SASUGAKU WAY

Three Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy Tools

The Relationship Between SASUGAKU and the SDGs

SDGs 4.7:
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture's contribution to sustainable development.

Changes that Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy Aims to Create (2026)

Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy aims to nurture individuals who can contribute to a sustainable future through positive changes among students, teachers, and employees.

To support and sustain these changes, we have developed a logic model based on the principles of Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) that illustrates how SASUGAKU activities create change and contribute to broader social value. We continuously monitor and evaluate progress through questionnaires and other assessment methods.

Drawing on initiatives implemented in FY2024 and FY2025, we evaluated the changes experienced by students, teachers, and employees. The logic model and evaluation results are presented below.

* Outcome categories in this logic model are based on causal relationships rather than a timeline.

Changes Observed in Students

Student outcomes were evaluated using an educational assessment rubric, focusing on improvements in the competencies outlined in the SASUGAKU Way, including knowledge, attitudes, skills, and actions.

<Legend: Evaluation Results>
○: Positive changes were observed across all individual indicators.
△: Positive changes were observed overall, although not all individual indicators showed positive results.
×: No positive changes were observed across the indicators.

The evaluation confirmed positive changes across the areas of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and actions. In particular, students showed greater awareness of social issues, stronger multi-perspective thinking and collaboration skills, and increased initiative to take action.

Key Changes

• Greater Ability to View Social Issues as Personal Concerns and Think Independently
  Responses to Question 1 ("Increased independent research on issues related to social challenges") and Question 3 ("Became more likely to think about sustainability") suggest that students developed a stronger tendency to view social challenges as issues that are relevant to their own lives.
• Improved Ability to Examine Challenges from Multiple Perspectives and Collaborate with Others
  Responses to Question 5 ("Became more likely to consider how one issue is connected to other issues") and Question 9 ("Became more interested in collaborating with others") indicate improvements in systems thinking and collaborative problem-solving skills.
• Increased Initiative and Motivation to Take Action Toward Solving Challenges
  Responses to Question 22 ("Became more likely to plan or manage events and projects independently") and Question 23 ("Became more likely to participate in activities or volunteer work related to social challenges") suggest stronger motivation and capacity to act toward addressing social issues.

Student Reflections

Changes Observed in Teachers

Teacher outcomes were evaluated through a questionnaire, focusing on improvements in the competencies outlined in the SASUGAKU Way, including knowledge, attitudes, skills, and actions.

<Legend: Evaluation Results>
○: Positive changes were observed across all individual indicators.
△: Positive changes were observed overall, although not all individual indicators showed positive results.
×: No positive changes were observed across the indicators.

The evaluation also confirmed positive changes among teachers. In particular, teachers demonstrated a deeper understanding of teaching social issues, stronger instructional skills to support inquiry-based learning, and greater motivation to apply these approaches in the classroom.

Key Changes

• Deepened Understanding of Teaching Social Issues
  Responses to Question 1 ("Gained a deeper understanding of the importance of inquiry-based learning") and Question 5 ("Became more likely to incorporate social issues into classroom learning and homeroom activities") indicate a deeper understanding of inquiry-based approaches and their educational value.
• Improved Instructional Skills
  Responses to Question 20 ("Became more able to encourage students to recognize their role in addressing social challenges") and Question 23 ("Became more able to encourage students to explore multiple approaches rather than a single solution") suggest improvements in instructional practices that support student-centered learning.
• Increased Motivation to Apply Learning in the Classroom
  Responses to Question 6 ("Gained confidence in addressing challenges with no single correct answer") and Question 24 ("Became more able to provide instruction with students' goal achievement in mind") indicate increased confidence and motivation to apply inquiry-based approaches in teaching.

Teacher Reflections - Key Takeaways from the Program

Changes Observed in Employees and Officers

Employee and officer outcomes were evaluated through a questionnaire, focusing on opportunities for employee development and enhanced engagement and motivation, as defined in the logic model.

<Legend: Evaluation Results>
○: Positive changes were observed in a majority of participants.
△: Positive changes were observed, but among fewer than half of participants.
×: No positive changes were observed among participants.

Positive changes were confirmed across knowledge, attitudes, skills, and actions, indicating that SASUGAKU contributes to teachers' professional development.

Key Changes

• Greater Awareness of the Connection Between Sustainability and Business
  Responses to Question 14 ("Was able to incorporate diverse opinions and values through interactions with stakeholders who are different from those encountered in daily business activities") indicate that employees gained new perspectives and insights through exchanges with students, teachers, and local communities. These experiences contributed to a deeper understanding of diverse viewpoints and values.
• Greater Connection Between Sustainability and Business
  Responses to Question 2 ("Provided an opportunity to reflect on the responsibility of companies in addressing environmental and social issues") and Question 3 ("Generated ideas that could be applied to work or business from a sustainability perspective") suggest that the program created opportunities for employees to connect social challenges with business activities. The results indicate that participants became more aware of the relationship between sustainability and the Company's business operations.
• Improved Employee Engagement and Motivation
  Responses to Question 10 ("Motivation toward daily work increased after participation") and Question 12 ("Sense of belonging as a member of the Company strengthened after participation") indicate improvements in both employee engagement and work motivation. The results suggest that participation fostered a more positive attitude toward daily work and strengthened employees' sense of connection to the Company.

Employee and Officer Reflections - Key Takeaways from the Program

The Future of Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy

Since its launch in 2014, Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy has used Mitsui & Co.'s diverse business activities as learning materials to help the next generation think about a sustainable future and develop the ability to address social challenges through their own ideas and actions.

Over time, the program has evolved from a public application-based initiative into an inquiry-based learning program implemented in collaboration with schools. Its impact now extends beyond student learning to include teacher development, continued implementation in schools, learning and development opportunities for employees and officers, and collaboration with local communities, municipalities, companies, and other organizations.

Going forward, we will continue to improve both the program and its evaluation methods through the practical knowledge accumulated over the years and the insights gained through Impact Management and Measurement (IMM). Our goal is to create a continuous cycle of learning and positive change, in which students, teachers, schools, communities, and businesses learn and grow together.

Beyond providing Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy as an educational program, we aim to embed learning for a sustainable future within schools, communities, and society, enabling the next generation and diverse stakeholders to create new value together and contribute to a more sustainable society.

Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy - Measure of Effectiveness (2021)

We conducted a follow-up survey on how children who participated in the program "reflected" internally through the SASUGAKU experience and the extent to which they were able to put what they learned into action, as well as measuring their ability to create a future-thinking society. In 2020, in collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Studies, we conducted a survey and interviews with participants of the SASUGAKU Academy and their parents from 2014 to 2019.

We received 56 responses from parents and their children (58.9% response rate).
Figure 2 shows what grade they were in at school at the time of participation, and Figure 3 shows what grade they are in now.

Key points measuring the effectiveness of the "Ability to Create a Society Connected to the Future" program

• (After attending SASUGAKU Academy) Whether students maintained a heightened interest in societal issues
• (After attending SASUGAKU Academy) Whether students are studying and engaging in specific activities to address societal issues
• (After attending SASUGAKU Academy) Whether students have continued to show respect for the opinions of others, and have made changes in behavior to show empathy and understanding
• (After attending SASUGAKU Academy) Whether students experienced a change in awareness of career choices