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Graduate School Common Courses (Advanced Liberal Arts course group) 2026 On-site Group Work / Day1－Day3

The On-site Group Work is conducted as part of a collaborative initiative between Doshisha University and Daikin Industries, Ltd. The program is founded on the philosophy of Doshisha University's Global Resource Management (GRM), which emphasizes the importance of “visiting the field and experiencing reality firsthand.” Through “On-site Group Work Introduction” and “On-site Group Work,” offered within the Advanced Liberal Arts course(Japanese only) group, Doshisha graduate students and young employees of Daikin Industries learn together beyond the conventional boundaries of academic disciplines and professional backgrounds, including the distinctions between the humanities and sciences, and between students and working professionals.

【Read More About Days 4-5 Here】

From August 16 to 23, 2026, the On-site Group Work training program was conducted in Belgium.
This year’s program focused on the theme “Climate Actions and Clean Energy Transition in the European Union: Collaboration and Co-creation toward a Carbon Neutral Society.” Participants explored climate change mitigation measures and the transition to clean energy in Europe.

As climate change continues to intensify, achieving a decarbonized society has become a shared global challenge. During the program, participants visited and learned from a wide range of initiatives undertaken by businesses, universities, government agencies, and citizens. These experiences provided valuable insights into the importance of collaboration and co-creation among diverse stakeholders in advancing the transition toward a carbon-neutral society.

Day 1 (Ghent, Belgium)

The program began with a visit to the DENV Research & Development Center located on the campus of Ghent University. The facility, which has received BREEAM certification, one of the world's longest-established environmental assessment and certification schemes for buildings, provided participants with an opportunity to tour testing rooms used for acoustic and climate performance evaluations. Participants also learned about research and development activities related to HVAC technologies, including heat pumps.

The center is engaged in developing products tailored to the environmental conditions of different regions around the world, including Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Through the visit, participants gained a deeper appreciation of the importance of technological innovation in supporting the transition to a carbon-neutral society.

Students also attended a session led by a representative of the Belgian Federal Government, who provided an overview of Belgium's energy policy. The session highlighted the country's recent policy shift from its former nuclear phase-out strategy toward a balanced approach that combines expanded nuclear power generation with renewable energy sources, particularly offshore wind power, to enhance both energy security and decarbonization efforts.

In addition, students learned about the construction of the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island, the world's first artificial energy island serving as an offshore wind power transmission hub in the North Sea. The project aims to strengthen Belgium's role as an energy hub both domestically and across Europe. This introduction provided valuable context for the site visits and discussions that followed throughout the remainder of the program.

Day 2 (Ghent, Belgium)

On the second day, students visited Green Office Ghent, an organization at Ghent University that promotes sustainability through collaboration among students, faculty, and staff. They learned about a wide range of initiatives aimed at advancing a more sustainable society across the university, including reducing air travel, encouraging vegetarian meal options, promoting cycling as a mode of transportation, and supporting the use of fair-trade products.

Participants were particularly impressed by Green Office Ghent's practical and sustainable approach to implementing change. For example, cost savings achieved through energy efficiency measures are reinvested into new sustainability projects, creating a self-sustaining funding mechanism. The organization also emphasizes evidence-based decision-making by using pilot projects and experimental initiatives to build consensus before translating successful practices into formal university policies. This process helps ensure the long-term integration of sustainability initiatives within the institution.

The visit highlighted that promoting sustainability requires not only effective policies and technological innovation but also meaningful changes in individual behavior. Students gained a renewed appreciation for the important role that personal actions and collective engagement play in driving sustainable transformation.

Day 3 (Ghent, Belgium)

On the third day, we visited the Ham Power Plant, a facility with a history spanning more than 100 years.
Originally operated as a coal-fired power plant, the facility now serves as an important energy infrastructure asset supporting the transition to a decarbonized society. It operates a district heating system, supplying hot water heated at the plant (approximately 85-100°C) to the city, while also providing electricity and heat efficiently through combined heat and power (CHP) generation fueled by natural gas. Through these initiatives, the plant continues to play a key role in ensuring a stable energy supply during the transition toward a low-carbon future.

Studentｓ also learned that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are inherently dependent on weather conditions and time of day, making flexibility and balancing capacity essential for maintaining grid stability. To address fluctuations in renewable generation, the plant utilizes gas turbine generators based on aircraft engine technology, which can start up within approximately 10 to 15 minutes and rapidly compensate for shortfalls in electricity supply. Observing how aircraft-engine-derived equipment can generate energy at a scale large enough to support an urban power system also gave participants a greater appreciation of the vast amount of energy consumed by large commercial aircraft during takeoff.

In the afternoon, we visited the Muide-Meulestede Living Lab in northern Ghent. This district is pursuing decarbonization initiatives while maintaining its port and industrial functions, including the promotion of sustainable transportation, expansion of green spaces, and development of energy-efficient housing.

The area consists largely of small terraced houses, where the introduction of individual heat pumps presents challenges such as noise, limited installation space, and high upfront costs. As a result, the potential for energy transition through district heating systems is being actively explored.

We also learned about ongoing demonstration projects carried out within the Living Lab framework, which brings together residents, local government, universities, and private companies to address regional challenges while advancing decarbonization goals. These initiatives provided valuable insights into participatory urban development and how stakeholder collaboration can contribute to achieving a carbon-neutral society.

【Read More About Days 4-5 Here】

At the Open Forum on September 4, students will present the issues they identified during their On-site training and their proposed solutions.
[Information on the On-site Group Work 2026: Open Forum](Japanese only)