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ABOUT

Pinnacles of Intellect:
Paving the Way for Future Research at Kyoto University

知の頂を京大に研究の未来を拓く

About the Kyoto University Lectureship Award

The Kyoto University Lectureship Award is a newly established international academic honor launched in fiscal year 2025. Rooted in the university’s distinguished tradition—including having produced the highest number of Nobel Laureates in Asia—this award recognizes outstanding and emerging researchers who are pioneering the next frontiers of science, while fostering international research networks and advancing the sustainable growth of global scholarship.

A defining feature of this award is the invitation extended to laureates to visit Kyoto, deliver a special lecture, and engage in dialogue and exchange. By bringing the laureates into contact with the next generation of researchers at the forefront of academia, the program forges a chain of new inspirations and nurtures the seeds of future-shaping research.

In addition, the laureates are honored at a ceremony hosted by the President of Kyoto University.

Award group photo, laureates and dignitaries

Selection Philosophy

The selection process focuses on researchers who embody the following qualities.

Researchers who are pioneering the frontiers of their disciplines and shaping new fields of inquiry.
Researchers who address fundamental questions and advance scholarship while contributing to the resolution of significant societal challenges.

In terms of career stage, the award is intended for researchers who have already begun to gain recognition and are expected to achieve further development in the future.

Fields / Categories

FY2025 (1st Award): Life Sciences or Medicine.

FY2026 (2nd Award): Life Sciences or Medicine, Chemistry, and Physics.

Nomination

Candidates are nominated by Kyoto University faculty members and selected following deliberation by the selection committee established for each field. The award does not accept open public applications or nominations from outside the university.

Discussion session with the laureate and researchers

Selection

Specifically, candidates are evaluated comprehensively based on the following perspectives.

Selection Policy

Pioneering Nature

Opening new frontiers of knowledge and shaping the intellectual origins of a discipline through original research that either explores uncharted territory or revitalizes existing fields.

Fundamental Impact

Producing work with the potential to transform academic paradigms or exert a profound influence on humanity and society in the future.

Elegance and Prospects

Advancing theories or methodologies that are recognized for their conceptual elegance, while holding strong promise for future development and application.

Emerging Recognition

Demonstrating achievements that are already gaining solid recognition, ensuring evaluation is grounded in established merit rather than speculative prediction.

Selection Committee

Kyoto University appoints leading researchers to the selection committee, ensuring a rigorous and independent review process.

View the Selection Committee ⟶

With Gratitude to Our Supporters

This award is made possible through the generous support of the following corporations and organizations.
*Listed in no particular order.

Hospitality Partner

We gratefully acknowledge the companies and organizations that provide accommodations, venues, and services in support of the hospitality extended to laureates and participants.

Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

For Laureates | VIP Room in Kyoto

[Official] Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo Premier ↗

For Award Participants | Limited-Time Discount

A limited-time ID and password are issued for a booking site offering special discount rates at approximately 50 hotels operated by the Mitsui Fudosan Group worldwide. Please contact the secretariat for details.

Mitsui Fudosan Hotel & Resort Corporate Benefits Site ↗