May 20, 2025
The Keio University SDGs Conference, which began in the 2022 academic year, has entered its fourth year, and the 2025 Keio University Student Conference has kicked off for this academic year. The Keio University Student Conference is a program where Keio students, selected through an open call and by random sampling from all of the university's faculties, engage in repeated discussions with advice from experts to propose a vision, goals, and targets for Keio University to achieve the SDGs.
In the spring semester, students will learn about the current situation surrounding the SDGs through lectures and discussions. In the fall semester, they will compile their proposals for the Keio University President through discussions in subcommittees themed on "Environment," "Society," "Economy," and "Overall."
The first session, an introduction moderated by Professor Hiromitsu Kobayashi of the Faculty of Law, was held on Thursday, May 15, with approximately 80 Keio students in attendance. The event began with words of encouragement from President Kohei Itoh, followed by an overview of the Keio University Student Conference, now in its fourth year, from Vice-President Akiyo Okuda. Morale was boosted by Professor Norichika Kanie of the Graduate School of Media and Governance and Guest Professor (Part-time) Yuko Kuniya of the Graduate School of Media and Governance, who serve as supervisors for the Keio University Student Conference. They urged students to take to heart the current state of the SDGs in a divided world and the importance of transformation ("Transform Our World").
Next, with Ms. Sachiko Tsukahara from the Ministry of the Environment as the facilitator, the students played the SDGs card game "2030SDGs." The participants were divided into 18 groups and negotiated to achieve their assigned goals by exchanging pre-distributed "money" and "time" cards with other groups. While recognizing the current state of the world as a result of development focused on economic growth, they aimed to realize a sustainable future that also emphasizes non-economic values such as the environment and society.
During the final reflection session, the members of the Keio University Student Conference evaluated the future society they had envisioned through the game. It was a significant achievement for them to experience firsthand through the game that the world can indeed be changed. While acting to achieve their individual group's objectives, they aimed for a world where all groups' goals are met, learning that this is possible through consensus-building within groups and negotiations with others. They have now begun their learning journey toward a final proposal, looking ahead to the desired state in 2050, to determine what goals Keio University should set and what transformations it needs to undergo to realize the Sustainable Development Goals that humanity will strive for in the future.
Photo by Takeshi Kishi