Explanation of the Purpose of Parallel Session B "Knowledge Innovation towards Global Sustainability and Education"(1) (Speech from the Plenary Session)
	Yuichiro Anzai Vice-Chair of the Plenary Session Chair of the Parallel Session B

Thank you, Chairman Komiyama. I am Yuichiro Anzai, President of Keio University in Tokyo. It is a great pleasure for me to chair Parallel Session B this afternoon. The topic of the session is “Knowledge Innovation towards Global Sustainability and Education.”

While Parallel Session A will discuss specific sustainability issues, this session will focus more upon the key functions that are the responsibility of the university in its role as an incubator of innovation. Universities are expected to make very significant contributions to society through the generation of research outcomes that can be termed “Knowledge Innovation.” As we face critical issues, such as climate change caused by global warming and other environmental factors, we as universities must collaborate and address issues of global concern, overcoming geographical differences, and in some cases, sharing the most cutting-edge innovations, so as to contribute to global sustainability.

It is therefore very important that university leaders get together in this way to share their most innovative activities and good practices.

Keio University has recently started various initiatives that address environmental issues, and that foster innovative solutions for coping with them. Earlier this month, we held an Environmental Symposium in which top researchers from throughout the university participated. We were able to collect and share knowledge generated in diverse academic fields, ranging from environmental economics, international environmental policy, environmental public health, anti-air pollution technology, environmental and pharmaceutical sciences, and total systems management for environmentally graceful architecture and social infrastructure, to address common issues relating to the environment. We also took that opportunity to recognize the contribution to global-scale issues of renowned humanitarian, environmental activist, and musician, Bono of U2, conferring upon him an honorary degree coinciding with the symposium. We were very fortunate to have him deliver an inspirational speech on this topic to students and faculty.