Kobe College Graduate School of Human Sciences

Woman Leaders Promoting ESD Based on Local Community
Supported by MEXT Strategic Funds for the Promotion of Science and Technology

I. Outline and purpose
Starting in autumn 2010, we offer a training program for female Asian international students andJapanese students sponsored by the MEXT Strategic Funds for the Promotion of Science andTechnology--building training bases of strategic environmental leaders. In this program, female
graduate students from Asian countries and Japan study Environmental Science, Human Behavioral
Studies, and Biotechnology in order to become ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) leaders
in local communities.
The program objectives are to acquire the following four skills:
1. Discover tasks unique to each local community
2. Solve problems while taking into account various perspectives
3. Cooperate with a variety of people
4. Take a leadership role in local communities
The program focuses on allowing women to contribute to the maintenance of environment-friendly
local communities by promoting sustainable development. Trainees acquire practical knowledge with
global perspectives. In order to achieve this goal, the program offers internships in collaboration with
LEAF (Learning and Ecological Activities Foundation for Children), an NPO in Nishinomiya City. Inaddition, the program offers live Internet lectures given by professors at universities across Asia.
Upon completion of the program, trainees will receive a certificate.

(A) Support system

The program, though offered by the Graduate School of Human Sciences, is supported by the entire
college. For example, students taking the Interpreting and Translation Course in the Graduate Schoolof Letters support the program by providing interpreting services, while the Graduate School of Music
offers cultural exchange through music. The Kobe College Megumi Association, the college’s alumni
association, provides psychological support for international students by promoting cultural exchange.
In addition, international students can apply for scholarships through the Kobe College scholarshipsystem. The college helps students to receive financial support from various institutions, including the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and introduces
accommodation near campus.

(B) International students
In order to apply for the program, students must be female Master’s students of a university that has
exchanged a memorandum of understanding with Kobe College. Applicants should be studying
ESD-related fields and must be recommended by the university at which they are currently enrolled.
Recruiting and interviews take place in December through February. Acceptance is decided at theend of March.

The location of Kobe College and home universities of international students.
* MOU in preparation

II. Curriculum(for the schedule see the chart below)
Trainees will acquire the skills necessary to promote ESD in their local communities through theprogram’s lectures and internships. In addition, they will deepen their understanding of environmental
pollution and ESD by comparing situations in Japan to those throughout Asia. The program starts inOctober and ends in September of the following year.

(A) One-year training schedulei. Relay series of lectures: learning from situations in Japan[a]
Environmental issues and ESD progress in Japan I (2 credits)(Autumn semester: environmental issues and countermeasures in Japan)[b]Environmental issues and ESD progress in Japan II (2 credits)(Spring semester: ESD promotion in Japan)
These lectures on environmental pollution and ESD promotion in Japan are given by Kobe College
faculty members and guest lecturers from outside institutions. During the lectures, instructors discuss
the issues with trainees from a variety of perspectives, including environmental science, science andtechnology, ecological science, health science, economics, social science, and psychology. Lectures
are given in English; however, if needed, students from the Interpreting and Translation Course canprovide simultaneous interpreting services to promote communication between lecturers and trainees.
The lecture series also includes visits to pollution control facilities and other relevant sites.
ii. Live Internet lectures: learning from situations in Asia[c]Environmental issues and ESD progress in Asia I (2 credits)(Autumn semester: environmental issues and countermeasures in Asia)[d]Environmental issues and ESD progress in Asia II (2 credits)(Spring semester: ESD promotion in Asia)
Kobe College possesses an Internet video conferencing system equipped with a remote simultaneousinterpreting function. Through this system, Kobe College classrooms can connect with universities
abroad via the Internet. In this series of live Internet lectures, faculty members at collaborating
universities throughout Asia give lectures on environmental pollution and ESD progress in their homecountries.
iii. Internships
Internship I (4 credits)(Autumn semester: participating in NPO environmental education activities etc.)

Internship II (4 credits)(Spring semester: supporting Kobe College’s local community vitalization programs etc.)
Internship III (2 credits)(Two-week internship during summer break)
Kobe College collaborates with companies engaged in pro-environment business activities, local
authorities promoting environmental education, and an NPO conducting environmental education
activities for local communities. These institutions conduct various environmental activities involving
local citizens. By participating in internships at these institutions, trainees have the opportunity to planand manage environmental education activities for children and citizens and advance their own
research and investigation.
Internship I and II take place mainly in the area of Nishinomiya City as the working field. The city
progressively promotes ESD and these internships are conducted with the cooperation of NPO LEAF.
Internship III provides opportunities to deepen the trainees’ understanding about ESD activities
practiced by national administrative organizations and companies in order to nurture broader
perspective.
iv. Fieldwork
Fieldwork (2 credits)(During spring break)Fieldwork is to be conducted as a few days’ trip during spring break. Trainees will visit the other area
than Nishinomiya City, which is the main field of this program. There, trainees will learn about thenature and culture of the local and actually experience on-site ESD projects. Also they will engage indiscussions with volunteers and NPO staff members about ESD promotion based on local
communities.
Fieldwork:
Forest walk in
Shirakami
Mountain Range

Fieldwork:
Reed harvesting in
Miyagi Prefecture(B) Outline of lectures[a] Environmental issues and ESD progress in Japan I[c] Environmental issues and ESD progress in Japan II"Current Situation of Environmental Pollution and Countermeasures""Natural Environment and Actions for Environmental Education"

1

Japan'senvironmentalpolicies

2
3
4

Japan's history ofenvironmental
pollution

6
7
8

Ministry of theEnvironment

Minamata disease and Itai-itai disease

Prof. M. Terashima (KC)3

Prof. M. Terashima (KC)4

Prof. K. Yokota (KC)5

Prof. A. Hata
(Shiga Environmental
Issues Institute)6

Yokkaichi asthma and Nishiyodogawa
environmental pollution
HIV-tainted blood products and infected
hemophiliac patients in Japan
Environmental pollution as social and economic
issues5

Aquatic environmental pollution -- from theperspective of environmental science
Air pollution -- from the perspective of
Current situation ofenvironmental scienceenvironmental
pollution
Effects of environmental pollutants on wildlife
Effects of environmental pollutants on human
body

9
10

Current environmental issues: Waste problem

Measures against
environmental
11
pollution

Current environmental issues: Contamination ofsoil and ground water

12
13
14

Field trip

1

Japan's environmental administration

Current environmental issues: Globalenvironmental issues
Factory tour 1: Leading-edge pollution control
facilities
Factory tour 2: Zero-emission plant

Prof. H. Harino (KC)

28
9
10

Prof. S. Kawai(Koshien Univ.)

11

Prof. M. Nishida (KC)12

Prof. M. Terashima (KC)Prof. M. Nishida (KC)13
14

Environmental
education

Prof. R. Nozaki (KC)

Biogeography and biodiversity of animals in Japan Prof. T. Endo (KC)Conservation of marine environments,and fisheries of Japan
Culture and nature - from the view of adaptation

Naturalenvironment andhuman

7

Prof. H. Harino (KC)Prof. A. Hata(Shiga EnvironmentalIssues Institute)Prof. A. Hata
(Shiga Environmental
Issues Institute)Prof. K. Kimura(Ritsumeikan Univ.)

Climate and vegetation of Japan
Japan's naturalenvironment

Environmental behavior in social psychology

Prof. S. Kawai(Koshien Univ.)
Prof. H. Yama
(Osaka City Univ.)
Prof. C. Kobayashi (KC)

Environmental policies of Nishinomiya City

Ministry of theEnvironment
Nishinomiya City

Environmental education 1

Prof. S. Miyake (KC)

Environmental education 2

Prof. S. Miyake (KC)Nature conservation policy

Ministry of theEnvironmentProf. Emeritus Y. Yamamoto
Cooperation between local areas and Kobe College(KC)Current situation ofProf. H. Soeda (Osaka City
environmental
Actions in local communities
Univ.)
education
Prof. H. Soeda (Osaka City
ESD case examples
Univ.)
On-site actions
Lake Biwa Museum
Actions in Japan

Environmental issues
and ESD progress in
Asia I:
Lecture from Yuan Ze
University (Taiwan)
using the Internet videoconferencing system

Environmental issues
and ESD progress inJapan II:
Lecture at Lake Biwa
Museum, Shiga
Prefecture[d] Environmental issues and ESD progress in Asia II"Natural Environment and Actions for Environmental Education"
123 China

4Vietnam
56Korea

78 Indonesia
9The Philippines

1011Thailand
12Prof. M. Abd. Ghani(Univ. Putra Malaysia)
ESD movement and environmental education in Prof. M. Abd. GhaniMalaysia(Univ. Putra Malaysia)
Prof. W. Yang (InstituteCommunity-based ESD at the Pearl river delta
for Sustainableof ChinaCommunities)
ESD movement and environmental education in Prof. H. Hai (Danang
the local communities of Vietnam
Univ. of Technology)
ESD movement and environmental education in Prof. H. Hai (Danang
the local communities of Vietnam
Univ. of Technology)
Prof. J. Choe (Ewha
Climate change and biodiversity depletion
Womans Univ.)
Prof. J. Choe (Ewha
Human nature and welfare
Womans Univ.)
Prof. D. T. Sembel
Pesticides and agricultural crops in Indonesia(Sam Ratulangi Univ.)
Education for sustainable development in the Prof. A. P. Galang
Philippines(Miriam College)
Education for sustainable development in the Prof. A. P. Galang
Philippines(Miriam College)
Sustainable development of water based
Prof. S. Thadaniti
Bangkok, Thailand(Kasetsart Univ.)

Natural environment in Malaysia
Malaysia

Learning the greatness of mother nature
through festival, case of Loy Krathong water
festival in Thailand

Prof. S. Thadaniti(Kasetsart Univ.)(C) Outline of internship

Internship I: Farming experienceat Kabutoyama FarmInternship II: Observation of
aquatic organisms atKoshienhama BeachIII. Kobe College
Kobe College, founded in 1875, is a place of higher learning for women with themotto “Love thy god, love thy neighbor.” Based on the teachings of Christianity
as well as international understanding, the college is committed to providing asolid liberal arts and science education with small classes. Liberal arts andsciences date back to the systematic Greek and Roman academies of theseptem artes liberals (seven liberal arts): grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic,geometry, music and astronomy. Kobe College offers diverse curricula todevelop broad perspectives and critical thinking skills to nurture independently
minded individuals.

Graduate School of Human Sciences
The Graduate School of Human Sciences consists of four specialized fields:
Clinical Psychology, Human Behavioral Sciences, Environmental Sciences, andHealth Sciences. It is a small and interdisciplinary institution, focusing on thecultivation of future female leaders in society. Two of the graduate school’s
programs were selected to be sponsored by the MEXT Initiative for Attractive
Education in Graduate Schools (2007-2009): “Cultivation of female scientists
work for environment and health” and “Training of clinical psychologists skilled
to produce practices for local needs ”.

Professor Ken Ii
Kobe College President
Program Leader

Professor Tomoji Endo
Dean, Graduate Schoolof Human Sciences

Access
Kobe College is located in Nishinomiya City.
Both international airports in the Kansai Region arewithin 60 to 90 minutes of the college.
From Kansai International Airport: Take a bus bound for Nishinomiyaand get off at Hankyu Nishinomiya-kitaguchi station(about 75 minutes from the airport).
Then take a taxi to Kobe College (about 10 minutes).
From Osaka International Airport: Take a bus bound for
Nishinomiya and get off at Hankyu Nishinomiya-kitaguchi station(about 50 minutes). Then take a taxi to Kobe College (about 10 minutes).

Kobe College
Please contact us at:
Kobe College
Graduate School of Human Sciences
4-1 Okadayama, Nishinomiya, Hyogo
662-8505, JAPANE-mail: eco_leader@mail.kobe-c.ac.jp
Cooperating institutions: Nishinomiya city http://www.nishi.or.jp/
NPO LEAF

http://www.leaf.or.jp/

Funding institution: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

2012.03