Education for Sustainable Development at Universities in Japan

Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

This chapter discusses education for sustainable development at universities in Japan. The principal concern of this chapter is to highlight the activities Japanese universities have conducted in the process of promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in higher education. In order to accomplish this, a number of universities with active educational programs in areas related to ESD were selected to participate in a questionnaire survey.

Keywords

High Education Institution Distance Education Local Stakeholder Sustainability Science Undergraduate Education 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Government of Japan. (2007). Becoming a leading environmental nation strategy in the 21st century: Japan’s strategy for a sustainable society. Tokyo: Ministry of Environment.Google Scholar
  2. HUIGS. (2008). Syllabus of the inter-department graduate study in sustainability. Sapporo: Hokkaido University.Google Scholar
  3. Interministerial Meeting on the UNDESD. (2005). Japan’s action plan for the United Nations decade of education for sustainable development. Tokyo: Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Japan.Google Scholar
  4. Itoh, M., Suemoto, M., Matsuoka, K., & Ito, A. (2008). Contribution of Kobe University to the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Hyogo-Kobe. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(4), 479–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Kaneko, M. (2004). Japanese higher education: Contemporary reform and the influence of tradition. In P. G. Altbach & T. Umakoshi (Eds.), Asian universities: Historical perspectives and contemporary challenges. Baltimore/London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.Google Scholar
  6. Kitamura, Y., & Hoshii, N. (2010). Education for sustainable development at universities in Japan. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11(3), 202–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Lotz-Sisitka, H. (2004). Environmental education in Southern Africa: An overview of processes, issues and challenges. In Education for a sustainable future: Commitments and partnerships (pp. 147–159). Paris: UNESCO.Google Scholar
  8. Matsuura, K. (2004). Why education and public awareness are indispensable for a sustainable future. In: Education for a sustainable future: Commitments and partnerships (pp. 27–31). Paris: UNESCO.Google Scholar
  9. MEXT. (2006). Result of selection for the Support Program for Contemporary Education Needs in FY2006. Available at: http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/houdou/18/07/06072402.htm. Accessed 1 May 2009.
  10. MEXT. (2007). Result of selection for the Support Program for Contemporary Education Needs in FY2007. Available at: http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/houdou/19/07/07072005.htm. Accessed 1 May 2009.
  11. MEXT. (2008a). The basic plan for the promotion of education. Tokyo: MEXT.Google Scholar
  12. MEXT. (2008b). The new guidelines for the course of study: Primary education. Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki.Google Scholar
  13. MEXT. (2008c). The new guidelines for the course of study: Secondary education. Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki.Google Scholar
  14. Newby, H., Weko, T., Breneman, D., Johanneson, T., & Maassen, P. (2009). Japan (OECD reviews of tertiary education). Paris: OECD.Google Scholar
  15. Sterling, S., & Thomas, I. (2006). Education for sustainability: The role of capabilities in guiding university curricula. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 1(4), 349–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. UNESCO. (2005). UNESCO and sustainable development. Paris: UNESCO.Google Scholar
  17. UNESCO and Japanese National Commission for UNESCO. (2008a). Practice reports from teacher-training university – World Heritage Education as a tool for ESD, Nara University of Education. In Education for sustainable development, Japan, good practice, UNESCO and Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, Tokyo.Google Scholar
  18. UNESCO and Japanese National Commission for UNESCO. (2008b). Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network (ProSPER.NET), United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies: UNU-IAS). In Education for sustainable development, Japan, good practice, UNESCO and Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, Tokyo.Google Scholar
  19. United Nations. (2002). United Nations decade of education for sustainable development (Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly: A/RES/57/254). New York: United Nations.Google Scholar
  20. UNU. (2009). United Nations University project on education for sustainable development in Africa: Project document. Tokyo: The United Nations University.Google Scholar
  21. Yamamoto, S. (2009). Quality assurance and higher education in Japan. In T. W. Bigalke & D. E. Neubauer (Eds.), Higher education in Asia/Pacific: Quality and the public good. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Graduate School of EducationThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
  2. 2.Southeast Asia and Pacific DepartmentJapan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)TokyoJapan

Personalised recommendations