Commencement Address for the 2024 Academic Year (Undergraduate Division)
To all of you graduating from Kochi University today, I offer my heartfelt congratulations. Together with our distinguished guests, the university’s board members, deans, and faculty and staff, I sincerely celebrate this joyous new beginning for all of you. I express my deepest respect to each of you for the hard work and dedication that have brought you to this point, and I also extend my sincere congratulations to your families and loved ones who have supported you along the way.
Graduation is a milestone that marks the moment you stand at the starting line of a new journey.Your hard work and experiences to date will propel you forward and open the door to a new world. However, the future you are about to face is known as the VUCA era—an era characterized by uncertainty, volatility, complexity, and ambiguity. For example, with the advancement of AI technology and digitalization, as well as the spread of new ways of working, change is accelerating daily, making it increasingly difficult to predict the future. It is precisely because we live in such times that there is a phrase I would like you to keep in mind.Derived from the Chinese classic *Mencius*, these are the three essential elements for success: “Heaven’s Timing, Earth’s Advantage, and Human Harmony.” “Heaven’s Timing” refers to the ability to seize opportunities; “Earth’s Advantage” means making the most of one’s environment and location; and “Human Harmony” signifies harmony in human relationships.
You have already experienced these three elements—"the right time, the right place, and the right people"—during your university life. Take "the right time," for example. Your university years coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented crisis in human history. As an institution, we spent our days navigating unknown risks while searching for the best way forward.You, too, likely faced periods when your freedom of movement was restricted and direct interaction with friends and professors was difficult. At the same time, the “in-person” settings we once took for granted rapidly shifted to “remote,” and we experienced a turning point for society as a whole, including changes in how we communicate and gather information. Your university years, during which you experienced the innovations sparked by this unprecedented crisis, are a testament to the fact that you truly lived in “the right time.”
Next is “geographical advantage.” In addition to our high dependence on foreign sources for food, resources, and energy, Japan faces a variety of challenges, including a declining birthrate, an aging population, global warming, and natural disasters. Kochi Prefecture, where our university is located, can be described as a “pioneering region for addressing these challenges,” where these issues are most acutely evident.However, if we instead view this as a “cutting-edge region anticipating the challenges of the future,” the field-based learning and experiences you gained in Kochi Prefecture during your university years will become a valuable asset—one that cannot be obtained elsewhere—in fostering the leadership and problem-solving skills needed for the coming era. In this way, your university life can be considered a learning environment that made the most of this “geographical advantage.”
Furthermore, regarding “harmony among people.” Throughout your university years, you have surely made irreplaceable friends and companions. And in the open-minded environment of Kochi Prefecture, I am sure you have also developed deep ties with the local community and made many acquaintances. Through your studies, research, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work, you have likely come to appreciate the value of collaboration, experienced the synergy that comes from working together with like-minded peers, and gained an understanding of the immense power that “harmony among people” holds.
It is believed that when these three elements—"the right time, the right place, and the right people"—come together, individuals can maximize their potential and truly shine.Through your studies at Kochi University, you have learned that to seize “the right moment,” you must heighten your sensitivity and broaden your perspective; to make the most of “geographical advantage,” you must explore the region and the field on foot; and to cherish “harmony among people,” you must not shy away from making the effort to connect with each individual. I am confident that you will continue to make great strides and contribute to society as core leaders who shape an uncertain future.
I offer these words of congratulations, wishing you all great success, good health, and a life filled with happiness. Congratulations on your graduation.
March 24, 2025
Hiroyuki Uchida, President of Kochi University