Sustainability Science Educational Program as Integrated Disciplinary Education : Practices and Lessons at Osaka University

Abstract

As global threats such as climate change and economic crisis have been emerging, the demand for the establishment of integrated disciplinary education programs is increasing. The Research Institute for Sustainability Science (RISS) at Osaka University started a new program on sustainability in October 2007. The RISS program addresses the ways to utilize knowledge effectively to understand the dynamic interactions between nature and human society. This paper first overviews the RISS Program for Sustainability Science. The paper then discusses the main problems as well as attempts and efforts to challenge those issues. Although issues including institutional barriers and faculty development yet remain in promoting integrated education, the RISS program functions as a platform to disseminate the idea of sustainability science across the university.