6
Despite the evolvement of sustainability science as a new academic field, some
major challenges remain in its conceptual and methodological developments as well
as in its establishment of institutional structures that fit its inter- and transdisciplinary orientation (Yarime 2013). Further development of the field is expected
in the direction of realizing multiple understandings of the concept of sustainability
and manifesting such ideas into institutional arrangements. This chapter aims to
contribute to enhancing multiple understandings of sustainability by examining the
process to identify what must be framed as sustainability challenges. To conclude
the chapter, the authors propose their conceptual framework of key elements for
visualizing transformation to a sustainable society. The next section introduces the
sustainability science program at The University of Tokyo to present some of the
key features of sustainability science education.
1.2 Educational Challenge in Sustainability Science
at UTokyo
The Graduate Program in Sustainability Science–Global Leadership Initiative
(GPSS-GLI) (http://www.sustainability.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp) is a combined Master’s and
Doctoral degree program based at The University of Tokyo (UTokyo). The program
offers an interdisciplinary education over five years – generally two years for a
Master’s degree, and three years for a Doctoral degree – and aims at fostering leaders for developing sustainable societies. The integrated character of the two degree
programs allows participants to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills related
to sustainability. What is more, the Master’s course described is complemented with
international experience, and the Doctoral course is complemented with training in
and opportunities for practical reinforcement in the field.
The program started in 2005 as a two-year Master’s course; its three-year doctoral course was created in 2007. As of October 2017, 36 students are enrolled in the
Master’s course and 36 students in the Doctoral course. The program has had students from more than 50 countries from all over the world. GPSS-GLI students also
come from diverse academic backgrounds ranging from biology, civil engineering,
economics, development studies, urban and rural planning, and numerous others.
The program was established in the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences where
new academic challenges are being developed through inter- or trans-disciplinary
approaches, and collaborates very closely with the Integrated Research System for
Sustainability Science (IR3S) based in The University of Tokyo. GPSS was reformed
into GPSS-GLI in 2012 when the program was selected for Leading Graduate
School Programs and started receiving a new funding from MEXT (the Japanese
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).
The type of education that GPSS-GLI offers is described as a T-shape education
in which the horizontal line of “T” represents the breadth of knowledge on sustainability issues as well as practical skills for implementing projects, and the vertical
S. Kudo and T. Mino
Despite the evolvement of sustainability science as a new academic field, some
major challenges remain in its conceptual and methodological developments as well
as in its establishment of institutional structures that fit its inter- and transdisciplinary orientation (Yarime 2013). Further development of the field is expected
in the direction of realizing multiple understandings of the concept of sustainability
and manifesting such ideas into institutional arrangements. This chapter aims to
contribute to enhancing multiple understandings of sustainability by examining the
process to identify what must be framed as sustainability challenges. To conclude
the chapter, the authors propose their conceptual framework of key elements for
visualizing transformation to a sustainable society. The next section introduces the
sustainability science program at The University of Tokyo to present some of the
key features of sustainability science education.
1.2 Educational Challenge in Sustainability Science
at UTokyo
The Graduate Program in Sustainability Science–Global Leadership Initiative
(GPSS-GLI) (http://www.sustainability.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp) is a combined Master’s and
Doctoral degree program based at The University of Tokyo (UTokyo). The program
offers an interdisciplinary education over five years – generally two years for a
Master’s degree, and three years for a Doctoral degree – and aims at fostering leaders for developing sustainable societies. The integrated character of the two degree
programs allows participants to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills related
to sustainability. What is more, the Master’s course described is complemented with
international experience, and the Doctoral course is complemented with training in
and opportunities for practical reinforcement in the field.
The program started in 2005 as a two-year Master’s course; its three-year doctoral course was created in 2007. As of October 2017, 36 students are enrolled in the
Master’s course and 36 students in the Doctoral course. The program has had students from more than 50 countries from all over the world. GPSS-GLI students also
come from diverse academic backgrounds ranging from biology, civil engineering,
economics, development studies, urban and rural planning, and numerous others.
The program was established in the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences where
new academic challenges are being developed through inter- or trans-disciplinary
approaches, and collaborates very closely with the Integrated Research System for
Sustainability Science (IR3S) based in The University of Tokyo. GPSS was reformed
into GPSS-GLI in 2012 when the program was selected for Leading Graduate
School Programs and started receiving a new funding from MEXT (the Japanese
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).
The type of education that GPSS-GLI offers is described as a T-shape education
in which the horizontal line of “T” represents the breadth of knowledge on sustainability issues as well as practical skills for implementing projects, and the vertical
S. Kudo and T. Mino