Skip to main content
Book cover

Emerging International Dimensions in East Asian Higher Education pp 207–225Cite as

Education for Sustainable Development at Universities in Japan

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 chapter is based on Kitamura and Hoshii (2010).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-8822-9_11
  • Chapter length: 19 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-94-017-8822-9
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Fig. 11.1

Notes

  1. 1.

    For more on the discussions at the G8 University Summit, refer to the Summit website: http://g8u-summit.jp/english/ [Accessed 1 December 2011].

  2. 2.

    The initiatives include “Promoting environmental education for a sustainable society” of the Support Program for Contemporary Education Needs (MEXT), IR3S (MEXT), fostering the development of environmental leaders through the Strategic Training of Environmental Leaders under the Asia/Africa Science and Research Strategic Cooperation Program (MEXT), ProSPER.Net (MOE), development of higher education model programs carried out under ELIAS (MOE), and ESD-related activities carried out under the other initiatives, such as the Program to Accelerate the Internationalization of University Education (MEXT), the Support Program for Improving Graduate School Education (MEXT), and the Open Research Center Program (MEXT).

  3. 3.

    We analyzed responses of 13 institutions out of 14 institutions which returned their responses. Those 13 institutions replied to the questions on implementation systems and supporting systems, but one institution did not provide us answers to these questions.

References

  • 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 

  • HUIGS. (2008). Syllabus of the inter-department graduate study in sustainability. Sapporo: Hokkaido University.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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 

  • 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.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • 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 

  • Kitamura, Y., & Hoshii, N. (2010). Education for sustainable development at universities in Japan. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11(3), 202–216.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • 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 

  • 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 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • MEXT. (2008a). The basic plan for the promotion of education. Tokyo: MEXT.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEXT. (2008b). The new guidelines for the course of study: Primary education. Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEXT. (2008c). The new guidelines for the course of study: Secondary education. Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newby, H., Weko, T., Breneman, D., Johanneson, T., & Maassen, P. (2009). Japan (OECD reviews of tertiary education). Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (2005). UNESCO and sustainable development. Paris: UNESCO.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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 

  • 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 

  • 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 

  • UNU. (2009). United Nations University project on education for sustainable development in Africa: Project document. Tokyo: The United Nations University.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Yuto Kitamura

  2. Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo, Japan

    Naoko Hoshii

Authors
  1. Yuto Kitamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Naoko Hoshii
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuto Kitamura .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    Akiyoshi Yonezawa

  2. The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Yuto Kitamura

  3. Kurume University, Kurume, Japan

    Arthur Meerman

  4. Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kazuo Kuroda

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kitamura, Y., Hoshii, N. (2014). Education for Sustainable Development at Universities in Japan. In: Yonezawa, A., Kitamura, Y., Meerman, A., Kuroda, K. (eds) Emerging International Dimensions in East Asian Higher Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8822-9_11

Download citation