The Australia Summit Program, an international collaborative learning initiative conducted as part of our 2025 social engagement programs, was held in Canberra from February 2 to 7. A total of 20 students participated—12 from the Australian National University (ANU) and 8 from Sophia university.
The program aims to produce a joint communique each year on a selected theme, addressing social challenges faced by Japan and Australia and proposing pathways toward an ideal society. The 2025 theme was “Climate Adaptation in the Asia-Pacific: Global, Regional and Local Approaches.” Through preparatory study, lectures, and discussions, participants worked to formulate coherent policy strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Asia-Pacific region. On the final day, both universities jointly adopted the communique.
During the summit, students attended lectures by seven faculty members from the two institutions. These sessions deepened their understanding from multiple perspectives. Active Q&A and group discussions helped identify key issues in both countries and informed the drafting of the communique.
The communique acknowledges insufficient adaptation measures in both countries and proposes establishing a joint committee to protect regional, religious, and Indigenous cultures. It also notes disadvantages faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in environmental certification and sustainability, recommending a shared certification system supported by multinational companies and green finance. To address stalled investment in adaptation technologies, it proposes establishing a 5‑billion‑AUD International Green Economy Cooperation (IGEC) framework to promote research and development in areas such as energy, food security, and disaster prediction technologies. It further calls for educator training and media campaigns for children to reduce knowledge gaps and misinformation on climate adaptation. The communique was unanimously adopted at the closing ceremony.
Professor Kunihiko Shimada, former UN conflict mediator, former Chief Negotiator for Climate Change for the Government of Japan, and currently Professor by Special Appointment at Sophia University, offered the following comments.
Now in its third year, the summit tasks participants with producing a Policy Communique aligned with the annual theme. This deepens their understanding while allowing them to present proposals that reflect student perspectives and can inform real policy.
Communiques on Diversity & Inclusion (2023) and immigration issues (2024) were shared not only with the foreign and justice ministries of Japan and Australia but also with agencies in other countries, including the United States, earning strong recognition.
For this year’s theme of climate adaptation in the Asia-Pacific, participants drew on expert lectures and their own backgrounds and interests in drafting the communique, gaining valuable insights through exchanges with experts and peers. The communique has already been informally shared with Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and received positive feedback. Drafting and presenting the communique helps students see how academic discussions can translate into concrete contributions to policy and practice.
In preparation, they reviewed more than ten documents and created individual presentations. As part of a workshop led by Professor Shimada, students conducted a simulation in which they represented six countries/regions and two organizations. They took part in plenary sessions and multiple rounds of negotiations aimed at reaching consensus—an exercise that mirrors real international conferences.
Students noted that collaborating with peers from different cultural, social, and academic backgrounds, including those from Japan and Australia, enriched their discussions. They highlighted that transforming insights from lectures and group work into a unified communique from diverse and creative perspectives was the program’s greatest achievement.
After the summit, participants visited the Old Parliament House and the National Museum of Australia, where they deepened their understanding of Australian history and culture. In addition to academic and practical learning, the program provided valuable intercultural experiences that contributed to students’ broader development.
