Past Events | September 28, 2023

On September 22, the completion ceremony and degree conferment ceremony of the graduate school of Toyohashi University of Technology for the academic year 2023 were held.
At the ceremony, President Terashima awarded degrees (to 11 students in the Doctoral Course and 39 students in the Master's Course).

President Terashima delivered the following address at the ceremony.

Congratulatory Address to the September 2023 Graduates
President Kazuhiko Terashima
Toyohashi University of Technology
September 22, 2023

Congratulations to all graduates of the Master's and Doctoral Programs of the Graduate School of Toyohashi University of Technology. Toyohashi University of Technology has sent 39 graduates of the Master's Course and 11 graduates of the Doctoral Course this year. We would also like to extend our sincere congratulations to their families. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to supervisors and all those involved for their guidance and support of the students until today.
On May 8, 2023, new coronavirus infection was classified as a category 5 infectious disease, and after the classification as a category 5 infectious disease, the isolation measures have ended, and there are no longer any requests to refrain from going out or to work. In addition, no one is identified as a "person in close contact" with the disease and is not required to refrain from leaving the house. However, as with other infectious diseases, it is advisable for those with symptoms such as fever to refrain from going out and recuperate in order to prevent the spread of infection. We still cannot let our guard down. I know that many of you will be returning to your home countries, but please be very careful. I am sure that all of you had a very difficult time during your time at the University, but you did your best. I am very happy that we are able to hold this graduation ceremony today, and I would like to applaud you all for completing your studies with distinction in this difficult time. As president of the university, I would like to congratulate you on this blessed occasion.

First of all, I know that you have spent a lot of time and put in a great deal of effort to complete your graduate programs. Today is the day that all this hard work has paid off. At the same time, completion of the program is a fresh start for your next challenge. I am sure that you have learned and deeply absorbed a great deal of knowledge at this university, but I would like you to learn not only knowledge, but also research methods, discussions with professors and fellow researchers, trial and error, numerous failures, how to write papers, and other methods of conducting scientific research actively through seminars, experiments, practical training, and laboratory seminars and research at this university, in addition to classroom lectures. These are the real assets of studying at the university. I believe that the wisdom and knowledge you learned here can be applied to various challenges you will face in the future. However, I think that you had a very difficult time during the approximately three years of coronary infection, which reduced face-to-face contact time with professors and fellow students. Fortunately, mankind has rapidly developed the technology of digitization, which has led to the development of DX and has gradually enabled us to obtain quality education and research anywhere in the world, including online, remote control, and so on. I would also like to thank our students for their hard work and the efforts of our faculty and staff in this implementation. The fact that we have given birth to new technology and science in a time of pandemics is truly a pinch turned into an opportunity. To the alumni, I hope you will apply the wisdom, strength, and courage you have gained during these difficult times to your future lives and society.

Next, I hope that you will continue to cherish and connect with the networks of friends, faculty, staff, and local communities with whom you have interacted at the University. You have been at this university for a few years, but I believe that you have more than a few decades of life ahead of you. I hope that you will continue to expand the network of contacts you have gained here into new social networks, and that you will have a broad perspective and human skills. There is only so much one person can do. Please connect with the world on a global scale. I also urge you to stay strongly connected with the alumni association of our university.

Last but not least, studying does not end when you enter the workforce. In fact, it can be said that the real work begins from now on. We have learned the basics of technology and research as students. However, from now on, it is important to utilize them for the benefit of mankind and contribute to the world. To do this, it is important to have a strong passion and the ability to take action based on the basic academic skills you have acquired up to now. I hope that you will do your best to maintain your passion for accomplishing what you want to do, no matter what it takes. You are young people with outstanding intellectual, physical, and personal strengths who have successfully completed the rigorous program of education and research at our university. I ask you to "take on the challenge of doing what you are good at and what you want to do, with courage, without fear of failure, and most of all, with passion. The future of the world depends on young people. Young people are the world's treasure. We will always support you.

This concludes the President's congratulatory address.