Maruyama Hideki

Impact of Student Exchange Programs through International University Collaboration toward Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Tue, February 14, 1:00 to 4:00pm EST (Wed, February 15, 3:00 to 6:00am JST), On-Line Component, Zoom Room 101 Group Submission Type: Pre-conference Workshop Description of Session The purpose of this workshop is to share various university initiatives with participants and discuss the role of higher education in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by using the Sophia University’s case as a starting discussion point. In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 4 calls for the achievement of equal access to quality higher education, and the development of highly skilled human resources and research and development activities at higher education institutions are expected to contribute to the achievement of other SDG goals as well. In particular, Target 4.7 mentions the importance of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship. One guiding principle for the implementation of ESD is the ESD for 2030 roadmap presented by UNESCO (2020). The Roadmap explains the process of ESD as 1) Learning Content, 2) Pedagogy and Learning Environment, 3)Societal Transformation, and 4) Learning Outcomes. ESD aims to nurture leaders of a sustainable society and it emphasizes the importance of employing interactive, project-based, learner-centered pedagogy, and transforming all aspects of learning environment through a whole-institutional approach to ESD to enable learners to live what they learn and learn what they live. In realizing such ESD, international higher education schemes that transcend national borders play an important role. The ASEAN International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Program which has been managed by the Regional Center for Higher Education Development (RIHED) of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is one example. The AIMS program aims to promote student exchange and inter-university collaboration within the Southeast Asian region. Sophia University in Japan has participated in AIMS and implemented the "Scholastic-Academic Integrated Human Development Program for Harmonizing Diversity (SAIMS)," sending 106 Japanese students to seven universities in four ASEAN countries and receiving 69 international students from seven universities in four ASEAN countries between 2014 and 2017. In addition, Sophia University has operated the "Problem-Solving Educational Exchange Program for Harmony and Human Dignity in Human Mobility and Coexistence (LAP)" since 2015 to support the promotion of exchange with the Latin American region, sending 216 Japanese students to 12 universities in 6 countries and receiving 116 international students from 14 universities in 6 countries between 2015 and 2019. Both of these two programs are distinctive programs with an aspect of ESD. SAIMS aims to provide a platform for cooperative education to learn together with ASEAN countries, and to present and practice multilateral problem-solving and interdisciplinary education. LAP aims to establish a problem-solving international higher education collaborative exchange model that pursues harmony and human dignity under the theme of "Human Mobility and Harmonious Coexistence. They both aim to develop global leaders for sustainable futures. In addition to these programs, an English-taught program called Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures (SPSF) was launched in 2020. This workshop focuses on these international educational programs for ESD, and aims to discuss with participants how the cooperation and exchange between universities in higher education is progressing and how it has an impact on international students' learning and each university's educational and research activities.

The role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is attracting attention as a means of achieving the SDGs to solve global issues. Along with UNESCO's International Conference on ESD (2021), all schools in Japan, including UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network, are emphasizing education to nurture “creators for sustainable futures". In response to this, Sophia University has started an international joint research project on ESD (Sophia-ESD Project). In this symposium, we will discuss the significance and role of ESD as a kick-off of the project

http://www.jera.jp/20200818-1/