NIMS started the ICYS program in 2003 through the support of the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology with the aim of establishing a system for nurturing young, self-reliant researchers who create research that will lead to innovation through providing an open research environment and separate research budget to young, high-caliber post-doctorate researchers from around the world.

Although 2008 marked the end of one chapter in this experiment, it found a wide variety of successes, and as such, NIMS, which aims to be a research institution that is widely open internationally, established a new ICYS in order to entrench these successes.

The Center is operated based on the two main ideas of nurturing young multinational researchers and providing meticulous support to foreign researchers.

ICYS has prepared a melting pot of multinational researchers based on the idea that bringing together researchers of different nationalities and cultures in one place, using English as their common language, in an environment whether they can encourage and inspire each other, will lead to success. We provide meticulous support and consideration for foreign researchers and also promote a lively research environment. Specifically, we provide a place in which young researchers can throw themselves into independent research based on their own ideas, and we have introduced a system in which they can receive appropriate advice and support from NIMS researchers. Additionally, in providing a full administrative and research support system with a bilingual staff, we endeavor to nurture young researchers who will be the bearers of the next generation.

Young researchers at ICYS desire to strengthen their self-reliance, put forth excellent research results, and further their careers at domestic and foreign research institutions. In the last 5 years of ICYS activities, 15 gifted young researchers (including 14 of foreign nationality) have found employment as NIMS research workers. ICYS also has the role of furthering careers by serving as a quasi-tenure track to becoming a NIMS tenured researcher; a system is in place for NIMS post-doctorate researchers to apply to become NIMS tenured research workers after their time spent at ICYS.