2023.02.28

A Kick-off Meeting was held to commemorate the certification of the “GIGAKU SDG Network” as a UNITWIN Network “The UNITWIN Network for Engineering Education towards Sustainable Pathways”, a status for which Nagaoka University of Technology took the lead in applying. The meeting, which was held on Thursday, February 9, had a hybrid-format and was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO.

The GIGAKU SDG Network will be the third UNITWIN Network to be certified in Japan after Kyoto University and Hiroshima University, and the 41th globally.

In his opening remarks, Dr. KAMADO Shigeharu / President of Nagaoka University of Technology said, “The mission of this network will be by no means an easy one. We will be contributing to the development of an educational system that will nurture creative and practically skilled engineers across the world.” “However,” he said, “our network is fully committed to meeting this challenge.” The keynote speakers Ms. MOROHASHI Jun, Chief of Section for ESD, UNESCO Headquarters, and Mr. SHIRAI Shun, Deputy Secretary- General of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, gave an explanation of the UNITWIN Network and what they expect from it. This was followed by an explanation of the GIGAKU SDG Network by Dr. TAKAHASHI Osamu / Vice-President of Nagaoka University of Technology, and then rounded off with great success by each of the Network members, who introduced their member institutions and companies.

We will continue into the future to collaborate with the members of the 9 organizations across 6 countries, and with the observer company that agreed to contribute to the SDGs and to the training of practically skilled engineers, to develop education and conduct research and technological development in the field of engineering that will bring about innovations that will contribute to society.
※ Official name: The UNITWIN Network for Engineering Education towards Sustainable Pathways

Network Members (in Alphabetical order)

• Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Viet Nam)
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (India)
• Mondragon University (Spain)
• Mongolian University of Science and Technology (Mongolia)
• National Institute of Technology
• National Institute of Technology, Fukushima College
• New Mongol College of Technology (Mongolia)
• University of Deusto (Spain)
• University of Guanajuato (Mexico)

Observer

• Western Digital (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Thailand)