Address of the President of the University of Tokyo at 2010 Fall-Semester Diploma Presentation / Graduation Ceremony
On behalf of all the staff of the University of Tokyo, I would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all of you who have been awarded a doctor’s, master’s, professional, or bachelor’s degree by the University. I would also like to congratulate your families, who supported you while you concentrated on studies or researches, and are present here today to witness your academic achievement.
The total number of students completing their postgraduate courses by the autumn of this year is 375. Of which, there are 147 master’s degree graduates, 221 doctor’s degree graduates, and 7 professional degree graduates. There are 163 international students, accounting for over 40% of the total. 41 undergraduate students also graduate.
Throughout our long tradition, we held our commencement ceremonies only in March every year. This is the first also to be held in the autumn. We planned this autumn ceremony in response to the recent increase in the number of international students completing their courses in September. For this reason the ceremony today, including my address, is given in English.
There are, I understand, many Japanese students attending here today. We considered the option of using both English and Japanese. However, we decided that I would speak only in English. This is because we recognize the continuing integration of Japanese society into the global community, especially in the academic world, and want to heighten our awareness toward the internationalization of education. As a result, it is only natural to think that holding the ceremony in English symbolizes one of the future directions of the University of Tokyo.
When we use the term “internationalization,” we must remind ourselves of the essential meaning of its underlying notion. Internationalization does not just mean the ability to communicate in the English language.
I would like to reflect briefly and simply on our history of internationalization in Japan over the last century and a half. Looking back, there was naive admiration for the scientific, technological, and academic progress being made in the nations of Europe or in the United States. It was thought that these advanced countries had superior knowledge, technologies and institutions, so we attempted to import them in order to modernize our country rapidly and smoothly. There was a belief that Japan needed to catch up.
The idea of catching-up was the destiny of that era. It was reasonable for one country to try to apply efficiently the highly developed knowledge of other countries. However, it was also accompanied by a latent risk that a mind-set of catching-up made it hard to leave the breathing space needed to create new knowledge and nurture it.
I admit that there were some people of great ability who were not content just to follow the progress of other nations. They applied their creativity and gifts to achieve even greater results. However, in times of rapid, complex and total change of society stimulated by globalization, just as we are experiencing today, we can no longer rely only on the abilities and creativity of a limited number of outstanding individuals. Instead, we need to develop a system under which many more members of our University can enjoy opportunities to be more creative and to make valuable contributions in their fields.
The focal point when designing such a system is, in short, to link the concept of internationalization with that of diversity. Only if we become conscious of such a connection will we be able to transform the task of internationalization from catching-up to the next step of creating something new.
Internationalization involves more than issues of acquiring linguistic ability and fresh knowledge. The essence of internationalization lies in encounters with values, ideas, customs and other social mechanisms, which previously were foreign to us. It is a creative clash of different values, ideas, and customs. Through such a confrontation, which might not always be comfortable, we gain the power to make creation and innovation. We take up the intellectual challenge of engaging with the world in all of its diversity. What develops, I believe, is the resilience to respond flexibly and courageously to a new paradigm, which in turn helps to encourage creativity. This is precisely the meaning of internationalization in this global era, and indeed it is at the heart of the internationalization of the University of Tokyo, which I am responsible for driving forward.
In a way, it might be easy simply to follow dominant values, ways of thinking and customs. However, I would like you to wrestle with them using your inner and intellectual strength. It makes you more resilient. While talking about this, I would also remind you of the importance of reflecting on your own values, ways of thinking, and customs?to understand their strengths and where necessary to question them. Such reflection, conscious or unconscious, is the indispensible premise of a creative encounter with different things.
I would like to address the international students who are here to take part in commencement day. You have lived and studied in Japan for number of years, and must have experienced such challenges and reflections. I believe your experiences in Japan must have enhanced your inner and intellectual strength, as well as your academic ability. Many Japanese students who are here today, also must have had similar opportunities for stimulating experiences.
To repeat, your resilience will be extended through struggles with diversity. My important message to you is that such ability is required not just in the international arena where you may pursue careers. In this age of globalization, our daily lives involve more and more contact with the world in a variety of ways. I hope you will keep an open mind toward diversity even when resolving immediate domestic issues that might entail international implications.
Change occurs sometimes without continuity. We must, therefore, be prepared to respond flexibly and courageously to today’s diverse and fast-moving environment without being trapped by conventional values, ideas and customs, and to develop new insights. In fact, facing diversity is a virtue that should help us.
Some of you will continue to undertake research activities at post-graduate schools or as professional researchers, while others will take up non-academic careers. Whether you are immersed in research or depart from academia, you are ready to build your lives upon the toughly formed intellectual foundations provided to you by the University. Based on these foundations, you are expected to continue exposing yourself to stimuli in all of their diversity, including those that arise from an international environment.
On the occasion of receiving your degree, I sincerely hope that you will reaffirm the virtue of facing diversity, and take a step forward to be leaders in the coming era.
I wish you all good luck for your future. Thank you very much.
Junichi HAMADA
President, The University of Tokyo
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