2026.02.17

NUT hosted UNAI SDG9 hub event: “Youth-Led Engineering Initiatives for SDG9 Addressing Regional Challenges Domestically and Internationally”

On Tuesday, January 27, Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) hosted the UNAI SDG9 hub event titled “Youth-Led Engineering Initiatives for SDG9 Addressing Regional Challenges Domestically and Internationally.” This event, held in a hybrid format, served as a platform for students from both NUT and KOSEN (National Institute of Technology) to showcase their innovative approaches to social challenges in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The event opened with remarks from Prof. Yamaguchi, special presidential aide and director of the Office for SDGs Promotion, followed by a keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Tshilidzi Marwala, rector of the United Nations University and under-secretary-general of the United Nations. As an expert in the field, Prof. Dr. Marwala addressed the vital relationship between Artificial Intelligence and the SDGs, while also highlighting the collaboration with Dr. Shinobu Yamaguchi, director of UNU-IAS, who was also present at the session.

During the student presentation segment, Mr. Tsubaki, chair of the STI-Gigaku 2025 student organizing committee, reported on the student-led international conference “STI-Gigaku (Science of Technology Innovation).” This was followed by an overview of the KOSEN Open Innovation Challenge (KOI) presented by Dr. Saito, University Research Administrator. Under this framework, award-winning students from Nagaoka KOSEN presented their project on improving cacao cultivation environments in Ghana, while Ms. Ota from Hakodate KOSEN shared her proposal for adding value to the fishing industry in Senegal. Furthermore, Ms. Shintani, one of NUT SDGs promoters, introduced their work on developing VR educational materials for the Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark.

In addition to these local and international student efforts, Dr. Josep from La Salle – Universidad Ramon Llull, which serves as the UNAI hub for SDG9, presented the “Candy Innovation Challenge” as part of the broader UNAI SDG9 hub initiatives. The event concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Yamashita, executive director and vice president.

With many students in attendance, the event provided a significant opportunity to share progress on regional and global challenges. As the UNAI Hub for SDG9, we will continue to support student-driven activities that foster sustainable development.