2024 Autumn Graduation Ceremony: President’s Address

On behalf of Shizuoka University, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 117 graduating students at both Shizuoka and Hamamatsu campuses across all undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs. As you all know, Japan was a part of the three-year global hardship caused by the new coronavirus infection (“COVID-19”) starting in 2020. As a result, we could not hold the graduation and induction ceremonies to our satisfaction. However, the Japanese government eased its COVID-19 restrictions starting on May 8 of last year, so we can once again hold the autumn graduation ceremony as normal, as we did last year. I am overjoyed about this development.

Today, you have all received your degrees in various specializations. I would like to express my genuine respect for all your efforts in devoting yourselves to study while engaging in friendly competition in an environment so unlike your home countries. I hope your studies and research findings will prove invaluable in the years to come.

I am sure that your families, friends, acquaintances, and the instructors who have led and supported you will be happy to see you graduate and complete your studies. I believe that thanks to these people, you have earned your respective degrees today.

As I mentioned, COVID-19’s spread throughout Japan significantly impacted your studies and research. Nevertheless, these difficult circumstances have not discouraged you. You have continued your studies to complete your respective courses in the allotted time. You deserve kudos for all your hard work in overcoming adversity during this extraordinary time.

I am sure you all noticed that COVID-19 affected academic education and research worldwide, especially during the first couple of years. Shizuoka University has also expanded its online education options to protect everyone from the virus. We also learned that this form of instruction holds new possibilities for the future.

Conversely, we also recognize how the COVID-19 pandemic has deprived you of opportunities to speak with each other and build close relationships. Another unfortunate effect of COVID-19 is that it prevented international travel, making it difficult to interact with people worldwide for over three years. Nevertheless, starting on May 8 last year, the Japanese government eased such restrictions, so we should welcome the return to pre-pandemic life. I hope those of you who are concluding your studies in Japan will continue to have many opportunities to meet people from all over the world and share your perspectives with them.

On a different note, many international students attending today’s ceremony are a part of the Asia Bridge Program (ABP). We started the program nine years ago at the request of companies located in Shizuoka Prefecture. Many of these firms are expanding throughout Asia. They need talent who can act as a bridge between the companies and the local people. These companies have made significant donations to establish scholarship programs to financially support our ABP students. Fortunately, many ABP graduates have found positions at these companies, playing crucial roles as expected.

The ABP has also turned a new page for Shizuoka University. The program has had corporate support from the beginning, creating an extraordinarily diverse educational and research environment, unlike anything the University had before. Until this program began, most Japanese university students rarely had the opportunity to take classes in English with international students or discuss research in foreign languages. However, the ABP has made these situations possible. I offer my utmost gratitude to all the international students in the ABP for creating such a novel environment at Shizuoka University.

Naturally, we have accepted many international students for our doctoral programs and other courses unrelated to the ABP. These international students have also significantly contributed to the diversity at Shizuoka University, and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for such a gift.

We are now living in uncertain times, with no clear future ahead. At the dawn of the 21st century, military conflicts worldwide are triggering all sorts of socioeconomic changes. Not only that, major earthquakes, torrential rain, and other effects of global environmental changes also pose a threat to our routines. Thus, many unpredictable and complicated problems arise all around us. As we all remember, Japan saw the Noto Peninsula hit by a major earthquake on January 1 of this year, causing extensive damage. Experts also say Japan is on the verge of a massive Nankai megathrust earthquake. We live in such uncertain times, but there is no need to be anxious. That is because young, energetic people like yourselves are graduating universities and starting their careers. This is where I see a ray of hope.

You have undoubtedly gained highly specialized knowledge during your studies at this university. I expect you will utilize such knowledge to tackle various social issues and challenging problems. Yet, the complex problems facing society today epitomize the very ideas of “turmoil” and “chaos,” so addressing them is impossible if your only approach is from the perspective of a single specialty. Finding solutions to these increasingly complex problems requires a holistic approach from a multifaceted view of the issues with a broad-based perspective that integrates the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. I hope that you will not stop learning even after you graduate or complete your studies, but will continue to broaden the scope of your learning. When you broaden the scope of your learning and look at society, you will gradually be able to see what is actually happening now and what you need to do to change it.

Finally, I remind you all that Shizuoka University is now your alma mater. I hope that we can stay connected with all of you. I welcome you all to visit Shizuoka University any time, as we are always pleased to see our alumni. We sincerely look forward to reuniting with you once you begin your careers.
　
Once again, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you.