2012 Graduation Ceremony and Degree Conferment Ceremony

March 26, 25

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Cho Matsunaga Kore

Congratulations to all of you graduating from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology today and completing your graduate studies. On behalf of the faculty and staff of the university, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations.

This year, there are 327 Faculty of Agriculture degree holders, 603 Faculty of Engineering degree holders, Graduate School of Engineering 353 master's degree holders, 31 Graduate School of Engineering Specialist degree students, Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering 64 master's degree students, Graduate School of Agriculture 156 master's degree students, Graduate School of Technology Management Specialist 1 degree program, A total of 1,642 doctoral students, including 42 Graduate School of Engineering doctoral students, 16 Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering doctoral students, and 49 United Graduate School of Agricultural Science doctoral students, have left the school. During the years you have spent at our university, you have had a wide variety of experiences. It must have been not only fun, but also tough days of studying and working hard in the face of setbacks and difficulties. But you got over it. Even watching from this podium, I can feel the strength of your growth in the radiant expressions, and we as faculty and staff are happy to be reassured. Your hearts are probably filled with regret for Campus Life, a pleasant sense of accomplishment, and anticipation for the future. But here and now, once again, remember how grateful you are to your family, friends, and those who have supported you throughout your studies. It is because of the tangible and intangible support of these people that you have been able to reach this day today. We, the faculty and staff, would like to express our gratitude and respect for your warm support, and we would like to send you off with the hope that you will continue to play an active role as you spread your wings to a new world.

Today, as a thank you to me, I would like to talk a little bit about what I would like you to be aware of on the occasion of this degree. There is an American female historian named Mary Ritter Beard who was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition to his many famous writings, he was also a prominent social activist. But I don't mention it here to talk about American history or social movements, but to share the following words that express her beliefs:

“Action without study is fatal. Study without action is futile.”
(Behavior without learning is fatal, and learning without action is futile.) )

If you simply act blindly without learning the knowledge that is the basis for action, without examining the effects, and without cultivating the logical thinking ability to take corrective measures, you may end up being reckless and futile, or even lead to dangerous recklessness. On the other hand, even if you study theory, deepen your knowledge, and cultivate your thoughts, you will not be able to create anything if you do not take any action. Until now, you have been "studying" in the place of learning at university, that is, inheriting, accumulating, pursuing, and deepening knowledge. From now on, in each of your career paths, as scientists and members of society, you will be required to innovate, that is, to "take action" to create new knowledge. In other words, they have become human resources who should fulfill their social responsibilities by implementing both "actions with learning" and "learning with actions." Based on the learning, knowledge and experience we have gained over the past few years, we must take a step or two to evolve it and take highly effective actions to achieve our goals. In other words, our goal is to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, which is also the philosophy of our university. Currently, the global environment is in crisis, and various problems such as the environment, energy, resources, and food are piling up. Some may argue that these are negative products of science and technology. Science and technology are a double-edged sword, and you may not be able to say that they are not true. However, in order to solve these problems and create a bright future in which all humankind can continue to develop with peace of mind and prosperity while coexisting with the natural environment, it is necessary to have practical innovation based on the power of science and technology backed by academia and foresight. And it is you here who are responsible for creating that innovation.

I am sure that there will be more difficulties on your path than when you were a student. However, our university is a university that has built up a long tradition of 140 years since its founding next year with its characteristic mobility and innovation. Those of you who have studied at our university and obtained a degree have not only inherited specialized knowledge, skills, and passion for the pursuit of truth, but also have inherited an academic culture, and have acquired a strong will to overcome any obstacles, a willingness to take on challenges without fear of failure, a broad perspective, and a flexible attitude. I pray that you will continue to pursue your dreams with confidence and with all your might. Please do your best in your own career path for the sake of the society that expects you to play an active role. That is our only hope for you. If you become a driving force for cutting-edge actions with the best insight in Japan and the international community, and if you serve as a model for future generations, the world will surely change. As scientists, let's work together for a better future.

I believe that the next time I see you, I will be able to see you grow and rely even more. We will also make further efforts to create a better university so that it will become a reassuring foundation that you can be proud of as your alma mater.

I wish you all the best in your endeavors.