Vice President YOKOI Atsufumi, Vice President for Global Engagement at Okayama University, participated in the 5th Global Sustainable Development Congress 2026, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from June 22 to 25, 2026. The Congress brought together more than 3,000 participants from academia, government, industry, and civil society to discuss challenges and solutions toward realizing a sustainable society.

Vice President Yokoi was invited by the United Nations University to participate in the roundtable session “From Frameworks to Action: Preparing Climate-Ready Teachers,” organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and UNESCO. He joined the session as a representative of the UNU SDG–University Platform (SDG-UP).

The session gathered a wide range of stakeholders to exchange views on the Climate Change Competency Framework for Educators (C3FE), which UNU-IAS is currently developing to promote climate change education around the world.

Vice President Yokoi served as facilitator for one of the five discussion stations, “How to Support Action.” As Asia’s first UNESCO Chairholder in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), he provided advice on topics such as fostering learner agency and bridging the gap between knowledge and practice. He also led discussions among Indonesian students and groups of educators from various countries.

The session was attended by more than 100 educators and students from the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, Europe, and North America, including Professor YAMAGUCHI Shinobu, Director of UNU-IAS, and Ms. HAYASHIKAWA Maki, Director of the UNESCO Jakarta Office. Participants engaged in lively discussions throughout the session.

Guided by its mission of “realizing a sustainable future for humanity through the creation, evolution, and transmission of advanced knowledge,” Okayama University will continue to strengthen its collaboration with the United Nations University and UNESCO. Through the promotion of ESD centered on its UNESCO Chair, the University will further contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.


◯UNU SDG–University Platform (SDG-UP)
The UNU SDG–University Platform (SDG-UP) was established in 2020 by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) as a platform for Japanese universities committed to actively contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.

The platform aims to strengthen collaboration between the United Nations University and universities in Japan, promote SDG-related initiatives and human resource development in higher education, and enhance partnerships with stakeholders, thereby contributing to sustainable development in Japan and around the world.

SDG-UP supports individuals in taking action to ensure a more sustainable future for all by encouraging behavioral change among stakeholders in higher education toward the realization of more resilient societies.