Understanding the Role of Education Facilities in Sustainable Urban Development: A Case Study of KSRP, Kitakyushu, Japan

Since the ancient Greece, Rome, India, and China, education has always been a significant part of society development as the changing factor into a civilization. Furthermore the development of various education facilities contributes substantially to the development of an urban area. One of the important education facilities is the higher education institute or university. According the Brundtland Commission, sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development has many criteria such as economy (e.g. growth of annual income), social (e.g. growth of public participation and awareness), and the most important, environment (e.g. growth of facility/infrastructure and ecological management). Japan is a country which has limited natural resources and has been experiencing aging and declining of its population. Therefore in order to maintain its economic growth, Japan is using its science and technology advantages as its main generator. Science and technology are the outcomes of education process. Therefore education in Japan plays important roles in the development of the economy and the society. This study aims to understand the role of education facility in sustainable urban development by studying its impact on the development of the economy, social, and environment of the case study area which is the Kitakyushu Science Research and Park (KSRP) in Kitakyushu, Japan.