Global Summit of Research Institute Leaders

Every year in Kyoto, Japan, people involved in science and technology policy and research gather for an event called the STS forum, standing for "science and technology in society." As a satellite event, leaders from government research institutes from around the world come together on the Saturday before the STS forum starts, to discuss challenges and shared issues between research institutes. RIKEN has been the leading institute in taking the initiative to hold this event since 2012, when it was first held. Currently, the event is co-hosted by RIKEN and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

Each year, the event has focused on a different theme, and has been structured as a series of talks by speakers either from within the group or by invited guests, followed by a general discussion and the adoption of a closing statement. In the past, the themes have been: