Many of my students whose photographs appeared in my story titled “Teams perform better when managers demonstrate effective leadership qualities not separate skill sets but interconnected” published by newswav.com dated 07 August, 2026 enquired about the higher learning opportunities in Japan. Without hesitation, I replied that “Since 2010, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly has authorized UNU in Tokyo grant official Master's & Doctoral degrees. These focus on sustainability science and global governance. It acts as the primary administrative and planning hub for global network spanning 13 institutes across 12 countries. It provides world leaders, and the UN General Assembly with evidence-based research on human development, welfare. and peace. It also provides a bridge between the UN and the international academic, policy-making and private sector communities.” (https://unu.edu)
As CEO & Coach for Sejahtera Leadership Initiative & Global Sejahtera, I have visited UNU to attend human development programs. Unlike traditional universities, UNU does not have a typical student campus. Instead, it functions as a diplomatic hub that connects the UN system with various international academic and political communities to solve global problems. It is highly significant as the only major UN organization headquarters in Asia. I remember in September 2025, UNU celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Tokyo headquarters. The event was graced by His Majesty the Emperor & Empress of Japan.
I have to caution aspiring students that the postgraduate application process at the UNU Institute for the Advance Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) follows a strict, step-by-step framework. All programs begin annually in September. Applicants must fulfill distinct criteria based on the level of study they are targeting: MSc in Sustainability requires a completed bachelor's degree in a field related to sustainability. PhD in Sustainability Science requires a completed master's degree in a sustainability-related field plus at least two years of proven full-time professional field work and research experience.
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