Autumn Term Entrance Ceremony 2024.10.1

Autumn Term Entrance Ceremony 2024.10.1

As President of Hiroshima University and as one of its alumni, it is my great pleasure to welcome 313 students here today, to Hiroshima University as new members of our university. At the same time, the invaluable contribution and support of family, friends, and other significant people, should never be forgotten.

Many of you enrolled today are international students from overseas. As you embark on your university journey in a country with an unfamiliar language and culture, you may well be feeling a mix of hope and anxiety. I can relate to your feelings; I remember my own experience of spending time in a foreign place in Europe with my family when I was around 30 years old.

In 1945, 79 years ago, 21 international students from China, Mongolia, and Southeast Asia were studying at Hiroshima University of Literature and Science and Hiroshima Normal School. These institutions were among the nine predecessor schools of Hiroshima University. On 6 August, when the atomic bomb was dropped, eight of these students lost their lives in their classrooms and dormitories. The remaining international students who survived dedicated themselves to rescuing injured civilians in the aftermath of the bombing.

Pengiran Yusuf, one of the individuals who returned to Brunei after the war, became the country’s first Prime Minister and dedicated himself to its development. He also shared his experiences of the atomic bombing with many people. I want you to know that you are now part of the history of Hiroshima University, a legacy established by our distinguished predecessors.

Hiroshima University was founded in 1949, four years after the atomic bombing. Since then, the university has developed into one of the leading comprehensive research universities in Japan, with 12 Schools, the largest number of any national university, and approximately 15,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Our university has always upheld ‘The Pursuit of Peace’ as the first of our Guiding Principles. As President, I have been committed to ‘cultivating peace-pursuing, cultured individuals with an international mindset and a challenging spirit’. Currently, the number of international students from 96 countries and regions totals more than 1,830.

Let me briefly introduce you the three campuses of our university. The Higashi-Hiroshima Campus serves as a global hub, featuring eight Schools, three Graduate Schools, and a Research Institute, all situated on a site approximately 250ha. In contrast, the Kasumi Campus is dedicated to health sciences, housing three Schools: the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, and the School of Pharmacy. It also includes the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, the Hiroshima University Hospital, and the Research Institute for Radiation Medicine and Science, jointly fostering collaborative research and training for medical professionals. Lastly, the Higashi-Senda Campus, the university’s original location, saw a relocation of the School of Law and some of the functions of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences from the Higashi-Hiroshima Campus, aspiring to establish a center for humanities and social sciences with legal training at its core.

Recently, our university was selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for J-PEAKS or Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (‘Program for the Strengthening of the Regional Core and Distinctive Research University enhancement’) and “the Project for the Formation of a Center for Advanced Medical Human Resources’ Development.” In addition, the UK-based higher education magazine the ‘Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings for 2024’, which evaluates universities around the world by their SDGs performance, ranked Hiroshima University as third in Japan for three consecutive years, and as 101-200 out of 1,963 universities worldwide. This truly demonstrates that the university’s education and research capabilities are highly regarded both domestically and internationally.

The Analects of Confucius, which record the sayings and actions of Confucius and his disciples during the Spring and Autumn period in China, include the lines: 
‘Study hard and aspire to greatness, ask earnestly and think earnestly.’ These words highlight the importance of deepening one’s knowledge, cultivating a strong will, constantly questioning, and applying what one has learned to real life. In the past, the Spring and Autumn period was marked by turmoil, with princes vying for power. In our current era, which is characterized by ongoing conflicts and unrest in many parts of the world, I believe that by learning broadly and thinking independently, you can acquire a compass that will guide you toward the future.

This year, Hiroshima University is celebrating its 75th anniversary and marking 150 years since the founding of its oldest predecessor school. On 2 and 3 November, a range of commemorative events will take place mainly at the Satake Memorial Hall. These events will include a commemorative ceremony and lectures by prominent figures such as French historical demographer Emmanuel Todd and UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu. We hope that many of you will join us for these celebrations.

As you join our university today, I want to assure you that we focus on your safety and well-being. Should you have any concerns or issues, please feel free to reach out to our faculty, administrative members, or senior students. We are committed to supporting you, and I hope that when you reflect on your time here, you will be happy and proud to have studied at Hiroshima University.

In closing, I wish all of you a fruitful and productive university life as you take your first steps onto our campus today.

Once again, congratulations on your enrollment today.

1 October 2024 (Reiwa 6)
Mitsuo Ochi
President, Hiroshima University


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