The Kyoto University Shishi Prize was established in November 2012 to propel further development of the university by commending faculty members whose achievements in education, research and social causes have been deemed outstanding. The award ceremony for the first Shishi Prize was held at the Clock Tower Centennial Hall. The prize went to the following people (listed in alphabetical order):
| Affiliation | Title | Name | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency for Health, Safety and Environment | Program-Specific Professor and Director-General | Koichiro Oshima | He has greatly contributed to the administration and management of the university as director-general of the Agency for Health, Safety and Environment by implementing a traffic safety program within the main campus, as well as by taking the initiative in implementing such long-pending measures as vehicle entrance control and the addition of bicycle parking lots to ensure a safe and secure arena of education, research and medical activities. |
| Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability | Program-Specific Professor and Dean | Shuichi Kawai | He has greatly contributed to the foundation of the Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability, which offers an unconventional new program that cultivates human resources into global leaders of the next generation with a bird's-eye view over a wide spectrum of studies, while equipping them with extensive knowledge which should enable them to develop their own highly specialized expertise for solving social challenges and a new ability to integrate, fuse and put them into practice. |
| Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences | Professor and Director | Susumu Kitagawa | He has promoted advanced studies through the development of nanomaterials. |
| Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies | Professor | Yasushi Kosugi | He has contributed to the building and development of the foundation for area studies, particularly with regard to the expansion and development of Middle Eastern studies and Islamic studies in Japan by theorizing a research methodology based on research and the collection of original texts, as well as by proposing a continuous perspective bridging the past and contemporary times and a perspective for comprehensive area studies combining politics, law, society and economics. |
| Graduate School of Medicine | Professor | Shigekazu Nagata | He has analyzed the molecular mechanism and physiological action of apoptosis and cell death, and shown their relation to various human diseases such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. |
| Center for iPS Cell Research and Application | Professor and Director | Shinya Yamanaka | He has developed human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). |
The ceremony began with an opening remark by Executive Vice-President Nobuyoshi Esaki (General Affairs, Planning and Information Infrastructure). President Hiroshi Matsumoto then presented the prizewinners with a certificate and a bonus prize, and gave a congratulatory speech.
The ceremony ended with a closing remark by Executive Vice-President Esaki. After the ceremony, the prizewinners took a commemorative photo and enjoyed casual conversations in a cheerful atmosphere.
For Professor Shigekazu Nagata from the Graduate School of Medicine, who was absent on the day of the event, a separate award ceremony was held at the president's reception room on July 5, 2013 (Friday).
 From left, Professor Nagata, Director Yamanaka, Dean Kawai, Professor Kosugi, Director Kitagawa and Director-General Oshima |
 Commemorative photo (June 27, 2013) |
 Commemorative photo (July 5, 2013) |