2018.06.29

The "GIGAKU SDG Institute" applied by Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) has been certified as UNESCO Chairs Programme as "UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education for Sustainable Development". UNESCO Chairs Programme is a program aimed at improving the institutional capacity of higher education and research institutions through knowledge sharing and collaborative work, and expected to serve as think tanks and bridge builders between academia, local communities, research and policy-making. UNESCO certifies programs that play above roles based on the judgment. It is the ninth certification in Japan and the first certification of School of Engineering in Japan.

NUT promotes the achievement of "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" adopted by the United Nations as the foundation of engineering education, and we have made proactive efforts such as joining the United Nations Academic Impact in September 2017, holding the international conference "STI-Gigaku" focusing on SDGs, and awarding of the Science Agora Award for development of SDGs educational game designed for parent-child collaboration. Since the establishment of university, we aim to produce creative abilities based on the educational philosophy of "Science of Technology (=GIGAKU)", and providing pioneering engineering education represented by five months long-term internship (= Jitsumu Kunren) in domestic and overseas companies as a compulsory course. We produced more than 10,000 creative engineers.

Based on our experience of cultivating practical and creative engineers and recognition that engineering education broadens the field of view to the world and aiming for sustainable development of the global society through the spirit of international mutual understanding and cooperation is indispensable, we decided to establish the "GIGAKU SDG Institute" program and applied for UNESCO to implement programs through inter-university and industry-academia-government collaboration. Through the program, we intend to build educational systems to cultivate high quality engineers based on SDGs, strengthening the cultivation of creative human resources, improving the future of engineering education, enhancing science, technology and innovation, and promoting international scientific collaboration for sustainable development.

Upon receiving of the certification, we carry out the program in advance in FY 2018, and we will accelerate the development of educational programs for the full implementation of "GIGAKU SDG Institute" from April 2019.

We aim to develop "GIGAKU SDG Institute" into a worldwide university-industry network "UNITWIN" consisting of multiple higher education institutions in multiple countries, and receive UNESCO certification in the future by accumulating the achievements of human resource development through the practice of the program, and deepen the cooperation with domestic and overseas universities that share ideals. We will strongly promote the expansion of the worldwide educational program based on SDGs solution and practical engineer education.

【Reference】
UNESCO Chair Kick-off Meeting, 5th Oct (Fri) 09:30～
http://www.nagaokaut.ac.jp/project/sgweb/en/Notification.html
GIGAKU SDG Institute
http://www.nagaokaut.ac.jp/project/sgweb/en/UNESCO_GSI/UNESCO_GSI.html

GIGAKU SDG Institute