NEXUS: Young Talents Exchange and Capacity Development

19 July 2024

About the program

NEXUS (Networked Exchange, United Strength for Stronger Partnerships between Japan and ASEAN) is a flexible and multi-layered cooperative framework, leveraged by the long history of science and technology cooperation between Japan and ASEAN with the opportunity of the “50th anniversary of friendship and cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.” It is aimed to further strengthen the cooperative research relationship between both sides as partners in co-creating innovations in science and technology. The three schemes below are detailed approaches.

International Joint Research: NEXUS supports international joint research in common priority challenges.

Researchers Exchange/Development: NEXUS promotes the development of young international researchers through supporting personnel exchange. It aims to initiate international joint research and formulate a pool of research talent resources.

A Base: NEXUS establishes a “base” (program office) to promote cooperation in science, technology, and innovation, including strengthening the systems and functions of existing research platforms.

Young Talents Exchange and Capacity Development aims to support mutual exchanges (dispatch and invitation) in all fields of science and technology for students, researchers, and teachers who are 40 years old or younger, including high school students, thereby contributing to the activation of international brain cycle and the fostering of the next generation of excellent researchers by promoting exchange and building relationships between young human resources in ASEAN and Japan.

Important date

Application deadline    : Monday September 9th, 2024, 13:00 (JST), 11 am BKK time
Result notification         : Early November 2024

Duration: Up to 1 year from the contract signing date after mid-December

Fields of exchange: Science and technology (natural sciences, humanities and social sciences)

Expenses covered by JST

The JST Support is for expenses directly required for the execution of the exchange program and for the compilation of results, and specifically covers the following items, in principle up to 7 million yen. We ask for your cooperation in understanding that this program is intended to support truly essential expenses from the viewpoint of inviting and dispatching as many participants as possible.

  1. Travel expenses: Travel expenses (airfare, accommodation, meal fee, etc) for participants
  2. Cost of goods: Consumables
  3. Gratuities: Lecturers, speakers, etc., part-time students, etc.
  4. Others: Outsourcing expenses (miscellaneous service expenses), printing and bookbinding expenses, conference expenses, other (miscellaneous expenses), and consumption tax equivalent

Eligibility criteria

  1. High school students, technical college students, university students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, teachers, those engaged in work related to science and technology in public organizations, and those engaged in research and development work in private companies. The Young Talents Exchange Course is, in principle, for those who are 40 years old or younger, and the Leadership Exchange Course has no age requirement, but is open to postdoctoral fellows, teachers, those who are engaged in work related to science and technology at public institutions, and those who are engaged in research and development work at private companies.
  2. Both courses are open to consecutive applications for multiple years. Participants from previous years may be invited to participate in the program again in subsequent years.
  3. Those who are enrolled in an exchange institution at the time of application but have graduated or left their employment at the time of participation in the exchange will not be considered as participants, unless they have decided to continue their enrollment by entering a graduate school at the exchange institution.

For more information:

URL: https://www.jst.go.jp/aspire/nexus/y-tec/en/opencall_2024_en.html
Guidelines: https://www.jst.go.jp/aspire/nexus/y-tec/files/en/2024/nexus_y-tec_application_guidelines.pdf

Contact:           
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Sakura Science Exchange Program
〒102-8666 5-3 Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL: +81-3-5214-8997
Email: y-tec@jst.go.jp