Address at the 2010 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 opportunities for growth.
I hope that your efforts will bear fruit, thereby proving that this decision was the right one and that it was meaningful.
The fundamental purpose of a university is to foster intellectual curiosity. In other words, any activity rooted in intellectual curiosity is accepted and tolerated. However, this does not mean that unrestrained behavior is permitted.
Researchers are expected to maintain an attitude of constantly asking, “Is this beneficial to humanity?”—an attitude that represents the indispensable foundation of intellectual inquiry.
The distrust of science that has emerged since the late 20th century stems, in part, from society’s perception that researchers have lost sight of the attitude expected of them—a perception that leaves them with no choice but to express concern.
This is precisely why Kochi University is committed to fostering well-rounded professionals with advanced expertise. In other words, our goal is to cultivate experts whose professional competence is underpinned by the high moral character fostered by the integration of the humanities and sciences.
Today, even in Japan, terms like “knowledge-based society” have become part of everyday language. It is now taken for granted that those possessing advanced specialized and cutting-edge knowledge will play a significant role in society, and resistance to the growing importance of science has relatively diminished. Precisely for this reason, I believe we must be all the more committed to cultivating a character of integrity.
You have all entered this prestigious institution, and you are not only valuable assets to Kochi University but also vital assets to society as a whole. 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 society’s questions and engage with them intellectually.
It is only natural to ask whether the practical outcomes of research benefit people or serve the greater good of society. From society’s perspective, it is unfair to completely ignore this question and retreat into the shell of intellectual curiosity.
While your responses to society may vary depending on your respective fields of expertise, you must answer this question with complete honesty. In fact, at that moment, the entire character of the person answering is being put to the test.
I look forward to seeing you all acquire a high level of expertise, underpinned by the broad education befitting students at this prestigious institution, through your studies over the coming years.
I conclude my address as president with the hope that a bright future lies ahead for all of you.
April 3, 2010
Kochi University, a National University Corporation, President Yusuke Sagara