Message from Dr. Kameyama (Director of Center)

The Sustainable Society Design Center was established within the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences in April 2022. The University of Tokyo has already implemented various initiatives related to sustainability. So why was a new centre needed?

Firstly, society today is seeking ways to achieve sustainability or sustainable development. In particular, since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UN in 2015, awareness about sustainability has spread among the general public. At the same time, there is no panacea to achieve global sustainability. Each country and region have to consider their own unique characteristics and challenges and design their own ways to achieve sustainability. At universities, a wide variety of research related to the issue of sustainability is being conducted, however, the results of the research are not being fully conveyed to society or fully operationalized as policies. Further, institutions are needed that combine research on tangible aspects of sustainability, such as infrastructure and technology, and intangible aspects, such as institutions, values, and awareness, to achieve a sustainable society.

There is also an urgent need to develop capacities to achieve a sustainable society. Many local governments, businesses and schools are looking for people with expertise in sustainability and sustainable development. Universities must meet these societal needs. Our recurrent education programmes, which target people in work, aim to link personal expert knowledge with sustainability science in order to guide society in a sustainable direction.

Lastly, building an international network is a necessity in securing global sustainability. The Graduate Programme in Sustainability Science which has been developed at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, has, over the years, accepted students from all over the world, regardless of nationality, and has contributed to producing global leaders around the world. The Centre will further develop these programmes to increase Japan's ability to communicate and participate in the global dialogue on sustainability and sustainable development.

Would you like to join us in our endeavour to design a sustainable society?

Director/Professor KAMEYAMA Yasuko