University is pleased to offer a week-long program aimed at promoting collaborative research among scholars from Japan, Australia, and India. This initiative aims to build synergistic partnerships and encourage ongoing academic activities across these nations within the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Funding covers accommodation for up to a one-week stay in Kyoto, including participation in the Kyoto Roundtable: Trilateral Academic Dialogue between Japan, Australia, and India held from November 25 to 27, along with international airfare and publication support. The program is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan.

Research groups currently working on establishing collaborations in the three countries or in any two of the above three are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to hold in-person workshops.

Objectives

The acceleration of global mobility and the increasing interconnectedness of logistics are intensifying social divisions and tensions rooted in different values, underscoring the importance of researchers actively engaging in science and technology diplomacy. This involves not only applying researchers’ expertise but also strategically leveraging academic networks that serve as international communities of specialists in specific fields.

This initiative aims to directly address these rapid changes and explore the potential for a future of normalized international cooperation through cross-cultural and cross-institutional collaboration. The main goal is to generate new value with innovative ideas that go beyond established paradigms. This aligns with the broader objective of promoting global academic collaboration to help future generations lead better lives.

Eligibility

Applications must be led by one PI from Kyoto University, one PI from an Australian Institute, and/or one PI from an Indian Institute. PIs must be faculty members (including specially-appointed or project faculty members) at their home institutions during the application process and the stay in Japan.

The program is open to research groups in fields relevant to the below societal impacts.²

Global Geopolitical Issues and International Relations
Innovation in Human Health
Cyber-Physical Systems & Post-Human

¹In case the applicants need to find a new partner affiliated with Kyoto University or either the Australian or the Indian Institute, the organizer welcomes consultations for finding suitable partners. Notably, the organizer recommends referring to L-INSIGHT fellows, which consists of stellar researchers supported by the governmental program. https://www.l-insight.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/fellows/
Please contact to: info-l-insight [at] mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp

²Refer to the definition of each item in attachment [1_Background_AIJ_Roundtable.pdf].

Funding Amount and Period

Funding covers :

Accommodation for a stay of up to one week in Kyoto
Includes participation in the Kyoto Roundtable: Trilateral Academic Dialogue between Japan, Australia, and India, held from November 25 to 27, 2025
International airfare

※Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia, will receive travel support from UNSW. For details, please contact the relevant UNSW representative for details.

※For follow-up, financial support for publication fees may be available if the joint research shows successful progress after the researcher’s visit to Japan. For details, please refer to Section Financial support for follow-up publication.

How to apply

The funding of exchanges in this program requires submitting an application to the organizer.

1. Register through the online application form (Google Form) with the required information: Names, affiliations, and positions of the representative and co-applicants, and a tentative title for the workshop to be held in Kyoto during Japan-Australia Week.

URL: https://forms.gle/61dBjPWrf8zVDMy38

2. After completing the online registration, fill out the application form (2_form Word file).
The application form must be within 3pages, including the following items;

Research topic and prospect that would be driven through trilateral collaboration.
Regarding the representative of the applicants’ group, description explaining the feasibility of the research topic (e.g., relevant research achievements) are to be provided.
Background of the collaboration of the application group (not necessarily research publishing, including experiences of shared educational or research communities such as PhD exchange, Postdoc experience )

3. Submit the completed Word application form via email by the Application Deadline indicated in Section Call Timeline, to the following address: info-l-insight [at] mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Documents

Call Timeline

Entry (registration) deadline	Monday, 15 September URL: https://forms.gle/61dBjPWrf8zVDMy38
Application deadline	Monday, 29 September Application form: 2_form Word file
Communication of results	Early October
The Kyoto Roundtable for Japan, Australia & India: Trilateral Academic Dialogue	Tuesday-Thursday, 25-27 November Accommodation for successful applicants in Kyoto will be arranged, including the above dates, for a maximum stay of 1 week.

Assessment Criteria

Collaborator complementarity: What is the added value of the new or emerging collaborative relationships? How do multiple collaborations combine the mutual areas of interest and strengths of the applicants? What are the anticipated benefits for the activities of the applicant group?
Capacity for future collaboration: What is the potential for the workshop/ the roundtable to foster ongoing collaboration

Financial support for follow-up publication

Financial Support is available to assist with publication fees for the research outputs of the group, up to 500,000 yen, in cases where the publication is completed before February 1, 2027.

The title for acknowledgement is ”This study was supported in-part by the Program for the Development of Next-generation Leading Scientists with Global Insight (L-INSIGHT), sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan.”

The budget of the successful applicants will be executed in accordance with Kyoto University regulations.

Contact | Center for Enhancing Next-Generation Research, Kyoto University Office for Research Acceleration , 1/F Research Administration Building, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501 JAPAN

Reference

A model of one week stay in Kyoto

Mon. 24^th Nov	Arrival to Osaka, National Holiday in Japan
Tue. 25^th	Meetings and Workshops with your collaborators, at Kyoto University – 1
Wed. 26^th	Meetings and Workshops with your collaborators, at Kyoto University – 2 Preparation for the Kyoto Roundtable
Thu. 27^th	The Kyoto Roundtable 9:00 – 9:30 Coffee service and introductions 9:30 – 12:30 Presentation from the Trinational research groups 30min./group: – Interest and strengths of the applicants in the emerging collaboration – Anticipated benefits for the applicant group by the activities – Prospects of activity 12:30 – 14:00 Lunch 14:00 – 17:00 Discussions* ”What are the commonalities in the Japan-Australia-India cooperation?” ”What initiatives can be undertaken to promote cooperation among the groups?”
Fri. 28^th	Researcher exchanges across groups
Sat. 29^th	Excursion for Autumn leaf viewing in Kyoto
Sun. 30^th	Departure from Osaka