Nara Institute of Science and Technology established the Office for Gender Equality on September 1, 2009, and under the leadership of the university president has been promoting three initiatives to help motivated and capable researchers produce original and innovative research results and improve international competitiveness: 1) support for faculty members, 2) university-wide initiatives, and 3) information and awareness raising. We are working to create a better research environment by supporting the achievement of work-life balance with a focus on three main areas: 1) faculty and staff support, 2) university-wide initiatives, and 3) information and awareness.

■Research Assistant Assignments and Outsourced Services Subsidies
We support researchers (regardless of gender) who are pregnant, having a baby, or raising children by providing research support staff and subsidies for outsourced services to help them balance cutting-edge research with child care and improve their research outcomes.
Researchers who wish to recruit research assistants, as well as graduate students and professionals who wish to become research assistants, can use Osaka City University's human resources database.

■Plus α Childcare
・Subsidized use of a babysitter through a corporate contract with a babysitting company
The university will subsidize the cost of using a babysitter when a child has a sudden fever, or when research is conducted on holidays or weekday evenings.
In addition, if the age of the child and the location of the childcare center meet the conditions, the student can also use a discount coupon for the Babysitter Dispatch Service provided by the Cabinet Office.
・Temporary Childcare for Events
Temporary childcare services are provided for faculty, staff, and students who work on the day of university-sponsored events such as open campus and admissions information sessions.
・Childcare Support Services for Business Trips
The University will provide temporary childcare services to faculty and staff while they are traveling on University business.
・Provision of Childcare Room
A childcare room "Sentan" is available on campus for temporary childcare or temporary stay for faculty, staff, and students of the University.

　 ■Start-up Research Fund for Women Researchers
In order to promote the recruitment of excellent female faculty members, start-up research funds will be provided as an incentive for new female faculty members.

■Rest rooms (for managing physical condition during pregnancy, lactation, etc.) will be provided in each research area building.
Rest rooms will be provided in each research area building so that researchers who are pregnant or raising infants can rest in a space that provides privacy.

■Providing information on the website and issuing various publications
The website provides real-time information on the activities of the Office for Equal Opportunity, as well as information on support for balancing childcare/nursing and research, and introductions to the research lives of the University's faculty, staff, and students.
The website also publishes newsletters that provide information on the activities of the Office for Equal Opportunity, as well as the voices of researchers who have used the Academic Assistant System and other forms of support to balance work and family life.

■Hosting seminars and other events
We invite faculty from outside the university to hold seminars and other events related to gender equality to raise awareness.

■Work-Life Balance (WLB) Counseling Service
We have established a centralized counseling service to receive inquiries and advice on work-life balance issues, such as balancing childcare and research.
A mentoring system has also been established to provide advice to counselors to improve the counseling service, and we also collaborate with other counseling services at the university to find solutions.

■Keihanna Female Researcher Network
The Keihanna Female Researchers Network provides opportunities for female researchers (including engineers and students) working at research institutes and companies in Keihanna Science City to interact with each other for the purpose of exchanging information, emotional support, and role models, and as a useful network for work-life balance, the network provides "virtual exchange (Keihanna SNS)" and "real exchange".

As of April 1, 2023