A PBL overseas training program was conducted in Fiji during September 24-30, 2025. Five undergraduate and graduate students at Yokohama National University participated under the supervision of Assistant Professor Takinana Anuantaeka and Professor Kaoruko Kurata. They visited the University of the South Pacific, NGOs, and local communities. Students explored the potential of Biosphere Reserves (BR) in Fiji, engaging with stakeholders like the Wildlife Conservation Society to address environmental challenges. They discovered that Fiji’s primary industries—sugarcane, fishing, and tourism—rely on healthy ecosystems maintained through community-led initiatives and the traditional ecological knowledge known as Tabu. By studying Locally Managed Marine Areas, the interns concluded that sustainable resource management requires a synergy between scientific data and local collaboration. This experience provided a critical framework for the interns to advance Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Japan by integrating cultural traditions with modern conservation strategies.


















