2018.06.29

NUT held a SDGs information session as a part of its FD research meeting

 Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) held a SDGs information session of Faculty Development (FD) research meeting on June 13th, 2018.

 Many of NUT's faculty member, especially new member, attended to the session as we categories it as one part of FD activities where on-going professional learning are provided NUT's faculty aiming to advance education skills and acquire essential knowledge required as a university educator. 

 NUT's executive director and vice president, Shigeharu KAMADO, first started the session informing of approval from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to NUT as per the proposal made to UNESCO Chair program for “GIGAKU SDG Institute” to take part in “UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education for Sustainable Development”, also he expressed the importance of SDGs to be understood by all faculty members to step forward on SDGs relation activities from here onwards. Afterwards, head of Center for Faculty Development, Makoto ICHITSUBO (professor), presented on-going utilization of SDGs in various sector of society as well as the fundamental information on SDGs. 
 
 Professor Ichitsubo, in addition, introduced World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), SDG Compass, and Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing as those should be recognized as global movement towards SDGs. Also, he brought up current Japan's SDGs relation movement that proactively been promoted nation-wide, for instance, Japan SDGs award program ranched in 2017 which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the conferment ceremony for the first Japan SDGs Award at the Prime Minister’s Office, also, SDGs project carried out by Shimokawa-cho, Hokkaido and Okayama University were introduced to the audience.
   
 Furthermore, the followings were also introduced as to NUT's SDGs activities: establishment of Gigaku Innovation Promotion Center setting out its prominent purpose of SDGs educational promotion (June, 2016); holding an international conference, STI-Gigaku, which bridges SDGs and regional issues (January and October, 2017); participation of United Nations Academic Impact ( September, 2017); and, participation of Science Agora where SDGs educational games created by NUT for parent and child were introduced (November, 2017) which brought us Science Agora Award. Professor Ichitsubo, in summary, appealed to the audience, first, the importance of engaging NUT's all faculty member and students in promoting SDGs, also great necessity of extending influence of its SDGs activities strategically to the public and society across Japan.

 At long last, NUT's president, Nobushiko AZUMA, addressed his perspective view stated that it is in significant need for each one of all faculty member to recognize of which SDGs are in a relation to own educational research and, to maintain high level of awareness towards SDGs.

 We, Nagaoka University of Technology, continues to strive for achieving SDGs, and step forward to progress our SDGs projects to lead society into the future.