RIKEN receives report from 9th RIKEN Advisory Council

RIKEN has received two important reports from the 9th RIKEN Advisory Council, a panel of international experts, chaired by Distinguished University Professor Rita Colwell of the University of Maryland at College Park, that met in Tokyo on November 11 to 13, 2014 to evaluate RIKEN's activities and make proposals to the president for future activities. In addition to the RAC’s main report, RIKEN also received a report from a special Working Group of the council that met earlier—from November 9 to 10—to make a set of recommendations on the new Chief Scientist system which was established under RIKEN’s Third Five-Year Plan in April 2013.

The RAC report began by stating that, “In the breadth and depth of its research portfolio, its coordination of new and truly multidisciplinary scientific research programs, and its fostering of an institutional culture of scientific excellence undergirded by strong administrative support, RIKEN has shown itself to be in the top ranks of international scientific institutions,” and gave strong support for the naming of RIKEN as a designated national research and development institution under the new framework that is expected to be enacted.

The full reports and supporting materials can be downloaded in the RIKEN Advisory Council webpage.