丸山 英樹

Abstract This chapter examines the role of Japanese universities in promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through a case study of Sophia University’s “Sustainable Futures” program for undergraduate students. Positioned within Japan’s evolving socio-educational context, the study explores how the program integrates interdisciplinary learning, global–local connectivity, and sustain- ability competencies. It highlights innovative pedagogical approaches, including transformative and systems thinking, while addressing challenges posed by demo- graphic shifts and the COVID-19 pandemic. The research underscores the signif- icance of the “4Cs” framework—curriculum, campus, community, and culture— in creating a sustainable university environment. By analyzing Sophia University’s efforts to align education, research, and societal contributions with sustainable devel- opment goals, this paper offers insights into how higher education institutions can foster socially conscious graduates and adapt to global challenges. It emphasizes the need for holistic approaches to education that address local and global sustainability issues in interconnected and transformative ways. Keywords Education for sustainable development (ESD) · Interdisciplinary education · Transformative learning · Sustainable universities · Systems thinking

(1) Japanese universities have an important role in the sustainability of the students who are “oppressed” by social norms, while some of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) practices take a conventional approach. The purpose of this study is to take an educational programme as a case study on sustainability of oneself, others, and nature at a university in Tokyo, to compare the programme before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to illustrate what elaboration is required for the future programme. (2) This study used literature on the ESD framework for deeper learning and the Japanese youth as well as descriptive data such as observation and reflection of the participants in the ESD practice. (3) The relationships are confirmed among experiential, social, and transformative learnings in the formal and informal settings. The dynamics in the education about, in, and for sustainability is shown with education theory. The study shows a deeper dimension of self-transformation of the students in the online and offline learning environments. (4) The study suggests that the ESD programme with participatory and transformative approaches as socialisation and subjectification can lead the emancipation from “business as usual” for the Japanese university students when they accept new perspectives through the process of self-discovery and dialogues with others.

エストニア共和国は小さな国であるが，大きな湿地を持ち，持続可能な開発に関する市民活動も多い国の一つである．他方，日本の大学や非政府組織は海外スタディツアーを行ってきて久しい．近年は特に，持続可能な開発をテーマにしたスタディツアーが見られるようになった．本レポートでは，持続可能な開発のうち湿地に着目したエストニアへのスタディツアーについて紹介する．まずスタディツアーの概要について紹介した後，現地のリソースと日本側となる大学の単位付与についての組み合わせおよび工夫を記す．最後に，教育プログラムとしての湿地のワイズユースの可能性をラムサール条約における CEPA プログラムの枠組みから捉える．

http://www.ide.go.jp/Japanese/Publish/Periodicals/W_trend/201411.html

http://www.iiz-dvv.de/index.php?article_id=1601&clang=1

We believe education is important across the world. Education equals to schooling in many contexts, especially development cooperation, and EFA prioritized basic education. It is however true that we need to continue learning for new things and changes and present school system can hardly provide wide variety of educational needs no more. If school education produces the labors who match the present system, it makes sense that educated adults feel a disparity between what is required and what is learned. This article does not point out reasons why schooling means education but tries to show a different role of education and learning in various settings for sustainable future. First, it reviews how education is understood in scale of effectiveness. Second, what lies beyond high performance or good results shown by international surveys? Finally, taking Japan as an example, this article shows what direction we could choose for the future in the discussion about the rights to education.