New Research Units Started and Group Name Changed
Eight years ago, I heard about a plan to establish a new Brain Science Institute at RIKEN in the Japanese town Wako. I was very excited when the founding director Dr. Ito invited me to apply as head of a laboratory in this yet to be established institution. During the following years, I witnessed the amazing birth and early stages of postnatal development that led to the present stage of young adulthood of the RIKEN BSI. The new central building, where my laboratory is located, was built literally in front of my eyes, while I occupied a temporary residence in the old BSI West building. When I told my colleagues in 1997 that I was joining to the Brain Science Institute in Wako-shi, Japan, few did recognize the merit of this move. Now, “bells are ringing” when I mention my affiliation at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute.
Early development
Concerning BSI's first years, first of all, I have to say that what happened was in the very positive sense beyond my expectations. As a scientist, I was familiar with the performance of experiments but I was never subjected to such a large scale innovative experimental situation as the foundation of a new institute. The experimental protocol involved generous funding, a good location to perform the experiment, and relatively young principal investigators. The hypothesis was that human resources will grow in line with the organizational structure and non-human resources to generate a top-scientific outcome. The experimental realization involved a “hot start” approach with a spirit of “OK! Let's just do it”. In my opinion this latter mindset was an important success factor. Of course, some fingers were burned during the hot start. And, as we know from developmental biology, some processes and structures are only of transient nature during development. The first results of the above experiment are in line with the working hypothesis and the early development of BSI was completed with the first round of pentaannual external reviews of BSI laboratories.
The transition to adulthood
In line with the metaphor, BSI now enjoys its adolescence. In this phase of live there are the questions such as “who I am?” and “what are my most important goals?”. Getting older also means to think about stability and independence. Last year's transition from a governmental institution to a “government- funded, yet privately run” institution was therefore just in time. This transition will provide more flexibility for further development even so there may be a transient loss of comfort and perceived safety. On the scientific front, we are realizing that we cannot live for ever from the inherited science that has been brought with by the joining members but that we have to make our living on the basis of genuine BSI achievements and visions.
The BSI was established to assume a leading role in brain science research. How does BSI compare in these aspect to past and even younger organizational structures and management concepts? As to my understanding BSI pioneered within the ongoing reform of the Japanese educational system. Thus, a high degree of responsibility was given to a younger generation of laboratory heads, most of them in their forties. The idea is that formal independence from established mentors facilitates the implementation of innovative concepts. Another new trend, for which BSI served as a pioneer, is the recognition of international openness as a key success factor. At BSI many (unfortunately by far not all) scientific and managerial activities are conducted in English, the common language of scientists all around the world. Roughly 20 % of scientists are recruited from abroad and the goal is to increase this portion to 30%. More recent endeavors, like the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), a new graduate university scheduled to start operation in September 2005, continue that trend with the attempt of even increasing internationality with a target of 50% foreign nationals and a more strict international language policy. I might note here that internationally should not be set equal to what is usually termed “western” culture (while focusing on North American templates). If models are required at all, as a European I liked to mix in European ways, and now living several years in Japan I learned to appreciate “eastern spices” in the international cultural mix. Instead of looking at templates, I would prefer, however, that BSI developed a genuine style. Naturally, that “BSI style” should be maximally compatible with global standards. Or, in other words, the goal should not be to host 25 or 50% foreign nationals but 100% internationals. This concept would also solve the issue whether the Meiji Period phrase “Wakon Yosai” (Japanese spirit and Western knowledge, See Brain Network, BSI NEWS NO. 19 Feb., 2003) gives the best advice on the way to go.
What are my hopes and expectations for the institute's adult live?
Management strategies immanent to growth have to mature into strategies of long term stability and a focus on what we can be the best in. There will be a need to develop a mature academic culture and business ethics including maximal visibility and transparency of all processes. Even so BSI reaches adulthood, with the need to be more serious in may ways, this should not hinder us still behaving, from time to time, again childish and restore our initial spirit: “OK!, let's do it”.
