ASPUnivNet
Interuniversity Network Supporting
The UNESCO Associated Schools Network

What is ASPUnivNet ?
ASPUnivNet is a network of universities supporting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its
activities at the schools participating in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) as partners.

How was ASPUnivNet established ?
UNESCO Associated Schools have a long history dating back to 1953, when the UNESCO ASPnet was inaugurated
to convert the philosophies stated in the UNESCO Charter into action in schools. The “Symposium on Education forInternational Understanding” was held in 2007 at Miyagi University of Education in Sendai, which is the birthplaceof the world's first private-sector UNESCO activities. This event triggered a surge in the number of applications
to participate in ASPnet in the region, especially in Kesennuma. The driving force behind this trend was the
support of universities to these applications, along with their cooperation in school education. In November 2008,
the “Gathering of UNESCO Associated Schools” was held at Miyagi University of Education, bringing together
representatives of universities considering assisting UNESCO Associated Schools. They set forth to establish aninteruniversity network. The following month, “The International Forum on Education for Sustainable Development
Dialogue 2008” was held at the United Nations University in Tokyo under the auspices of the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO (JNCU); UNESCO;and the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU), under the joint sponsorship of the United Nations
University and Miyagi University of Education. The inauguration of the Interuniversity Network Supporting the
UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPUnivNet) was officially announced at this forum.

Member Universities
ASPUnivNet started with eight member universities at its inception and has expanded to 23 member universities
today (as of January 2020).
ㅡ Hokkaido University of Education

ㅡ

Mie University

ㅡ

Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

Studies, Tohoku UniversityㅡOsaka Prefecture University

ㅡ Miyagi University of EducationㅡNara University of Education

ㅡ College of Education, Tamagawa

ㅡOkayama UniveristyㅡGraduate School of Education,
Hiroshima University

ㅡ

Fukuyama City University

ㅡFaculty of International Studies,
Hiroshima City University

ㅡ Kanazawa Universityㅡ

Naruto University of Education

ㅡ Faculty of Education, Shinshuㅡ

University of Teacher Education
Fukuoka

Kushiro Campus

ㅡ Graduate School of Environmental

University

ㅡ Faculty of Education and Graduate

School of Teacher Education, Soka
University

ㅡ Seikei University
ㅡ School of Humanities and Culture,

Tokai University

University

ㅡ Faculty of Education, Shizuoka

University

ㅡ Gifu University
ㅡ Aichi University of Education
ㅡ Chubu University

1 About ASPUnivNetAreas of support

What is ASPUnivNet doing?
01. ASPnet Participation Support
When interested schools apply for a membership in ASPnet, each school is requested to fill in and submit theapplication form and seek for a recommendation from JNCU. This process requires applying schools to have a clear
idea of not only their ESD curriculum but also the institution as a whole working on ESD in cooperation with local
communities, municipalities, as well as other partner organizations (i.e., NGOs, NPOs, social education institutions).
In this respect, ASPUnivNet provides guidance or evaluation in the application form on the basis of universities’
intellectual resources.

02. Training of Teachers for Higher-level ESD Practices
Through a series of workshops, ASPUnivNet provides teachers in UNESCO Associated Schools an opportunity todevelop skills by conducting ESD programs. It also introduces educational programs and good practices of ESD in
Japan and abroad, educational materials, and other useful information. The workshops also serve as a platform forteachers to exchange their ideas with colleagues from other institutions.

03. Development of ESD Leaders
ASPUnivNet advances the development of human resources that can promote ESD in the future through formal
and non-formal programs, thereby utilizing their intellectual resources.

04. Institutionalization of ESD Promotion Network
ASPUnivNet links UNESCO Associated Schools inJapan and abroad by developing a liaison system andcoordinating opportunities for schools to communicate
and exchange practices. Moreover, a number ofconsortiums have been established by universities withsupport from UNESCO Associated Schools, aiming topromote and spread ESD activities to nonmembers byorganizing a range of activities in local communities.

About ASPUnivNet 2

Introduction
ㅡ Tohoku University………………………4
ㅡ Miyagi University of Education… ……5
ㅡ Tamagawa University… ………………6
ㅡ Tokai University…………………………7
ㅡ Shinshu University… …………………8
ㅡ Chubu University… ………………… 9ㅡ Mie University… …………………… 10

3 ContentsㅡOsaka Prefecture University… …… 11ㅡNara University of Education……… 12

ㅡNaruto University of Education…… 13

Tohoku University,
Graduate School of Environmental Studies
Address Aoba 468-1, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0845
URL

Contact

www.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp

Daisuke Sano, Associate Professor
Urban and Regional Environmental Systems
daisuke.sano.e1@tohoku.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Support for education activities related to SDG6
We supported the educational activities related to

To strengthen the support for educational activities, global

SDG6: Clean water and sanitation. Japan Society for Water

trends of SDG6-related issues are presented in the webpage

Environment Tohoku Branch organized a workshop forof Sano laboratory. Assoc. Prof. Sano is currently serving

research presentation in order to provide high schoolas the secretary of the Health-Related Water Microbiology

students in the Tohoku district with the opportunity forSpecialist Group of the International Water Association, andpresenting their achievements in extramural activities witha program committee member of Singapore International

regard to water environments. This workshop also provided

Water Week, and is collecting information with regard to

students of UNESCO Associated Schools with a precious

globally required water-related technologies/systems, which

opportunity to communicate with water professionals. Many

are utilized in UNESCO Associated Schools that are goingstudents from Sendai Nika High School joined this workshop,

to develop human resources who will actively contribute toand utilized it as a space for developing experiences to be

future water issues that we will face in the near future.

professionals of this field in the future.

ESD ACTIVITIESDevelopment of international and multidisciplinary human resources
Tohoku University Graduate School of Environmental

We have collaborated with Sendai City Municipality toStudies was established in 2003, and has been committed

open “Tamaki-san salon” in the building of the Graduate

to education and research activities based on the ideal

School of Environmental Studies, Aobayama Campus, toto develop international and multidisciplinary humanpromote environmental education, and hold seminars

resources who will support the sustainable development

constantly for students and citizens in Sendai City. Thisof our society and construct a social structure as asalon houses a collection of important literatures related tobasement of a recycling-based society. We have provided

environmental studies, which makes it possible to provide

environmental education resources for schools at all threespace for environmental learning from multidisciplinarylevels, undergraduate students, graduate students, adultand international viewpoints, and for close communication

students, and foreign students mainly from Asian countries.

between citizens and researchers.

Introduction 4

Miyagi University of Education
Address 149 Aobaku Aramaki Azaaoba, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan 980-0845
URL

http://renkei.miyakyo-u.ac.jp/kenkyo/esd/aspunivnet/

Contact

Tomonori Ichinose, Director, Professor
Research Institution of Teacher Training and Development
TEL: 022-214-3382/3381
ichinose@staff.miyakyo-u.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS
Providing opportunities and materials for UNESCO Associated Schools, teachers and classrooms.

Application support for UNESCO

01 Associated Schools

As a founder and member university of ASPUnivNet, MUE supports
UNESCO Associated Schools (112 schools) and UNESCO Associated
School applicants (30 schools) in the Tohoku area. MUE has accepted

Support for UNESCO Associated02 Schools and Board of Education

MUE has been hosting the project “Development of SDGs and ESD-

related curriculum based on global citizens utilizing local resources”
with the support of the UNESCO activity fund and the project “ESD/

25 applications for UNESCO Associated School membership from

SDGs local exchange models utilizing human development resources

Aomori, Yamagata, Miyagi, Niigata, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama

in the Tohoku area” with the support of Grants-in-Aid for Scientificprefectures last year and accepted 5 new schools’ applications thisResearch since 2018. Through these projects, MUE has promoted andyear. MUE staff members have visited these schools and gave them

supported the following activities this year:

proper support for their application to become UNESCO Associated
Schools. On November 5th, MUE hosted the 1st UNESCO Associated
Schools Hokkaido andTohoku block conferencewith the support of theJapan-UNESCO Partnership
Project. In this conference,
200 students and teachersin and out of Hokkaido
and Tohoku came together
to show their researchpresentations.

1. Kesennuma district: ESD/UNESCO Associated School Teacher
Training (June and January), ESD/RCE round table meeting(November)

2. Iwate Hiraizumi district: Hiraizumi town open teacher training(September)

3. Fukushima Tadami district: Tadami town open teacher training(November)

4. Fukushima Adachi district: Adachi High open research forum(August)5. 1st ASPnet Hokkaido Tohoku area conference (November)
6. ESD Tohoku block consortium and ESD activity center researchforum (February)

ESD ACTIVITIESCreating learning opportunities collaborating with Tohoku local communities and global communities.

01 Promoting the Greater Sendai RCE and ESD Tohoku consortium project
The Tohoku area was acknowledged as the Regional Centre of Expertise on ESD (RCE) by the United Nations University in 2005 and Tohoku
consortium by MEXT in 2014. MUE has organized the executive boards for the Greater Sendai RCE and ESD Tohoku consortium. Together withenvironmental associations, UNESCO associations, city boards of education, MUE enhanced ESD activities in each Tohoku area. From this year,
MUE promotes the project “Development of SDGs and ESD-related curriculum based on global citizens utilizing local resources”. Several learning
exchange opportunities and events organized by the consortium members have been held in this project.

Promoting ESD in teacher training

International collaboration and

02 course, ESD-related subject “Modern 03 research activities
Task Subject”

MUE is mobilizing and participating in several projects of JICA,

MUE provides to the students in the teacher training course, the sub-UNESCO Bangkok, UNESCO Jakarta office and CNWCESD in China,

major course called “Modern Task Subject” which was established to

Okayama University UNESCO chair and ProSPER.Net of United Nations

tackle issues in modern society. Students can learn about ESD-related

University. This year, MUE hosted the ProSPER.Net general assembly

subjects such as Multicultural Education, Environmental Education,

in Sendai. In this international conference, a total of 49 participantsSpecial Needs Education, etc. Because the Sendai area was disasterfrom Australia, China, Indonesia, Kirgizstan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka,

affected on March 11, 2011, MUE also strongly promotes Disaster Risk

Thailand, United Nations University, UNESCO Bangkok, and theReduction (DRR) education.

Ministry of Environment exchanged ideas for creating a sustainable

For the pre-service teacher

society including Disaster Risk

training, MUE provides

Reduction. These promotion

teacher’s certificate renewal

activities are mainly initiatedsubjects such as “ESDby the ESD department

introduction” in Sendai

of Research Institutioncity and Kesennuma city.

for Teacher Training andDevelopment in MUE.

5 Introduction

Tamagawa University, College of Education
Address 6-1-1 Tamagawa-Gakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610
URL

https://www.tamagawa.jp/en/

Contact

Makoto Kobayashi, Professor
College of Education
TEL: 042-739-8351
makoto@edu.tamagawa.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Background - How we became a Member of ASPUnivNet andwhat we have been doing
Tamagawa University (College of Education) became a member of UNESCO Associated Schools and of ASPUnivNet in 2008 in orderto promote teacher education programs in congruency with the transformative pedagogy of UNESCO, including ESD, GCED and
Education for International Understanding. In cooperation with ACCU and NFUAJ, we have been promoting teacher training programs
to strengthen UNESCO Associated Schools networking in the metropolitan and Asia-Pacific context.
Tamagawa University (College of Education) has been implementing every year since 2009 “UNESCO Associated Schools Teacher Training
Seminar” in the framework of the Japan-UNESCO Partnership Project (MEXT) for capacity building of educators serving at UNESCO Associated
Schools in the metropolitan area. In 2018, we organized the 4th
UNESCO Associated Schools Kanagawa Regional Conference.
In collaboration with ACCU, Tokai University, Soka University,
Seikei University and Kanagawa UNESCO Associated Schools
Consortium, Tamagawa University convened the UNESCO
Associated Schools Kanto Regional Conference on October 5th,2019 as a Japan-UNESCO Partnership Project. We invited Dr. Lim
Hyun Mook, Director of APCEIU, for keynote speech, and theparticipants discussed regional and international cooperationof UNESCO Associated Schools toward the attainment of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

ESD ACTIVITIES

01 ESD/SDGs Active Learning Program

Students’ Initiatives of Tamagawa

02 University UNESCO ClubAs a pre-service teacher training program for undergraduate

For the nationwide networking of students’ engagement in

students, Tamagawa University (College of Education) introduced

transformative pedagogy of UNESCO, Tamagawa University

the ESD/SDGs Active Learning Program in 2017 in order to

UNESCO Club, founded in 2003, has been convening Annual

enhance students’ practical teaching skills for ESD and SDGs in theSummit of College UNESCO Clubs in collaboration with UNESCO

classroom. On the basis of their field works outside the campus, theclubs of eight universities in Japan, including Nara University ofstudents developed ESD

Education, Hiroshima University, and Fukuyama City University.,

worksheets for practicaland so on. Our UNESCO club also supports UNESCO Associatedusage at primary and

Schools in Tokyo by providing guest lectures on SDGs.

secondary schools, witha wide range of topics
focusing on climatechange, sustainable
tourism, human rights,
global citizenship andreconciliation.

Introduction 6

Tokai University,
School of Humanities and Culture
Address 4-1-1 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken 259-1292
URL

Contact

http://www.shc.u-tokai.ac.jp/

Daisuke Onuki, Yutaka Iwamoto, Keiichi Tanabe,
Seiko Oyama, Sachi Ninomiya-Lim
TEL: 022-214-3382/3381
unesco@ml.tokai-u.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Multicultural Co-Learning: Promoting exchange among
ethnically diverse students/teachers“Multicultural Co-Learning” is the keyword for our activities with UNESCO Associated
Schools and other schools aspiring to become one. We often are requested to help
member schools with intercultural understanding activities. We recruit international
students from our Shonan Campus and visit schools to give cultural workshops withthem. For the students of UNESCO Associated Schools, it is an opportunity to meet
and talk with people from a variety of countries, while the international students enjoy
getting to know the life of children and students in Japanese schools.
We also hold an event named “UNESCO Youth Seminar” once a year in which
high-school and university students as well as their teachers get together in Tokai’sCampus and spend two days discussing important global issues of our time. UNESCO
Associated Schools, other schools aspiring to become one, as well as foreign schools
in and outside Kanagawa prefecture participate in this event. This year was the fifth
year of the Seminar. The themes of past UNESCO Youth Seminars have been: “Schools
in the future” (2015), “Growing diversity and multiculturalism of Japanese schools”(2016), “Diversity and inclusion” (2017), “Ocean plastics pollution and our lifestyle”(2018) and “Cosmopolitan Japan” (2019).
We provide logistic support to Kanagawa Network of UNESCO Associated Schools
and help organize the network’s annual conferences. We are also helping one of themember schools in Kanagawa that adopt Waldorf (Steiner) method of education in its
effort to form an international network of UNESCO associated Waldorf schools.

ESD ACTIVITIESService learning and a variety of community-based ESD projects
The School of Humanities and Culture, composed of the Departments of Human Environment, International Studies and Arts,
values interdisciplinary approach and carries out a variety of inter-department ESD projects as part of its service-learning program.
The examples of the ESD projects include: Earth Museum Project, Multicultural Childhood Project, North-east Asia Environment andConviviality Project, Shonan Area Community-based Brand Creation Project.

7 Introduction

Shinshu University, Faculty of Education
Address 6-Ro, Nishinagano, Nagano City, Nagano 380-8544
URL

https://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/

Contact

Kazuo Nishi, Professor, Faculty of Education
TEL: 026-238-4034
kyoesd@shinshu-u.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

01 Membership Application Support

02 Activity Support

We, Faculty of Education at Shinshu University, provide

We provide UNESCO Associated Schools with various types

elementary, junior high, and high schools in Nagano prefectureof support for activities. We visit the schools regularly, givingwith support for UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet)

guidance and advice on activities as well as proposing timely

membership application. For the schools that plan to apply or

support based on their challenges or requests. We provide

are already in the challenge period, we provide guidance andsupport mainly to teachers and staff members, such as holding

advice on activities, as well as on-site workshops on Education

on-site workshops on ESD/SDGs, participating in in-school

for Sustainable Development (ESD)/Sustainable Development

seminars/open classes, and coordinating activity support from

Goals (SDGs) to applying schools’ teachers and staff members

affiliated organizations. Also, our regional coordinators directly

by sending coordinators upon request. We have supported eightinteract as guest teachers with children occasionally. We haveschools this fiscal year, including Toyoshina-Minami Elementaryprovided support to 13 member schools this fiscal year, including

School (Azumino-shi) and Tooyama Junior High School (Iida-shi).

Yamanouchi Elementary School (Yamanouchi-machi) and Bunka
Gakuen Nagano Junior and Senior High School (Nagano-shi).

ESD ACTIVITIESCommunity Cooperation/Exchange

01 Support

We established the Shinshu ESD Consortium in February 2017
to popularize ESD and promote its practice in Nagano prefecture.
Various organizations participate in the Consortium, namely
UNESCO Associated Schools, the board of education, UNESCO
Associations, NGOs, and other private companies/organizations,functioning as the support platform for UNESCO Associated School
activities in the prefecture. The Consortium organizes yearly
Accomplishment Presentation and Exchange Meeting at Shinshu
University, during which students of UNESCO Associated Schoolspresent their ESD practice achievements and learn from each otherthrough interaction. We also provide support for participatingin nationwide interaction activities, such as the ASPnet National
Meeting in Japan, to promote interaction among other member
schools in the country; we have supported many member schools in
the prefecture.

02 ESD for Biosphere Reserve (BR)Shinshu University has won the grant for the project“Development of a Practical Model for Promoting and Deepening
ESD/SDGs in School Education Utilizing the Biosphere Reserve”. The
project aims to promote data gathering, research and study of ESD
through BR, as well as promoting and vitalizing ESD in BR throughmutual exchange and learning among educators. We invited
participants from other BRs, such as Hakusan BR and Minakami
BR, to the ESD-related events and workshops we had organizedat Yamanouchi- machi in Shiga Highland BR in 2019. We alsoorganized an event in November in Iida-shi (Minami-Alps BR) called“Dialogue for ESD Promotion in Iida: Regional Development by ESD
utilizing UNESCO Biosphere Reserve” in association with Chubu
ESD Action Support Center. The event was successful in promoting
understanding on correlation and interaction between BR and ESD
through mutual learning and exchange among participants from
Shiga Highland BR, Tadami BR, and Aya BR.

Introduction 8

Chubu University
Address 1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai-shi,
Aichi 487-8501 Chubu University
URL

https://www.chubu.ac.jp/

Contact

Hidetoshi Miyakawa,
UNESCO School Support Office
TEL: 0568-51-7597
miyakawa@isc.chubu.ac.jp

Reita Furusawa,
International ESD/SDGs
Center
TEL: 0568-51-7618
reita@isc.chubu.ac.jp

Junko Kageura,College of Contemporary
Education
TEL: 0568-51-7511
kageura@isc.chubu.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Support for membership application, development ofactivities in member schools, exchanges with schools in andout of Japan
1. Support procedures (contents and methods) in applying for UNESCO
Associated School membership.

2. Cooperate with member schools for future implementation of ESD activities,
including enrichment and development of the activities.

3. Proceed in cooperation with Aichi UNESCO Associated School Support

Conference, and collaborate with related organizations and groups in Aichi
prefecture.
4. Held the UNESCO Associated School Chubu Block Good Practice Forum thisyear.
5. Introduce ESD activities in school education to the trainees of Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and give them opportunities to visit
UNESCO Associated Schools and deepen their understandings of the contents
and methods of educational practices.
6. In order to promote exchanges with UNESCO Associated Schools in and out
of Japan, visit the schools in other countries and invite related people in othercountries to Japan.

ESD ACTIVITIES

United Nations University RCE Chubu, ESD researches and education in
Chubu University, ESD activities in three attached schools, etc.
Chubu University has been working as an institution managing RCE Chubu (RCE: Regional Centre of Expertise on ESD) authorized byUnited Nations University since 2007.
ㅡ

ㅡ

ㅡ

ㅡ

ㅡ

ESD researches in Chubu University: Many researchers acrossdepartments and specialties hold workshops, symposiums
and lectures on ESD and SDGs.
ESD activities and promotion of public awareness in Chubu
University: Provide educational programs for human resource
development with ideas and knowledge across various fields.
Attached schools, Chubu University Daiichi High School,
Chubu University Haruhigaoka High School, Chubu University
Haruhigaoka Junior High School, work on various activities as
UNESCO Associated Schools.
Provide an Industrial Technology Education training course
for sustainable society to trainees of Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA).
As part of ESD activities, hold workshops on “manufacturingwith wood from thinning” at Toyota Commemorative Museumof Industry and Technology, where university students who
aim to become teachers show elementary school students
the importance of forest environment.

9 IntroductionMie University
Address 1577 Kurimamachiyacho, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507
URL

Contact

http://www.mie-u.ac.jp/

Hye-Sook Park, Professor
Faculty of Humanities, Law and Economics
TEL: 059-231-9157
park@human.mie-u.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Support for IATSS FORUM through collaboration with

01 UNESCO Associated Schools and Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
On June 19th , 2019, IATSS FORUM was held at Yokkaichi Pollution and Environmental Future Museum and Mie University Hokusei
Satellite. The Forum is an international human resource education program that invites 20 young people selected from the fields of industry,
government and academia from 10 countries in Southeast Asia to Honda Motor Co., Ltd., located in Suzuka City, for a two-month training.
At the 61st Forum, the main theme was SDGs, with a lecture by Professor Park of Mie University and a world cafe style discussion withhigh school students from UNESCO Associated Schools. In particular, serious discussions were held on overcoming Yokkaichi pollution
and creating sustainable towns that made use of the lessons learned, and the project ended up making significant achievements in thedevelopment of international human resources.

Support for Energy and Environmental Education in

02 cooperation with UNESCO Associated Schools and Chubu
Electric Power Co., Ltd.

On August 7th, 2019, as an independent research for summer vacation for university
students including UNESCO Associated School students and international students, we visited
Kawagoe Thermal Power plant, the largest power station in the prefecture, etc., and createdand presented a wall newspaper based on our learnings. Energy and environmental educationis the most important part of ESD because measures to address climate change (global warming), the largest environmental problemof the century, rely heavily on energy management. In particular, since the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011, appropriate
energy measures have been required. In Japan, where the primary energy self-sufficiency rate is only 6%, energy and environmental
education for young people who will lead the next generation is the most important theme. Energy and environmental education
through partnerships between universities and companies has become an indispensable element in human resource development for
the next generation in addressing global warming, the biggest environmental problem of the 21st century.

03

Support for Mie Environment Fair 2019 in cooperation
with UNESCO Associated Schools, Mie prefecture, andadministrative organizations

On December 15th, 2019, the largest environmental fair in the prefecture, Mie Environmental
Fair 2019, was held in cooperation with industry, government, academia and citizens. At the fair,
Governor Suzuki declared "Emission Zero 2050 Mie", which emphasized Mie's leadership both inJapan and overseas. In an environmental talk with Prof. Park as the coordinator (with Yukiko Kada,a member of the House of Councilors as a guest), discussions on themes such as "Protecting theenvironment" under the topics "The Expectation for the Creation of a World-Leading Environmentally
Advanced Prefecture Utilizing the Lessons of Pollution in Yokkaichi" and "Mother Lake - Lake Biwa"
provided a great opportunity to reaffirm the importance of addressing SDGs and ESD.

ESD ACTIVITIESUNESCO World Heritage Kumano Kodo Study TourOn December 14th, 2019, a Kumano Kodo study tour was co-organized by Mie
University and Kinomoto High School (with cooperation from Mie prefecture). 30
faculty members and students (including international students) walked along
the Matsumoto Pass while receiving explanations in English from Kinomoto HighSchool students. Photos taken during the tour will be on display at the Kumano
Kodo Festa on December 21st.

Introduction 10

Osaka Prefecture University
Address 1-1 Gakuenmachi,SakaiCity,Osaka
599-8531
URL

Contact Atsuhiko Yoshida, Professor
Naohiro Ii, Professor
Humanities and Social Sciences

http://www.osakafu-u.ac.jp/en/

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

01 Support for network activities

02 Support for membership application

Osaka Prefecture University supported the promotion of

The university receives many consultations regarding UNESCO

learning with the aim of expanding network activities andAssociated School application and requests for support for

deepening ESD/SDGs through “learning from each other” as the

specific procedures. The policy is to allow UNESCO Associateduniversity entrusted with the project of developing UNESCO

Schools to promote their area of learning without limiting it

Associated Schools of the region for the year 2019. This activity

to existing school practices, and to release it from the logic

included participation not only from Osaka but also fromof conducting domestic activities alone and promote it as an

Toyama, Hyogo, Nara, Kyoto, Wakayama (23 schools and 152

original international mutual learning. So, we visit the schools

students), and so on. In this way, not only was significant regional

concerned when they contact us, and we directly discuss thecooperation expanded, but participation from different cultural

possibilities of adapting educational resources and practices that

regions broadened the views and visions of children, students

are appropriate for international expansion to the school’s area

and teachers as well.

of learning. The will to internationalize through joining UNESCO
Associated Schools is felt from each school.

ESD ACTIVITIES

Promotion of ESD and social contribution
Osaka Prefecture University makes social contributions on the theme “sustainability” across all academic fields. In this context, thedifferent insights of each academic field influence each other. Learning in this environment develops students’ discerning eyes on
the world and the region and forms the foundation for sustainability in each region. With such background, there are many requests
from various local schools for laboratory visits and on-site lectures, and consultations from schools and boards of education. Juniorhigh school students visited the School of Social Welfare and Education for their ESD independent research activity, and overseas
UNESCO Associated School officials made a filed tour of our researches at various graduate courses in Osaka Prefecture University.
The important thing is to share the conviction that in any field, we will develop a rational mind and bring smiles to the world's people
regardless of generation.

11 IntroductionNara University of Education
Address Takabatake-cho,Nara-shi, Nara 630-8528
URL

Contact

https://www.nara-edu.ac.jp/

Shizuo Nakazawa, Associate Professor
Teacher Education Center for the Future Generation
TEL: 0742-27-9269
nakazawa@nara-edu.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Application support for UNESCO Associated Schools
Nara University of Education is supporting UNESCO
Associated Schools in the areas of Shiga, Wakayama and Naraprefectures.
In 2019, we worked with Nagahama Munincipal Takatoki
Primary School in Shiga prefecture to join UNESCO Associated
Schools. At public schools, teachers are transferred according
to a certain length of service period, so ESD activities tend to
become inactive when ESD dedicated teachers and principals
leave the schools. That is why the whole school approach isvital. The principal of Takatoki Primary School asked us to
conduct teachers’ training seminars on all the teachers forreinforcing ESD. The ESD Teacher Program we have developed
to nurture ESD-oriented teachers was put to use. Our
systematic ESD seminars which were conducted for a total of
five times, we believe, helped to raise practical ESD skills of all the teachers there.
Another approach was taken for Kumamoto Municipal Hokubu Junior High School, where we also exploited our ESD Teacher
Program and held ESD teacher training seminars in cooperation with Fukuoka University of Education with whom we have beencollaborating since last year. In the 11th national conference of UNESCO Associated Schools, this school won the ESD grand prize in the
junior high school category, which was a great delight to the whole school.

ESD ACTIVITIESStudy tour in Kurashiki, Okayama prefecture
Last year students mainly of our UNESCO Club and ESD
Teacher Program applicants joined a volunteer activity for the
restoration of Western Japan after a heavy rain disaster. We
visited the affected places 11 times and helped to revive thedisaster-stricken houses, and afterward had several chances
to inform other students of this field work. This activity was
acknowledged and we were awarded the Challenge Prize of theCommunity Action Challenge 100 Award sponsored by the Girl
Scouts of Japan.
This year, on December 7th and 8th, 18 students visited
Mabi town of Kurashiki city, and engaged in washing andrepairing damaged photo albums. A participating student said,“Talking of disaster restoration support, we are likely to think ofmaterial aid, but through rinsing out lots of damaged photos,
we found it possible to revive the cherished memories of thoseaffected by the disaster.” These volunteer activities are indeed
good opportunities to learn about ESD linked to reality.

Introduction 12

Naruto University of Education
Address 748 Nakajima, Takashima, Naruto-cho, Naruto,
Tokushima772-8502
URL

Contact

http://www.naruto-u.ac.jp/incet/

Hiroaki Ozawa, Professor
Human Education
TEL: 088-687-6046
hiroaki@naruro-u.ac.jp

Kazuyuki Tamura, Associate Professor
Human Education
TEL: 088-687-6436
ktamura@naruto-u.ac.jp

SUPPORT FOR UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

01 Supported the ESD promotion project in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture
In Niihama City, all elementary and junior high schools (28 schools), including branchschools, are members of UNESCO Associated Schools. Centered on these schools, Niihama
City Board of Education has been working on ESD promotion projects for four years
since 2015. In order to further develop the results, in 2019, they have implemented an
ESD promotion project with the aim of implementing ESD to solve problems to achievevarious SDGs in the region. Naruto University of Education, as a member of the ESD-SDGs
Consortium (ESD Promotion Business Council), organized to promote this project. We
have been providing guidance, advice, and cooperation to promote Niihama City’s efforts.
This council is made up of various parties such as universities, technical colleges, UNESCO
associations, credit unions and general companies. Information sharing about ESD and
SDGs is also being carried out (July 16th and November 27th, 2019).

Assisted schools that newly joined UNESCO Associated02 Schools

A lecture on the theme of “UNESCO Associated Schools” was held on Friday, June 14th, 2019 at ajunior and senior high school (integrated school of lower and upper secondary levels) in Anan City,
Tokushima prefecture, which was certified as a UNESCO Associated School in 2018. At this meeting,
we gave a lecture on what the purpose of UNESCO Associated Schools is and what activities are being
carried out at other UNESCO Associated Schools, and introduced its philosophy, how to conduct
activities, and actual example of activities.

Supported schools that are planning to join

03 UNESCO Associated Schools

We supported a 9-year integrated school (elementary and junior high levelcombined) in Kochi prefecture, which is working on membership application to
UNESCO Associated Schools and currently in their challenge period, where the school
must implement activities that would qualify it to become a UNESCO Associated
School. We have visited the school and provided training sessions on how toincorporate ESD into school classes for a total of seven times on February 20th, April
17th, May 17th, June 26th, August 8th, September 20th and November 20th, 2019.

ESD ACTIVITIESConducted activities for the promotion of ESD for the Tokushima Prefectural Board of
Education as well as the elementary and the junior high schools in the prefecture
A university faculty member participated as a chairperson in the New School Environmental ISO committee promoted by the Tokushima
Prefectural Board of Education. On Thursday, September 5th, 2019, we reviewed application forms for the continual approval of New School
Environmental ISO in Tokushima prefecture (approval must be renewed every three year) for over 100 elementary, junior and senior highschools. In December, we visited the two new schools that newly applied, and provided advice for improvements on activities while accepting
their applications.
On Thursday, October 17th, 2019, the Tokushima Prefectural Board of Education held an Eco Leader Training Course for the elementary
and the junior high schools registered as the New School Environmental ISO. A professor from the University gave a lecture on how tointegrate viewpoints of ESD and SDGs in school management and school education in the lecture “School Education and SDGs”.

13 Introduction

CONTACTASPUnivNet Secretariat

Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO
Tel: +81-3-5577-2852

Fax: +81-3-5577-2854

E-mail: webmaster@accu.or.jp

ASPnet Website: http://www.unesco-school.mext.go.jp/eng
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