2024 Fall Commencement Address by President Ishibashi

Congratulations to all of you who received your degrees from Kyushu University today.

In total, 461 students received their degrees: 66 from our bachelor’s programs, 204 from our master’s programs, 2 from our professional degree programs, and 189 from our doctoral programs. Among the recipients, 320 are international students.
On behalf of the faculty and staff of Kyushu University, we are delighted to be able to celebrate you and the numerous others involved in your journey. We want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to you all as you embark on your next adventure.

The Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games have been held in Paris this summer. Many of you must have watched the games in spite of the time differences. We were thrilled and fascinated by the athletes aiming for their greater heights, and they gave us the energy to move forward in our daily lives, even though we were a little sleepy. After their amazing performances, many of the Japanese athletes commented that “The road to get here was rough and tough, but I want to congratulate myself for not giving up.”
On top of that, this year’s Paralympic Games have been very special for our university: Mitsuya Tanaka, a master’s student in the Graduate School of Human-Environment Studies, represented Japan in Para taekwondo at the Paralympic Games. Through continued diligence, he achieved his ticket to Paris alongside his research, and we are all proud of and happy for him.

Despite the fact that the Olympics are “the festival of peace,” the world is facing a state of war. Including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Gaza war, there appears to be no end to these conflicts across the globe. The continuous devastating natural disasters are triggered by climate change resulting from people’s desire for comfort and convenience. The Olympic and Paralympic cauldron, which floats like a hot-air balloon, uses water and light to replicate the Olympic flame, avoiding the use of fossil fuels. This appears to be France’s message to warn us about global warming and our need to find the solution for this.

We were shocked by the Noto Hanto Earthquake this New Year’s Day and this incident revealed the difficulties of reconstructing a region that faces both an aging and depopulation. The Hyuga-nada Earthquake this August provoked the Nankai Region Major Earthquake warning, which made us realize the possibility of this megaquake and the need for disaster preparedness. Including the heavy rain disaster in Yamagata and Akita in July, increasingly severe summer typhoons, and this summer’s recordbreaking heat waves, we constantly face too many challenges from nature and must think about ways to coexist with it.

In addition, we still haven’t overcome COVID-19, and a warning about the 11th wave was issued this summer. And we are facing challenges, anxiety and fear everywhere. To our degree recipients today, your academic journey must have been filled with unparalleled challenges. We, the faculty and staff of Kyushu University, respect your fortitude and resilience, and are proud of your academic achievements.

In 2021, we, Kyushu University formulated the Kyushu University Vision 2030, to expand initiatives that drive social change with integrative knowledge and, needless to say education and research. Based on this vision, we integrate knowledge across the University to discover new insights from unique perspectives, construct new ways of thinking, and provide solutions to the ever-growing list of challenges facing society today. This spirit of our vision is now learned in the disciplines you've mastered and your attitude toward your studies.
And today, all of you have realized one of your dreams. Now, step out into the world and seek your bright future. Do not fear the difficulties and challenges you face. We are always the biggest supporters of your new journey.

Kyushu University places great importance on connections with its alumni. Any time you want to learn more or challenge yourself with new goals, we will welcome you back to Kyushu University. Upon your return, let us once again embark on a “journey of knowledge.”
Kyushu University has many alumni associations, including a large number established by international graduates who have returned to their home countries. The official alumni groups of Kyushu University number 14 associations in 10 countries and regions, with new alumni associations in Mongolia and Singapore to be formed this year. At Ito Campus, we have Homecoming Day, on the first Saturday of each November, which provides an opportunity for alumni from Japan and overseas to get together. They enjoy sharing the good times they had in their years of studying, regardless of age, region and field of study, and filling the campus with good memories and smiles. Homecoming Day takes place at the same time as the Kyushu University Festival, and alumni join the events arranged by current students. Following this event is Asian Week, which features seminars and culture events sharing the challenges we face in the region. Since the 2023 academic year, we’ve also organized a forum called Kyudai Now, introducing the latest research by Kyushu University in a variety of fields, and providing information about enrolling at the university. I hope you’ll take full advantage of these networks to maintain a fulfilling connection with the University and society around you.

We are particularly proud of one alumnus, Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, who engaged in medical activities in Afghanistan for many years. He devoted himself to constructing irrigation canals in an effort to bring stability to the region, and we at Kyushu University continue to honor his firm will and unwavering desire.
Let me quote a passage from the end of Dr. Nakamura's book,
Providence Was With Us:
“Humans are part of nature. Nature is inside of us all. This fact is both an undeniable fate and a blessing that regulates all life on earth. There is no way for us to survive as a species without a reconciliation between nature and humanity and between humans themselves in the endeavors of science, economics, medicine, agriculture, and all other aspects of human behavior. I believe that this is the mark of a decent civilization.”

In these uncertain and challenging times, I hope all of you will keep an eye on the state of the world as you carve out a place for yourselves on the global stage.

Once again, congratulations on your graduation.

September 25, 2024
Tatsuro Ishibashi
President of Kyushu University