In November 2024, Tohoku University was officially certified as the first ‘University for International Research Excellence’ by the Japanese government. As part of its reform proposal, Tohoku University set forth ‘Commitment for Talent’ as one of its core pledges.
To fulfill this pledge, the Human Capital Management Office (HCM Office) was established as a university-wide initiative.
Under the direction of the provost, the HCM Office operates under 4 divisions: the Division for Research Staff Management, Division for Administrative Staff Management, Division for Common Strategies, and Operations Support Division.
Tohoku University is establishing a flexible and dynamic research system centered around Principal Investigators (PIs). To achieve this, the HCM Office aims to strategically manage the next-generation workforce and foster an environment that comprehensively promotes expertise, diversity, and innovation.
With enhanced HCM capabilities that support and nurture a diverse workforce, Tohoku University will be able to provide flexible and rewarding career paths, improve work environments, and promote skill development tailored to individual strengths, ultimately boosting human capital and advancing university management.
This division is responsible for ensuring that Principal Investigators heading research units are provided internationally competitive compensation, support, and basic research funding tailored to their respective academic fields. Additionally, it offers comprehensive personnel support for early- and mid-career researchers.
This division is focused on ensuring faculty have dedicated research time by expanding the staff involved in university management, including general staff, URAs, and technical staff. It will also ensure recruitment is approached strategically by establishing competitive compensation and benefits.
This division is dedicated to fostering a campus that attracts a diverse workforce from around the world by promoting diversity awareness, improving the work environment, and developing comprehensive support systems. It will also collaborate with administrative bodies to streamline international support services and improve housing and living conditions for faculty and staff members.
This division is responsible for supporting the planning and development of initiatives across the other divisions, as well as overseeing operational tasks.
