| In FY2003, Okayama University's "Strategic Solid Waste Management for Sustainable Society" program was chosen as one of the 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Programs by MEXT, thus, at its Graduate School of Environmental Science, setting about the building of "studies on the creation of a sound material-cycle society," which systemized various academic fields related to solid waste management, while at the same time developing researchers with an advanced level of expertise in that area.
In FY2005, another Okayama University program, "Environmental Ethics-Health and Environment,'" was chosen as one of "Initiatives for Attractive Education in Graduate Schools" by MEXT, creating a program for developing environmental specialists who would be suitable for positions at international organizations through the introduction of overseas field research programs and internships at UN agencies. In FY2007, yet another program, "Development of Environmental Specialists ? Program for the Creation of an International ESD Center via the UNESCO Chair," was chosen as a Partnership Project under MEXT's special education and research grant. Accordingly, we have undertaken ESD projects based on the "UNESCO Chair in Research and Education for Sustainable Development at Okayama University," which was accredited by UNESCO in April 2007. Through the integration of studies on the creation of a sound material-cycle society and ESD by tapping into the educational foundation the Graduate School of Environmental Science has fostered, the Program on the Human Resources Development for Environmental Rehabilitation in Asia aims at developing human resources who will play a key role as Asian countries set about the creation of a sound material-cycle society. Education and Research Center Development Project
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