Capacity Building and Research Promotion
The capacity building program of the Arctic research projects has been developed and upgraded in the ArCS II project. A new program consisting of the International Research Exchange Program, the Call for Complementary Research Projects, and the Arctic Researchers Networking Program has been implemented as a priority subject, in addition to the consecutive Overseas Fellowship Program.
In all these programs, research plans have been selected by soliciting applications from among and outside the project members to foster and expand the human resources involved in Arctic research. Despite severe domestic and international constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, significant results have been obtained in capacity building for early career researchers and students in Japan and abroad. Early career researchers and students who received support in past projects have begun to play a central role in current Arctic research. It is also expected that those who have received support in this program will similarly steadily develop their careers in their respective fields. As for future challenges, follow-up surveys on the career paths of program participants are required, and efforts should be made to support the formation of career paths for early career human resources by providing opportunities for presentation of results and exchange of opinions, such as cross-program meetings. Although applications were solicited openly, most of the successful applicants were project-related personnel. To find and foster early career researchers who will play important roles in Japan's Arctic research and to expand the community, we should aim for improvement by devising ways to publicize the program and invite applicants from a wider range of fields and organizations.
