Sacred Heart Institute for Sustainable Futures(SHISF) conducts education, research and social activities through interaction and mutual cooperation, based on the educational philosophy of the University of Sacred Heart. As human beings who share this earth, we look at the region, and the world at large, and interact with people, with the aim of realizing a sustainable and peaceful world.

The institute supports vital research and education, as a way to foster humans with a broad perspective, sensitivity and flexibility, by focusing on the teaching and practice of critical and practical thought. More specifically, the institute aims to engage people to “encounter, question, and take action”.

The BE＊hive is where we encounter, and are challenged by questions, through exhibitions and workshops. Using critical thought, we face the problems of the world, and from there, hone our intellect, through learning and research, while actively working to solve these problems. Through this model, our institute serves as a catalyst for forging fruitful collaborations and synergistic relationships within the local community, and the world at large.

Past Exhibitions

“Refugees and Displaced people” exhibition 2017.September-2019.March (Change small theme in every six months)
・1． Refugees and Displaced people living in Japan
・2． Refugees and Displaced people in Middle East
・3． Refugees and Displaced people in Asian-African

“Climate Change” 2019.April-2021.April (Change small theme in every six months)
・1． Fashion and Climate Change
・2． Climate Change for Women and the Socially Vulnerable
・3． Change and 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic
・4． Challenge to Climate Change “What can we do through Education?”

“Mrs. Sadako Ogata and the Education of the Sacred Heart” 2021.May-2023.April

“Rethinking Women’s Lives from Our Past to the Future” 2021.May-2023.April (Change small theme in every six months)
・1． Empower ourselves and facilitate the development of a new society
・2． Is “child marriage” merely a story from a distant country?
・3． Oppression or Beauty? Foot binding, Corset wearing and KuToo movement

Special Exhibition

Workshop

Various workshops are prepared to deepen learning through BE＊hive’s exhibition. Please utilize it as part of comprehensive learning.

Target/Fees
・Workshops are targeted at groups from high school students upwards.
・No fee; however, a reservation is required in advance.
・be-hive@g.u-sacred-heart.ac.jp

Global and Collaborative Learning Programs

We encourage various exchanges between civil society groups working on social issues in the field, and welcome opportunities for global understanding, action, and mutual benefit.

Global Seminars

We provide open access to the community and wider society offering education and research. We organize several classes for adults.

Supporting activities (NPOs, NGOs, and regional support)

Our institute is based on the educational philosophy of the University of the Sacred Heart, which aims at, “educating wise women who contribute to building a better society with a sense of solidarity and mission, as members of the world”. In implementing this philosophy, we engage in activities with current students, graduates, students of sister schools, NGOs, NPOs, and community stakeholders. We would like to continue to emphasize and build on these activities in the future.

Greetings from the Director

The Sacred Heart Institute for Sustainable Futures [SHISF], University of the Sacred Heart, was established in 2017 to widely develop and promote education, research, and social activities and action with the aim of realizing sustainable futures. We are now facing a broad range of challenges, including those related to the environment, poverty, inequality, health, gender, refugees and migrants, and human rights. These are both global and local challenges. As individuals, each one of us need to take responsibility of these problems and initiate “our own actions” to solve them.

At our institute, we would like to provide students of various ages and all who visit us, with the opportunities to meet and explore these issues with academic interests and engage in activities that contribute to solutions.

SHISF is located in the Sacred Heart Global Plaza of the University of the Sacred Heart Building No. 4. Here, at BE*hive, we hold exhibitions and workshops as well as a variety of lectures and events for the community and the society at large. We invite you to join us.

Let us think together on how we can enhance a society where people mutually live side-by-side, to build “Sustainable Futures”.

Seiji Ueda, Ph.D.
Professor, Vice-President, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo
Director of the Sacred Heart Institute for Sustainable Futures

Institute Members

Director

• UEDA, Seiji, Professor of Department of Education, Vice-president (School Health Policy and Program Development. Health Education）

Deputy Director

• NAGATA, Yoshiyuki, Professor of Department of Education (Education for International Understanding, ESD [Education for Sustainable Development], Educational Sociology)
• ISHII, Yoko, Professor of Department of Human Relations (Cultural Anthropology, Studies of Culture and Development, Migration Studies, African Studies)

Staff Members

• HAMAGUCHI, Toshiko, Associate Professor of Department of English Language, Communication and Cultures (Discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, gerontology)
• IWATA, Kazunari, Professor of Department of Japanese Language and Literature (Japanese Language Education)
• KAMIISHI, Manabu, Associate Professor of Department of Philosophy (Aesthetics, arts)
• KUWANA, Eiko, Associate Professor of Department of History (Modern East and Central European History)
• OKUGIRI, Megumi, Professor of Department of International Studies (Language and Communication, Language Acquisition, Leadership Education)
• SUGIHARA, Masaaki, Professor of Department of Education (Educational Method, Inclusive Education, Teacher Education, Higher Education )
• KOHZAKI, Yuko, Associate Professor of Department of Psychology (Geriatric Psychology, Clinical Psychology)
• HAYASHI, Makiko, Assistant Professor (Sociology of Education,Educational Development,InclusiveEducation,Comparative Educational policies,Cambodian Research)

Invited Researcher

• OKAZAKI, Toshiko, Emeritus professor, Former president
• TAKUBO, Kyoji, Artist