Akimasa Sumi Webcast : Read the Summary

A new Initiative at the University of Tokyo - Integrated Research System for Sustainable Sciences(IR3S) and Transdisciplinary Initiative for Global Sustainability(TIGS)

A new Initiative for conducting knowledge in the academia has been started in the University of Tokyo. It is based on the following perceptions;

(1) The 20-th century was a century of explosion and war, but the 21-st century should be a century of sustainability and peace.

(2) Knowledge is also explosively accumulated and we tend be lost in a huge amount of knowledge.

(3) In order to overcome this situation, we have to integrate various disciplines through various methods, such as a structuring knowledge and issue-driven approach.

In order to achieve the above goals, new initiatives are started. The one is IR3S(Integrated Research System for Sustainable Sciences), which is a network of universities and research institutes in Japan and TIGS(Transdisciplinary for Global Sustainability) is a center in the University of Tokyo, which is responsible for coordinating and organizing research activities to respond to issues in the present society.

In TIGS, five research axis are defined, that is, (1) science and technology fundamental for sustainability sciences,(2) Global warming and energy issue,(3)population, food and water issue,(4) harmonization between a city and a village, and (5)risk management in a modern society. Following these axis, coordination activity is being done. For example, globalization and regional diversity is being discussed through foods and dishes, or food culture, where natural scientists, historian and human science peoples are participating.