Student Activities
SDGs Student Conference
What is the SDGs Student Conference?
Inspired by the citizens’ assemblies held in France and the U.K. where the general public can weigh in on issues such as climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, the Student Conference was established as part of Keio University’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiatives in order to reflect students’ views regarding Keio’s efforts towards achieving the SDGs.
Students were selected from across all of Keio’s undergraduate faculties via open recruitment and random selection. These students began their activities in June 2022 to provide input to Keio University’s overall vision, specific objectives, and attainable targets for the SDGs. To do so, they received advice from experts while engaging in various discussions with each other.
Summer Camp
The Keio SDGs Conference: Summer Camp is held on Hiyoshi Campus, and aims to have participants consider what objectives and targets Keio University should use while working on achieving the 17 goals of the SDGs.
In addition to the members of the SDGs Student Conference, the participants also included non-conference university students who wished to join and students from Keio University’s affiliated schools, forming a total of approximately 100 participants.
At the summer camp, participants of all ages engage in discussions together while receiving comments and guidance from the president of Keio University and other faculty members who serve as supervisors of the student conference.
There is a lively exchange of opinions as they discuss what kind of future they want to head towards and what issues they need to address to achieve that future.
Final Proposals
The recommendations for the 17 goals compiled by the student conference over the course of their activities through the academic year are submitted directly to the president at the presentation of final proposals, where the president and participating students engage in a more in-depth discussion and share their views about the proposals.
The president then spearheads a review of the recommendations with the proposals providing direction for Keio’s future initiatives and for the activities of the next Student Conference.
Keio University Hiyoshi Children’s Cafeteria
Keio University Hiyoshi Children’s Cafeteria is one of the many initiatives at Keio’s Hiyoshi Campus making contributions to society, and was implemented as part of an effort to facilitate deeper ties and exchanges with the local community. Primarily planned and run by the student group Keio Slow Food Club, the program first took shape in 2022 as part of Keio’s efforts to advance the SDGs and strengthen the ties between the school and its surrounding community. It was held in cooperation with Green’s Marche, a student cafeteria at Hiyoshi Campus.
Participants enjoy activities with Keio students by eating together with them and taking part in quiz games while thinking and discussing about food, and deepening their understanding of the importance of eating.
The Keio Forests
Keio University owns 16 forests, an equivalent of 161.6 hectares of land, that range from the Tohoku region all the way down to the Chugoku region. These “Keio Forests” are operated with the help of alumni who specialize in forestry. Our activities focus on afforestation and silviculture which are, in turn, used to contribute to the local community through environmental education and research.
As a part of the forest educational initiatives, Keio hosts activities which provide valuable opportunities for city-living elementary, middle, and high school students from affiliated schools to plant trees, cut lumber, conduct surveys on forest growth, and generally experience nature. In addition, lumber from these forests is used as building material for Keio campus interiors and benches as well as for creating memorabilia given to alumni. A portion of Keio’s forests have also been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, contributing to conservation efforts.
We at Keio University are committed to deepening our relationships with people living in the regions near these forests through nature-positive interactive events and similar activities. As such, we regularly host symposiums and presentations featuring forestry experts and environmental scientists.
We believe that involving people in planting, raising, and recycling trees in the Keio Forests provides them with valuable opportunities to reflect on the SDGs.
