Organization for Promotion of Tenure-track System

Information about Organization for Promotion of Tenure-track System.

Introduction of our tenure-track Faculty Member

Institute of Engineering 

Institute of Agriculture

Past approaches

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology was selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Science and Technology Promotion Coordination Fund "Promotion of the Development of an Independent Research Environment for Young Researchers" in fiscal 2006, and hired 22 people, 5% of all Faculty Member and 13% of all Associate Professor, as tenure-track Faculty Member with five-year terms. The recruitment guidelines clearly stated that tenure posts would be prepared for all applicants, and tenure reviews were based solely on performance evaluation, which was positioned as a competition with oneself. For tenure-track Faculty Member, we established an independent research environment and unique training measures so that they could play an active role as research principals, and conducted highly transparent reviews using peer reviews and external committees during tenure reviews. As a result, four people were hired for tenure at the mid-term review and 15 people at the final review.

Since 2008, we have introduced a tenure track system based on our own financial resources (university operating expenses). This tenure track system based on our own financial resources incorporates a method of preparing start-up funds in a university-wide:department-division=1:1:1 matching format, and is highly regarded as a distinctive initiative of our university.

TUAT adopted the MEXT's Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology, "Initiative for the Promotion of Young Scientists' Independent Research" in FY 2006, and employed 22, 5-year tenure-track faculties, which corresponded to 5 % of our whole faculty members and 13% of all the associated professors. In the call for candidates, we stipulated that we prepared the same number of tenure posts as the tenure-track members, and realized the screening of tenure-track faculties based only on their scholarly achievements; so to speak, it was positioned as a challenge to the candidates themselves...

We have consolidated our independent research environment and original training program for the tenure-track faculties to enable them to work as research promoters. We have realized a highly transparent screening process with peer reviews and an external committee to evaluate a tenure- track and so on. As a result, we decided to promote 4 faculties to tenure at the midterm screening, and 15 faculties at the final screening, respectively.

In FY 2008, we introduced the tenure-track system from our voluntary financial resource (university administrative cost) and adopted 5 members additionally as tenure-track faculties in parallel with the MEXT's Special Coordination Funds. In this tenure-track system, we have introduced a method with which to prepare the start-up budget in a matching style to that of the whole university, faculty, and department, in a ratio of 1:1:1. This system has been highly appreciated as a distinctive approach from our university.

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology of Agriculture and Technology's tenure-track program

At Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, the hiring, training, and tenure review of tenure-track Faculty Member are carried out by each graduate school. The target positions for tenure-track Faculty Member have been decided to be young Associate Professor in Institute of Engineering and Assistant Professor to be hired in the Graduate Institute of Agriculture. In principle, tenure-track faculty Faculty Member will be hired to replace retiring Faculty Member.

During the five-year term, tenure-track Faculty Member who are hired will receive preferential treatment such as the allocation of start-up funds, allocation of independent research space, allocation of mentor Faculty Member, implementation of various training measures, provision of educational opportunities, support during life events, and reduction of the burden of administrative work, allowing them to conduct research in an independent position. Our tenure-track system provides tenure posts for all tenure-track Faculty Member, and realizes tenure reviews based on pure performance evaluation for each individual Faculty Member. An interim evaluation is conducted in the third year after employment, and if it is determined that the faculty member has achieved excellent performance, tenure will be granted at this point. A tenure review is conducted in the fifth year, and a final decision on tenure will be made. If tenure is not obtained, a safety net system of continued employment for up to one year is provided, and recruitment support is provided. In tenure reviews, etc., external perspectives and evaluations such as external peer reviews and external selection and review committees are used to ensure the transparency and fairness of selection and review.

In TUAT, each institute conducts the recruitment, training, and evaluation of a tenure-track faculty.
The post open to become a tenure track faculty has been determined to be a younger associated professor in the Institute of Engineering, and all assistant professors in the Institute of Agriculture, respectively. When a faculty member who reaches the retirement age limit is replaced, a tenure-track faculty member will be adopted as a general rule.

The adopted tenure-track faculties are given preferential treatment including; allocation of start-up budgets and solid research space, arrangement of a mentor faculty, implementation of various training programs, provision of education opportunities, support of their life events, reduction of the administrative task loads, and to propel their research retaining their independent standpoint during their 5-year term. In our tenure-track system, we open up the same number of tenure posts as there are tenure-track members, and conduct the screening of tenure-track faculties based on individual member's scholarly achievements.

The midterm evaluation is conducted after the 3rd year of their adoption, and the faculty will be promoted to the status of tenure in advance in the case that one has made promising or significant research. In the 5th year of their appointment, we execute the evaluation of tenure-track faculty and make the final decision about the promotion to tenure. In the case of an appointee failing to acquire tenure, we prepare the continued employment period for a maximum of 1 year and support his/her recruitment as a safety net. At the evaluation of a tenure track faculty, we secure the transparency and fairness of the screening and judgment by incorporating the external perspectives and suggestions from the external peer reviews, the external committee, and so on.

• Institute of Engineering Outlines for the evaluation of a tenure track faculty (Institute of Engineering)
• Outlines for the evaluation of a tenure track faculty (Institute of Agriculture)

Operation system

In April 2011, Organization for Promotion of Tenure-track System was established to ensure the smooth continuation of the tenure track system and to establish it within the university. Organization for Promotion of Tenure-track System is run by the Organization Steering Committee, and is responsible for promoting the establishment of a university-wide tenure track implementation system, considering and implementing cross-departmental training measures, and being involved in appeals for tenure reviews, etc.

When hiring tenure-track Faculty Member, the faculty that hires them conducts an international open call for applications, and a highly transparent selection process is carried out by a selection committee consisting of both internal and external committee members. Young researchers who are hired as tenure-track Faculty Member will receive preferential treatment at each faculty, such as start-up funds and research space, the allocation of mentor Faculty Member, and reduced administrative and management burdens, and will be able to conduct independent research as principal investigators. Furthermore, tenure-track Faculty Member will provide research guidance and lectures to undergraduate and graduate students, as they will be responsible for teaching at the university as tenured Faculty Member in the future.

Organization for Promotion of Tenure-track System was established in April 2011 to smoothly continue and settle the tenure-track system within our university. The Governing Board operates the Organization for Promotion of Tenure-track System, in which we execute the promotion and consolidation of the tenure-track operation system involving the whole university, the discussion and operation of the cross-institutional training program, the settlement of adverse claims regarding the tenure-track screening and so on.

At the adoption of the tenure-track faculty, the university announces the invitation of applications internationally, and a Selection Committee comprised of both internal and external committees makes the selection highly transparent. A young researcher adopted as a tenure-track faculty engages in his/her research as an independent research promoter receiving the following preferential treatments; allocation of start-up budgets and research space, arrangement of a mentor faculty, reduction of administrative task loads, and so on. In addition, the tenure-track faculty, who will assume a tenured role in the education of our university in the future, gives research guidance and lectures to undergraduate and graduate students.

Open recruitment for tenure track Faculty Member

For information on recruitment of tenure-track Faculty Member, please see Faculty Member Recruitment Information page on Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology website and the JREC-IN recruitment information page.

For open recruitment of the tenure-track faculty please check the Job Information page in JREC-IN.

• Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Faculty Member Recruitment Information
• Faculty Position Openings
• JREC-IN Recruitment Information