Address at the 2008 Kochi University Graduate School Entrance Ceremony
On behalf of the faculty and staff of Kochi University, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you who have enrolled in the graduate school here today.
Building on your academic achievements to date, you have chosen to pursue further research in graduate school in search of new breakthroughs. I hope that your endeavors will bear fruitful results, thereby proving that this choice was both wise and meaningful.
The fundamental purpose of a university is rooted in intellectual curiosity. In other words, any activity based on intellectual curiosity is accepted and tolerated. However, this does not mean that unrestrained behavior is permitted. Researchers are expected to maintain an attitude that constantly asks, “Is this beneficial to humanity?”—a question that lies at the very core of intellectual inquiry.
In a sense, distrust of science often stems from a loss of sight of this required attitude.
This is why Kochi University is committed to fostering generalists with advanced expertise.
Today, the term “knowledge-based society” has become part of everyday language in Japan as well. It is now taken for granted that those possessing advanced specialized and cutting-edge knowledge play a significant role in society, and resistance to the growing importance of science has relatively diminished.
You have all entered this prestigious institution, and you are not only valuable assets to Kochi University but also vital contributors to the future of society. For this very reason, I urge you to continually reflect on the social significance of the knowledge you seek to explore, while also cultivating the ability to listen humbly to the questions posed by society and to engage with them intellectually.
It is only natural to ask whether the practical outcomes of research benefit people or serve the greater good of human society. To completely ignore this question and retreat into the shell of intellectual curiosity is, from society’s perspective, unfair.
While the ways in which each of you responds to society from your respective fields of expertise may vary, we must answer this question with complete sincerity. In fact, at that moment, the entire character of the person responding is put to the test.
I hope that, through your studies over the coming years, you will acquire a high level of expertise grounded in the broad education expected of students at this prestigious institution.
With the hope that a bright future lies ahead for all of you, I conclude my address as president.
April 3, 2008
Kochi University, a National University Corporation, President Yusuke Sagara