The new Sylff financial scheme was introduced to ensure the continuity of the Sylff fellowship program. Under the scheme, the Tokyo Foundation will directly award fellowships to students of participating Sylff Institutions. Institutions will no longer need to manage endowments or worry about generating investment income, and can instead focus on operating the Sylff program. To participate, institutions must return their Sylff funds to the Nippon Foundation and enter into an agreement with the Tokyo Foundation to provide up to $50,000 in annual fellowships for 5 years, as well as $2,500 in annual administrative fees. Eleven institutions have already joined the new financial scheme.

1. Sylff New Financial
Scheme
Sylff Association

2. Endowment management has been a challenge for some Sylff
Institutions
Invest income has been negatively
impacted by the 2008 Financial Crisis.
A third of Sylff institutions earn less than
$30,000 per year.
(Estimate by the Syff Association based on Dec 2013 data).

3. The new financial scheme was introduced to ensure the continuity
of the Sylff program
Sylff Institutions are able to continue providing fellowships
without worrying about endowment management and to focus on
Sylff program operations.

4. If you join the new scheme
The Tokyo Foundation (which serves as the Sylff Association secretariat)
will award Sylff fellowships directly to fellows.
(The Nippon Foundation is the fund donor.)
Up to $50,000 will be provided annually as Sylff fellowships to
students at your institution.
$2,500 will be provided annually as administrative fees.

5. If you join the new scheme
There will be no change in the values and aims with which the program
is administered. The only change is in how fellowships are financed.

6. How to join
1. Sylff funds (to generate income for fellowships) should be returned to the Nippon Foundation
If there are government/legal restrictions on liquidating and returning the funds to the donor, please inform us in advance.
2. An Agreement should be concluded with the Tokyo Foundation setting forth the terms of the
program at your institution, including eligibility, fellowship amount per student, etc.
THE AGREEMENT WILL INDICATE THAT UP TO $50,000, TO BE DISBURSED AS
FELLOWSHIPS, WILL BE PROVIDED ANNUALLY FOR 5 YEARS BY THE TOKYO FOUNDATION
3. A Memorandum of Understanding will be concluded between individual recipients and the Tokyo
Foundation

7. Structure
Sylff Institutions
Agreement
MOU
SYLFF FELLOWSHIP
Sylff Fellows
The Tokyo Foundation will provide fellowships directly to students

8. Program administration
Sylff institutions that join the new scheme will be asked to perform the following:
 Submit an annual budget plan and program schedule
 Announce a call for application and screens applicants
 Organize orientation and follow-up programs
 Submit an annual program report

9. Sylff institutions that have joined the new scheme
11
Sylff Institutions
University of Belgrade (Serbia)
University of Chile (Chile)
University of Coimbra (Portugal)
Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia)
Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (France)
University of Deusto (Spain)
Institute of Political Education, Pedro Arrupe (Italy)
University of Leipzig (Germany)
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Austria)
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece)
Ruhr University Bochum (Germany)

10. Why does the Agreement cover a period of only 5 years?
The terms of the Agreement should be periodically reviewed to reflect fluctuating market
conditions and prevailing student/institutional needs. The Tokyo Foundation will keep its
stakeholders (donor, national government, etc.) updated on any revisions.
The Agreement will be renewed every 5 years as long as the university fulfills its
obligations in accordance with its terms.
FAQs

11. The institution is asked to nominate fellowship candidates,
rather than select them. What’s the difference?
The Institution’s nomination will be respected as long as the nominee
fulfills the criteria set forth the in the Agreement. The Tokyo Foundation will not be choosing
from among the nominees but merely confirming their eligibility as a way of enhancing
accountability. In substance, the process of “nomination” will lead to “selection”, as under the
conventional scheme.
FAQs

12. In joining the new scheme, why must we return not only the
original endowment of $1million (or equivalent) but also the
amount earned through investments?
To ensure the sustainability of the new scheme. The idea is that the Tokyo
Foundation is investing the funds on behalf of the institution. The
Foundation needs to invest the full amount in order to be able to provide
$50,000 for fellowships each year.
FAQs

13. Some institutions were unable to join the new scheme because..
Asset transfer (in foreign currencies) is prohibited under the country’s regulations.
The Sylff endowment was originally registered as a foundation,which, under
the country’s laws, cannot be liquidated when the fund exceeds a certain amount.
The withdrawal of the Sylff fund would make unfavorable impacton the university’s
investment assets.

14. For more details
Please download Operation Manual from the Sylff website.
If you have any questions, please contact sylff@tkfd.or.jp

15. We look forward to creating synergies with you to
enrich the Sylff program