Cooperative Education through Research Internships

1. What is a "Cooperative Education through Research Internships"?

Research internships have the following features.

• Internships are open to the doctoral students who have the basic knowledge and ability to carry out research.
• Internships are at least 2 months and paid.
• Internships are credited as coursework at SOKENDAI.
• Job descriptions will be presented in line with the guidelines created by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT).
• After completing the internship, an evaluation certificate will be issued for the student.
• Companies can appropriately evaluate the results of internships and use them in recruitment.

2. Objectives of research internship

• To provide industry and universities collaborate in graduate education and develop practical skills backed by research capabilities that can withstand international competition.
• To provide internships that do not interfere with academic studies.
• The results of the internship should be used in the recruitment process.

3. Advantages of research internship

(Advantages for students)

• Students can expand their career possibilities.
• Students can objectively look at their own expertise.
• Students can develop practical skills backed by research capabilities that can be used even if they go to academia.

(Advantages for companies)

• Companies can recruit excellent students who can contribute to the improvement of corporate competitiveness from various university fields.
• Companies can build a new graduate recruitment system that includes doctoral student.
• Students' abilities can be used to accelerate and advance research and development and to open up new fields.

4. Preparation for research internship

• Internships are to be engaged in for educational purposes, to develop practical skills, and to better understand business organizations.
• You are expected to engage in pre-employment training orientation and actual internship work as if you were working as a newly hired employee.
• You are also required to improve literacy in confidentiality, intellectual property and know-how, as well as security issues.

5. Flow of research internship implementation

STEP:1 If you would like to participate in research internship, please contact the Research Internship Program Secretariat (hereinafter referred to as the "secretariat") at SOKENDAI by e-mail (job_internship(at)soken.ac.jp*). The secretariat will guide you on how to register for the matching system (hereinafter referred to as the "dedicated system") operated by Akarik Co, Ltd (hereinafter referred to as the "support institution").
*Please change (at) to @ and register (same below).

STEP:2 Flow of research internship implementation
Please obtain prior approval from your academic advisor before proceeding to register with the dedicated system.

STEP:3 Proceeding with registration to the dedicated system.
Please refer to the "Student Participation Guide" sent by the secretariat and register your account on the dedicated system.
Once you have entered your profile into the dedicated system, you will be able to view company job descriptions.

*Please set the following three email addresses as the "supporters' email address".

1. Academic supervisor (Be sure to check the "このアドレスを応募時の承認者に加える" check box.)
2. Program (Department) office for each major
3. Secretariat (job_internship(at)soken.ac.jp）

STEP:4 Participation in online briefing
Please be sure to attend the online briefing held by the support institution on the first weekday of each month.Please check the "お知らせ" in the dedicated system for details. If you are unable to attend the online briefing, the secretariat will send you the recorded data.

STEP:5 Request approval of application (Preliminary Consultation with supervisor)
Once you have decided on a company to apply for, be sure to consult with your supervisor in advance, and click "応募承認依頼" on the job description.

STEP:6 Applying for an internship
Once you have your supervisor's approval, click "応募する" on the job description.

STEP:7 Selection by the internship company
Please follow the instructions of the internship company and undergo the selection process.

STEP:8 Confirmation of selection results.
If you receive an acceptance notice, please contact the internship company to express your acceptance to participate in the internship.

STEP:9 Employment contract with the internship company
The internship company will contact you about the employment contract, so please adjust the contents as necessary and conclude the contract.
The contents of the contract will be confirmed not only by the parties but also by the secretariat.
In addition, an internship implementation contract will be concluded between the university and the company.

STEP:10 Course Registration
Secretariat will register you for the course of "Cooperative Education through Research Internships".
(Please note that this course is not subject to regular web registration.)

STEP11: Implementation of internship

STEP:12 Grading
After completion of the internship, host company will issue an evaluation certificate. The faculty member in charge at the Center for Educational Development will evaluate your performance based on this evaluation.

6. Notes

1) Tax Treatment

Salary earned through the internship is treated as employment income for tax purposes. Please file an income tax return, etc. as necessary.

2) Insurance

SOKENDAI student must enroll in Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research ("GAKKENSAI") and Insurance for Accidents Involving Third Parties or Their Property ("GAKKENBAI").

3) Work Permit (for international students)

In case of your status of residence is "Student", you must obtain a "Permission to Engage in Activities other than Those Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted" (hereinafter called "work permit") from the Regional Immigration Bureau before starting internship.

[Required documents]

• Application form
• Passport
• Residence card
• Certificate of enrollment (Secretariat will prepare it.)
• Certificate of internship (Secretariat will prepare it.)
• Contract of employment or notice of working conditions

4) For JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Researcher

Participation in the internship program is possible only when all of the following items (I) through (Ⅲ) are applicable.

1. The content of the internship should be research training that contributes to the execution of the fellow's research project and does not interfere with the execution of the research project.
2.  The internship corresponds to (i) above, and the host researcher has agreed to participate in the internship as it is appropriate from the viewpoint of researcher training.
3. In principle, the period of participation must not exceed 6 months in total.

A report of receipt of remuneration (Form 5-3) must be submitted to JSPS by April 1-20 of the following year.

5) For SOKENDAI Special Researcher

SOKENDAI Special Researcher (Field-Specific Type / Pioneering Research Type) can participate this internship.

6) For MEXT Scholarship Students

MEXT Scholarship Students can also participate in this internship. Scholarships will be paid as usual during the internship period. (However, if you stay outside of parent institute from the 1st to the end of any given month, the scholarship for the month will not be paid.)

7) For Research Assistants (RA)

If you are employed as a RA at the parent institute, please contact the department in charge to see if there are any problems with participating the internship.

Contact:

Research Internship Program Secretariat

job_internship(at)soken.ac.jp