NJAA

JSPS BRIDGE Fellowship Program 2024: call for applications from NJAA members

Deadline for submission of application to NJAA: 15 January 2024

We are pleased to inform members of Nepal JSPS Alumni Association that JSPS will be providing one awardee to NJAA, under the JSPS BRIDGE Fellowship Program for 2024.

Under this Fellowship, the selected candidate will be allowed to conduct a research in Japan with a host researcher to be proposed by the applicant, for which an agreement has to be sought from the host researcher. The Fellowship allows for a visit to Japan for the research work for a period of 14 to 30 consecutive days.

We are thus pleased to invite the interested candidate(s) to apply for this fellowship. If you are interested, please complete Form A (application), which can be downloaded from <here>; and Form B (Agreement by the Host Researcher in Japan), which can be downloaded from <here>.

Completed Form A and Form B, along with your CV should be sent by email to njaa.nepal@gmail.com with a copy to krishna.pahari@ndri.org.np. The

deadline for submission is 15th January 2024.

While preparing and submitting your application, please refer to the guidelines (refer to the link <here>)by the JSPS, which includes details regarding the eligibility of the applicant, eligibility of the host researcher, terms of the fellowship and entitlements.

Following are the criteria for selection of candidate by NJAA for this purpose:

1) The applicant should demonstrate concrete evidence of his/he active involvement in our association. Applications who have not participated in any activities of the association will not be preferred for the selection.

2) Applicants who have come back and spent at least three years in our country after completing the JSPS fellowship will be given preference.

3) The applicant must be an active researcher engaged in research work working at a university or a research institute.

4) The applicant should amply prove through his/her application that he/she will significantly contribute to creating, sustaining and/or strengthening scientific network between our country and Japan.

5) The applicant should show proof of pre-visit communication between the applicant and the proposed host researcher and provide a concrete activity plan established between them.

6) The letter of acceptance by the host researcher to host the applicant must be submitted with the application.

7) The applicant should preferably provide a No Objection Certificate for the visit from his/her current employer/organization.

8) The research proposal should not be related to military affairs.

9) No preference shall be given to the applicant’s age, specialty or destination institution.

10) Utmost care shall be taken not to leak the applicant’s personal information.

11) If required, the nominating committee will have authority to prepare, approve and implement the necessary framework and guidelines.

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Announcement on HOPE meeting participants from Nepal

NJAA is pleased to announce that following two candidates have been selected to participate in the 15th HOPE meeting from 26 February to 1 March 2024 in Kyoto, Japan being organized by JSPS:

Dr. Kedar Nath Dhakal, RECAST, Tribhuvan University, and
Ms. Sushma Pandey, Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University.

Congratulations to the selected candidates!

8th Annual Symposium on ‘Transport Connectivity in Nepal: Opportunity and Challenges’

NJAA is pleased to announce this symposium being held on 1st November 2023, at Hotel Himalaya from 9 am to 1:30 pm.

Participation in the symposium is by invitation. Those interested in participating in the event may contact njaa.npeal@gmail.com or krishna.pahari@ndri.org.np

The symposium will have high level presentations including the following:

· Key Issues for the Urban Railway and Transit Oriented Development; Key note speech by Prof. Shigeru Morichi, Professor Emeritus of University of Tokyo and currently Professor at the National Graduate Institute of Policy Studies (GRIPS).

· Mountain Roads in Nepal: Need for Alternative Approach for Construction – Prof. Bishal Nath Upreti, Academician, Nepal Academy of Sciences and Technology

· Leap-Frogging in Transport Sector of Nepal: Challenges and the Way Forward – Dr. Surya Raj Acharya, Infrastructure Policy Specialist

· Railway development in Nepal: current state and the way forward - Mr. Rohit Kumar Bisural, Director General, Department of Railways

· Japan’s Cooperation in Nepal for Smooth Connectivity - Mr. Yukihiro Koizumi, Deputy Director General (Infrastructure and Management Department) JICA Headquarters, Tokyo

HOPE meeting update

We are pleased to note that following our call for applications, we received a very good number of applications. Successful candidates will be notified after confirmation of the selection from JSPS. This notification to successful candidates is expected sometime in December

Call for Applications from Ph.D. students and/or young researchers to participate in the 15th HOPE meeting in Kyoto Japan (26 February to 1 March 2024)

(Published 6 August 2023)

We are pleased to inform that the 15th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Laureates is being organized by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) from 26 February to 1 March, 2024 in Kyoto, Japan. The outline of the meeting can be accessed <here> .

Nepal JSPS Alumni Association (NJAA) is going to nominate up to two excellent PhD students and/or young researchers (who received their PhDs within the past 5 years as of 1 April 2023). Those interested and eligible to participate in the 15th HOPE Meeting are invited to apply by August 28, 2023 with the following:

1, Fully completed Application Form: Download the Application Form from <here>. The instructions to fill the Application Form can be downloaded from <here>.

2. Your CV with academic achievements and publications along with the application

Please send your application and CV to njaa.nepal@gmail.com with cc to krishna.pahari@ndri.org.np

You may also write to these addresses in case you have difficulty in downloading any of the documents.

Eligibility and Criteria

1. A PhD student or young researcher (received PhDs within the past 5 years*; after 2 April 2018) with a record of excellent academic performance

*Past 5 years excluding periods of maternity/paternity, and childcare leave.

2. Not been selected to participate in a past HOPE Meeting

3. An excellent record of research and a high level of interest in the societal influence of scientific knowledge and its application

4. A strong interest in a wide scope of science and research

5. Expected to go on to advance future research in the Meeting’s subject field(s)

6. By participating in the meeting, be expected to initiate joint research and/or build collegial networks in the future

7. A strong desire to participate actively in the Meeting’s exchanges and discussions –

8. Ample English proficiency to do so

9. Able to participate in the entire Meeting program from 26 February to 1 March

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Other news

14th HOPE meeting: We are pleased to inform that upon recommendation from NJAA, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) has selected Dr. Sarmila Tandukar (currently working at the Policy Research Institute) and Mr. Rakesh Kayastha (currently a Ph.D. student at Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu Univeristy) to participate in the 14th HOPE meeting in Japan to be held from 27 February to 3 March 2023.

The seventh symposium of NJAA on Emerging Developments in Space Technology and Applications has been held successfully on 29th November 2029, The details of the symposium shall be made available soon.

Call for Applications: BRIDGE Fellowship Progrmmae 2023

We are pleased to inform you that JSPS will be providing one awardee to NJAA, under the JSPS BRIDGE Fellowship Program for 2023.

Please complete Form A (application) and Form B (Agreement by the Host Researcher in Japan) when you submit your application. This can be sent by email to: njaa@gmail.com

Please refer to the guidelines by the JSPS while preparing and submitting your application, which also includes details regarding the eligibility of the applicant, eligibility of the host researcher, terms of the fellowship and entitlements.

Following are the criteria for the selection of candidate for this purpose:

1) The applicant should demonstrate concrete evidence of his/her active involvement in our association. Applications who have not participated in any activities of the association will not be preferred for the selection.