About OU-SDGs Program

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Message from the Director

Fostering individuals capable of creating a sustainable future

進藤修一

SHINDO Shuichi

Director,
Center for Education in
Liberal Arts and Sciences

Under the motto, “Live Locally, Grow Globally,” Osaka University aims to contribute to social stability and welfare, world peace, and the creation of a society where each member leads a meaningful and fulfilling life.

The university’s motto echoes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal call to action to achieve a more sustainable and better future for all, based on the principle of “leaving no one behind.” To this end, the Center for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences at Osaka University has established the OU-SDGs Program which aims to foster individuals capable of creating a sustainable future by addressing societal issues through in-depth learning on the SDGs.

This program will provide students with knowledge, opportunities, and resources in close collaboration with various organizations both on and off campus including the Social Solution Initiative, the Center for Student Success Research and Practice, the Center for Diversity & Inclusion, the Center for Global Initiatives, and the Rakuten Group.

Overview

The OU-SDGs Program fosters undergraduate students capable of solving increasingly complex societal issues and contributing to the realization of a sustainable and harmonious society. A certificate of completion is awarded to students who have acquired the prescribed number of credits from subjects relating to the SDGs, which can be taken from the first year of undergraduate study.

Program Details

Purpose

With “Facing Societal Challenges: The Value of Life” at the core of our education and research, we aim to contribute to solving increasingly complex societal issues and to realize a sustainable and harmonious society. In order to achieve this goal, we will foster individuals with the following qualities:

A high awareness of the need to solve societal issues and a broad range of knowledge and skills necessary to solve them
The capability to contribute to a sustainable future where “no one is left behind” as stated in the SDGs

Certificate Awarding Policy

A certificate of completion will be awarded to students who have acquired the following knowledge and abilities:

Basic knowledge of the SDGs and related societal issues
Understanding of the principles necessary to realize a sustainable future that values life and leaves no one behind
Basic and specialized knowledge related to the SDGs in a wide range of cross-disciplinary and integrated fields
The ability to combine a high awareness of societal issues with expertise and to discover new societal issues that need to be addressed

Requirements

Eligibility	All undergraduate students
Requirements for completion	Students must acquire a minimum of 8 credits, including required 2 credits* *Subjects taken to satisfy the completion requirements shall be limited to those offered between the spring-summer term of AY 2024 and the fall-winter term of AY 2025. However, for the required subject "Introduction to SDGs Studies," credits acquired in AY 2023 will be included in the program completion requirements.
Program application period	Twice a year, starting from AY 2024 For spring term (Monday, March 4, 2024 - Wednesday, April 17, 2024) For fall term (Monday, September 2, 2024 - Tuesday, October 8, 2024)
Program registration	Students may register for the program using the KOAN Student Administration Information System during the designated registration period.
Method of certifying completion	Twice a year, at the end of the summer and winter terms, respectively. Students who register for the program and have acquired the required credits will be issued a certificate of completion in PDF format.

Subject List

Required Subject

Introduction to SDGs Studies

Elective Subjects

Basic Environmental Science
Building an Empathetic Economy as the Foundation for a Society of Mutual Assistance to Achieve the SDGs+Beyond
Carbon Neutral Society and Our Future
Contemporary Environmental Issues
Current World Affairs
Development and cooperation in Asian developing countries
Interpreting Economic Phenomena
Introduction to Communication-Design: Re-thinking Knowledge and Society
Issues in science and technology
Learning Innovation and Leadership with Corporate Executives
Lesson from environmental radiation in Fukushima Iitate
On Campus Internship: Work Style Innovation
Post-Disaster Reconstruction
The world of diversity&inclusion
The World of Intellect and Imagination
Topics in Kyosei Studies