Human Resources Development
Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy
Fostering "the ability to create a sustainable future"
What is Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy?
Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy is an inquiry-based active learning program that utilizes Mitsui & Co.'s diverse business activities as educational resources. Using uniquely developed teaching materials, the program helps students understand the structure of sustainability, in which society is built upon the environment, and the economy is sustained upon society. Through case studies based on Mitsui & Co.'s businesses, students develop the ability to address social challenges from both a global and economic perspective.
Moving forward, we will further deepen participants' understanding of the sustainability structure of our planet through collaboration with other companies and our domestic and overseas offices, while contributing to the development of even more future leaders.
Program History
- 2014-2019
A five-day intensive program was offered through an open application process for approximately 30 upper-elementary school students each year. - 2020-2022
In collaboration with schools, the program introduced Mitsui & Co.'s business activities in alignment with each school's inquiry-learning themes. Students were encouraged to develop and implement ideas for addressing social challenges. - 2023-2024
Under a comprehensive partnership agreement with Toride City, Ibaraki Prefecture, to promote the SDGs, Mitsui & Co. collaborated with e-dash Co., Ltd. to deliver educational programs on visualizing CO2 emissions at local elementary schools. Students' project activities received the Minister of the Environment Award (Gold Prize) at the Decarbonization Challenge Cup. - 2025-Present
The program has expanded through collaboration with private junior high schools, high schools, universities, and local governments, while also encouraging participation by employee volunteers. It is now implemented as a human resource development initiative in which participants and employees learn together. Going forward, the program will continue to explore collaboration opportunities with other companies and organizations to further expand its social impact.
Report: Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy 2025
In 2025, Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy programs were conducted at Koran Girls' Junior and Senior High School, elementary and junior high schools in Toride City, Meisei Gakuen, Chiba University, Hokkaido University, and FC Imabari High School Satoyama School, among others.
In response to the ideas developed by participants through the use of the SASUGAKU Compass and other learning tools, Mitsui & Co. employees provided advice from both global and business implementation perspectives. The program also collaborated with initiatives such as international exchange projects organized by the Japanese Red Cross Society, providing participants with opportunities to learn about the realization of a sustainable future.
Through these activities, participants ranging from elementary school students to university students were encouraged to think proactively about the question,"What kind of future do we want to create?" and to translate their ideas into concrete actions for addressing social challenges.
Video 1
Koran Girls' Junior High School, Grade 9
Theme: "Innovative Decarbonization Ideas Proposed by Junior High School Girls" (Part 1)
Video 2
Koran Girls' Junior High School, Grade 9
Theme: "Innovative Decarbonization Ideas Proposed by Junior High School Girls" (Part 2)
Take on the Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy challenge!
Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy 2026
Take the following steps and develop amazing ideas that address both familiar and global issues all at once!
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01
Download the course materials
Problem-based learning (PBL) version: Choose a theme individually or as a group and develop your own ideas and solutions.
Download the course material (PDF)
Seeds of inquiry version: Discover your own "seeds of inquiry" and explore them through independent learning and investigation.
Download the course material (PDF)
* Materials are available in Japanese only.
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02
Learn how to utilize the three techniques introduced in the video
Watch the video to learn how to use the three key techniques introduced in the SASUGAKU program.
* The video is subtitled in English.
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03
Decide the theme, and begin developing ideas
Use the SASUGAKU Compass and Future Timeline to expand and refine your ideas.
Watch a Mitsui Instructor Video and Broaden Your Perspective
Watch one of the instructor presentation videos to gain new perspectives and insights that can strengthen your ideas.
Additional videos are available on the Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy 2022 Report page.
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* The video is subtitled in English.
Share Your Ideas and Put Them into Action
Present your ideas, exchange feedback, and take the first step toward making them a reality.
SASUGAKU WAY
Written by Dr. Shogo Sugiura, an environmental studies researcher and co-developer of the SASUGAKU program, this booklet explains the background and philosophy behind the development of SASUGAKU, as well as the significance of Mitsui & Co.'s involvement in the initiative.
The booklet also provides a detailed introduction to the SASUGAKU learning tools, various program formats, and the program's evaluation results and impact.
Three Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy Tools
1. SASUGAKU Compass for Creating a Sustainable Future
- Applications:
- Idea generation in problem-based learning, and theme-setting in inquiry-based learning.
- Example:
- Second-year students at the Mitsukaido Daiichi Junior High School used the SASUGAKU Compass to generate ideas for solving social issues in their local community.
2. Future Timeline
- Applications:
- Predicting the future using various forms of current or past data (forecasting), envisioning a desired future outcome and then working backward to determine the steps and actions required to achieve that outcome (backcasting).
3. Mitsui & Co.'s Business
- Applications:
- Using Mitsui's business activities as case studies for solving social issues and to gain an understanding of how sustainability works—with “economies” residing atop "societies" that are themselves based upon "environments”.
- 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.
Take a look at past SASUGAKU Academy programs
2023
Theme: Take cues from presentations by Mitsui employees and try your hand at the challenges.
2022
Theme: Take cues from presentations by Mitsui employees and try your hand at the challenges.
2021
Theme: Take cues from presentations by Mitsui employees and try your hand at the challenges.
2020
We conducted an evaluation of the results of the Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy from FY Mar/2015 to FY Mar/2020, and examined methods for holding the program in FY Mar/2022 and beyond, keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic.
Program Evaluation
Mitsui SASUGAKU Academy - Measure of Effectiveness
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.
Figure 2: Respondent's grade at school at the time of participation in the SASUGAKU Academy
Figure 3: Respondent's current grade
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
(Example)
Is there anything that you became more aware of at home or at school, or something that you started (or stopped) doing, as a result of participating in the SASUGAKU Academy?
(Example)
Did your learnings or experiences at SASUGAKU Academy influence your career path or what you want to do in the future?
(Example)
Did anything you learned at SASUGAKU Academy help you in your later life, at school or at home?
(Example)
How much do you use what you learned at SASUGAKU Academy in your life now?
