The Environmental Innovator Program (EIP) — Cultivating Environmental Leaders across the ASEAN Region — aims to foster environmental innovators with high technical expertise, communication skills, and deep understanding of local cultures. One of the main features is to launch a Double Master’s Degree Program with Mahidol University (Thailand), Bogor Agriculture University (Indonesia), and Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Vietnam). Students can earn two Master degrees after three years study.

Normally, students need to register for four years to gain two master’s degrees. EIP, however, shortens the length to three years through the credit transfer agreements with the partner universities. Students research Global Environmental Studies at GSGES (earn a master degree in Global Environmental Studies) with a multi-disciplinary perspective, and engage in specific discipline at a partner university, such as environmental engineering and agriculture. EIP offers a unique opportunity to study not only a specific discipline but also multi-disciplinary environmental studies at the same time.

ASEAN countries, while enjoying the rapid economic growth, also suffer from serious environmental issues such as air pollution, water degradation, improper waste management. The rapid economic growth also adversely influences the quality of urban life such as serous traffic jam, deforestation, high vulnerability to the natural disaster. EIP is an attractive program to students who are interested in environmental problems, both in terms of research and practice, and students who hope to advance their careers to the global level.

Students spend two years in GEGES at Kyoto University and one year at a partner university. The economic growth of ASEAN countries has rapidly increased, while environmental problems have also rapidly developed. Through our long-standing partnerships with ASEAN partner universities, EIP will foster professional practitioners and researchers who have technical expertise in environmental science, have a high communication skill in not only English but also local language/Japanese, and have a deep understanding in ASEAN culture. Considering that ASEAN countries now constitute Japan’s major international trade partners, EIP will also strengthen the potential of students’ career as well.