Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral SocietyWaseda University

In addition to global trends such as decarbonization (carbon neutrality), digitalization, and AI for the realization of a sustainable society, Japan advocates the concept of Society 5.0 and is aiming to reform the energy system for the first time in approximately 60 years. The electrical power and energy infrastructure industries are thus at a structural turning point. Additionally, the Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving Carbon Neutrality in 2050, which was formulated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2020, lays out 14 fields that are expected to grow and cover everything from power management systems to materials that will reform energy infrastructure.
The PEP training program, based at Waseda University, is an inter-university education and research platform formed through academic collaboration among 13 national, public, and private universities ^(*) and is aimed at fostering human resources that will contribute to the creation of new electrical power and energy industries for the green growth that will accompany carbon neutrality. In collaboration with domestic/overseas corporations and with research institutions that cover energy fields such as electrical power, gas, oil, and hydrogen, The PEP program also promotes practical research and provides a consistent five-year doctoral education.

(*) Waseda University, Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, University of Fukui, University of Yamanashi, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Yokohama National University, Nagoya University, Osaka University, Hiroshima University, Tokushima University, Kyushu University, and University of the Ryukyus

In order to realize carbon neutrality on a global scale, it is important to have human resources who will be responsible for creating the science, technologies, and innovations that will be the core of carbon neutrality, and, in particular, it is important to nurture doctoral human resources who have a high level of specialized knowledge and who actively contribute to society.
Waseda University provides financial support and career/personal development support to outstanding doctoral students who are motivated to implement their research results/ideas in society and to play an active role in industry, and who will be responsible for the future of green innovation, life innovation, digital innovation, and social innovation, as embodied by carbon neutrality, aiming for the realization of the SDGs and the sustainable world that the SDGs envision.
The doctoral human resources cultivated with the support of this program will contribute to strengthening Japan’s industrial competitiveness and economic development by creating high value-added products and services in society, and Waseda University aims to establish an open innovation ecosystem in which their contributions are returned to future education, research, and human resources development.