SDGs education in the Kagoshima Career Education Program (Regional Human Resource Development Platform)
Institute for Comprehensive Education
Career Development Center
Associate Professor
FUJIMURA Ichiro
Background and objectives of activities
In Kagoshima University, the "Kagoshima Career Education Program" is implemented and operated on a university-wide and systematic basis, which is not found in other universities. Since the career education program belongs to the regional human resource development platform, all students work on regional issues. In doing so, the SDGs perspective is essential. In all subjects of the Career Education Program, from start-up subjects to core subjects to regional career internship (problem-solving internship), instruction is developed with an awareness of the SDGs.
Summary of Activities
Kagoshima Career Education Program" (Regional Human Resource Development Platform: Career-related) initiatives in various subjects are as follows.
The start-up subject "Career Design" is the best subject for achieving the goals of the SDGs. The purpose of career education is to achieve "decent work" (Goal 8). Furthermore, it is also linked to other SDG targets. For example, when learning about work rules (the basics of labor law), much time is devoted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Law and the importance of building a gender-equal society (Goal 5). Or, guest lecturers from local governments and companies in the region are invited to discuss what perspectives are important for building a sustainable local economy (Goal 9, Goal 11). Students are made aware of environmental (climate change and energy) considerations when learning about specific examples of local industries (Goal 12, Goal 13, Goal 7, Goal 14, Goal 15). The program also provides opportunities for lifelong learning by making it an open course (Objective 4).
In the core course "Seminar for Basic Skills for Working People," problem-based learning (PBL) is employed to develop facilitation skills (the ability to facilitate intellectual interaction by a group). At the culminating stage of the class, a "mock management meeting" is held with the presidents of local companies, while giving students an understanding of the challenges and possibilities of the region. At that time, the students are asked to keep in mind all 17 items related to the SDGs and fully utilize the 12 competence elements of "basic skills for working adults" to solve local issues.
In the "Regional Career Internship," a hands-on training program, the host companies (companies and local governments in Kagoshima Prefecture, etc.) present "issues" and the mission of the students is to propose "solution" measures. The internship experience and the results of the "problem-solving" efforts are disseminated to the community at the Regional Human Resource Development Platform's results debriefing
Expected Benefits
Career education programs feature the unique characteristic of promoting students to think about more effective methods of supporting society while deepening their self-understanding in the interaction between the individual and society from the early grades. The program expects to be effective in fostering individuals with practical skills for the SDGs.