Working Toward a Better and More Sustainable Future - The OIST Way 

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world's urgent call to action to build a more sustainable future that works for both people and the planet. The 17 SDGs are at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN Member States in 2015. They provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for mankind, now and into the future. The SDG framework addresses some of the most pressing global challenges we face today—challenges OIST was created to tackle.

OIST is built on an environmentally friendly campus in beautiful Okinawa, where the concept of island sustainability and “Yuimaru” (Okinawan dialect for a circle of warm-hearted and cooperative people who accomplish great things together) has been integral to the Okinawan way of life for centuries. But our dedication to sustainability goes much deeper. Sustainability is at the very heart of our ethos, and is one of OIST's eight core values, alongside Excellence, Respectfulness, Responsibility, Transparency, Diversity, Courage and Freedom. We are deeply committed to pursuing these values and advancing toward the SDGs through an integrated range of activities, including research programs, educational outreach, tech transfer and entrepreneurship, and community initiatives.

Effective, substantial change comes from major initiatives as well as many small and deliberate actions. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals can help guide our choice of actions, from our research and innovation to our campus and community life. As a dynamic, highly international and multicultural graduate university seeking to explore new frontiers of scientific knowledge, we have a unique opportunity to define a new path that will steer the world back on track towards a more sustainable future.  

We make the conscious choice to work toward a better and more sustainable future for all.  

This is the OIST Way. Learn more. Take action.