December 7 2011
Dr. Kaoru Takara (Professor, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University)

Under the Program for Leading Graduate Schools (Multidisciplinary Field of Safety and Security) as a new graduate school renovation program which was initiated this academic year, the Inter-Graduate School Program for Sustainable Development and Survivable Societies was selected, which has been jointly proposed by the nine graduate schools (Education, Economics, Science, Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Asian and African Area Studies, Informatics, and Global Environmental Studies) and the three research institutes (Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, and Center for Southeast Asian Studies) of Kyoto University.

This inter-graduate school program aims at training students who would lead in developing counter measures against possible disasters threatening the safety and security of our society, in addressing such disasters, if they occur, appropriately and on a timely manner through the five-year doctoral program.

This program with the twelve departments is the first ever large-scale interdisciplinary effort in the history of Kyoto University. We are required to create a new educational system through coordinating with both the existing educational systems in graduate schools and the educational courses provided by two research institutes. Corporation and support of those involved would be very much appreciated.

Today’s global society is facing increasing hazardous events which threatens safety and security of human societies: natural disaster, man-made disasters and accidents, pollution of air and water area, environmental deterioration such as desertification, high prevalence of infectious disease, drought and famine, shortage of food, and depletion of natural resources, and social instability caused by them. The Global Survivability Studies is an emerging interdisciplinary body of study to understand their mechanisms, prevent and mitigate them or address these risks, through integrating “knowledge and wisdom” and systematizing and transferring these into action.

In 2011, the Inter-Graduate School Program for Sustainable Development and Survivable Societies (Global Survivability Studies (GSS)Program) was selected as one of new graduate school education programs in field of safety and security, within Program for Leading Graduate Schools supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This Program consists of coordinating nine graduate schools and three institutes of Kyoto University and provides wide scope knowledge and experiences to excellent students (Program students) who are selected from each graduate school.
Kyoto University, through this Program, will cooperate with industries, governmental agencies, international organizations, and universities in and out of Japan, deploys advanced and interdisciplinary graduate school education for safety and security fields, and actively promote education of human resources for global leaders. Students are expected to strengthen and develop their own capabilities, and contribute to global safety and security with special expertise, toughness and applealing personalities, and social comprehensive and synthetic views bridging differences.