Address at the 2024 Kochi University and Graduate School Entrance Ceremony
To all of you who have enrolled at Kochi University today, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on your admission. Together with our distinguished guests, the members of the Board of Trustees, the deans, and the entire faculty and staff of Kochi University, I would like to offer my sincere congratulations on your enrollment. I would like to express my deep respect for the hard work you have put in to reach this point, and I also extend my congratulations to your families and loved ones who have supported you along the way.
Now, you are about to become students at Kochi University. Up until now, in your schooling from elementary through high school, you have been learning established “knowledge” with the aim of deriving predetermined answers to predetermined questions. In contrast, learning at the university is entirely different from learning in school; its purpose is to generate “knowledge” that no one has ever seen before.The true significance of studying at the university lies in cultivating the ability to proactively acquire the “knowledge” necessary for this purpose—in other words, the “driving force of learning.” I have high hopes that all of you studying here will fully grasp this significance and become creative leaders who not only adapt to the existing society but also lead the way in shaping the future of society and the world.
Kochi University, where you have enrolled, is a comprehensive university—a community of scholars comprising nearly 600 faculty members who specialize in diverse academic fields and are constantly taking on new challenges. I urge you to take full advantage of this rich intellectual environment and eagerly acquire not only expertise in your own field but also a broad general education.As you know, in today’s society, humanity faces complex crises—such as the COVID-19 pandemic, drastic changes in the international community, and the problem of fake news in the digital age—that cannot be addressed by a single specialized field alone. In light of these circumstances, there has never been a time when collaboration across different disciplines has been more essential.Please leverage the strengths of our comprehensive university and actively pursue the “integration of knowledge” during your time here. Strive to acquire a comprehensive set of knowledge and skills that will serve as a foundation for sound judgment when facing various challenges.
“Sustainability” is the key concept for the future that you will all help shape. It must be said that, among all nations, Japan is particularly vulnerable in terms of sustainability. This vulnerability stems from our high dependence on foreign sources for food, resources, and energy, compounded by powerful pressures that will determine our nation’s future—including a declining birthrate, an aging population, global warming, and natural disasters.How we confront these pressures—while keeping in mind the tectonic shifts in the international community and the “digital revolution” that has shaped our globalized world—will be the key to forging a path forward. Meanwhile, Kochi Prefecture, home to Kochi University, serves as a microcosm of the pressures facing Japan as a whole.It is often referred to as a “pioneering region for challenges,” facing the most pronounced population decline in the country, an aging rate far exceeding the national average, and the anticipated onset of devastating earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. Furthermore, since similar challenges are likely to arise in the not-too-distant future in China, other Asian nations, and countries around the world, Kochi Prefecture can be viewed as a global leader that is anticipating the future when considering global sustainability.From this perspective, Kochi University, which champions the concept of a “Super Regional University (SRU),” aims to be a “core university for the region” capable of supporting and transforming the local community, while also striving to be a university that “connects the region with the world and transforms both” through world-class research capabilities. Please engage in your studies at the university with the constant awareness that the “region” is seamlessly connected to the “world.”
Now, Kochi University, where you have all enrolled, will mark its 75th anniversary in 2024. To date, the university has produced approximately 60,000 undergraduate and graduate degree recipients. Our graduates, who represent our invaluable human capital, have supported communities across the country and contributed to Japan’s development.There are also many who are active as leaders in various fields from a global perspective, transcending national borders. The predecessor of Kochi University was the former Kochi High School, established 102 years ago. In his opening remarks at the very first entrance ceremony, the first principal, Mr. Atsuo Ebe, began by stating, “Be moved, young people; a life without emotion is empty.”It is said that this was a deeply passionate message that struck a chord with the first class of students at the old-system high school. We intend to firmly pass on this spirit, inherited from the old-system Kochi High School, to all of you who have enrolled at Kochi University today. Furthermore, we will do our utmost to support your university life so that you may cultivate rich and deep human relationships—the foundation for experiencing that sense of “inspiration.”It is my hope that all of you who have enrolled today will grow into outstanding leaders who will shape the future in this era of VUCA—a time of uncertainty—and with that, I conclude my address as President.
Congratulations on your admission.
April 3, 2024
Hiroyuki Uchida, President, Kochi University
(References)
- Yuichiro Anzai, *The Future of Education: Surviving the Century of Transformation* (Chuko Shinsho, 2022)
- Juichi Yamagiwa, *Thoughts of a Gorilla Scholar in the Jungle That Is Kyoto University* (Asahi Shinsho, 2021)
- Yōjirō Ishii, *Commencement Addresses at the University of Tokyo: Words of Wisdom from Past Presidents* (Shinchosha, 2023)