Past Events | October 9, 2024

Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT) held the Entrance Ceremony for Graduate School of Engineering, including the International Program students on 2 October 2024.

22 students were admitted to the International Master's Degree Program, and 13 students were admitted to the Doctoral Program.

Dr. Akihiro Wakahara, Interim President, gave an address at the entrance ceremony.
His speech in full is below:

Congratulatory message from the Interim President of Toyohashi University of Technology to students entering in October 2024

Interim President, Akihiro Wakahara
Toyohashi University of Technology
October 2, 2024

Congratulations to all of you on your enrollment. Today, Toyohashi University of Technology welcomed 22 new students to its master's program and 13 new students to its doctoral program. I would also like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the families of the students who have supported them so devotedly up until now. As Interim President, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you.

You will become highly skilled engineers and researchers who will be active internationally as leaders in industry and academia, so I hope that you will study at our graduate school with a strong will. Now, I would like to give you some advice on how to make your graduate school life at our university more meaningful.

First of all, the main focus of graduate study is to gain knowledge and experience through research. Both master's and doctoral students are encouraged to deepen their liberal arts in addition to their knowledge of their field of specialization in order to gain the knowledge and experience they will need in the future. In establishing the purpose, positioning, and goals of your research, it is important to carefully read articles in fields related to your research topic to understand which institutions are the most advanced and what the essential issues are. Then, formulate a research plan that makes the most of your strengths, and proceed your research from a broad perspective without being bound by preconceptions. To broaden your perspective, it is also important to have discussions with your supervisor and laboratory members, and to make presentations and discussions at joint research opportunities and academic conferences. In my experience as a faculty member, I have seen many students who have studied actively and diligently grow significantly after graduation. I hope you enjoy your research life and engage in lively discussions.

Our faculty members are energetic in their research activities and travel abroad often, and there are many examples of students presenting at international conferences, so there are many opportunities for students to make presentations at international conferences abroad while still in the university. I encourage you to make presentations at international conferences and exchange opinions with world-class researchers and students from other countries. In addition to presenting at international conferences, I also encourage you to visit world-class researchers if possible. Studying abroad even for a short period in your related field will increase your motivation for research, broaden your perspective, and greatly advance your research.

I mentioned that graduate school life is research-centered, but to be an excellent researcher, you also need to have high communication skills. In addition to absorbing knowledge in your research field, it is also important to find opportunities to acquire and experience cultural knowledge. Be aware of building a personal network by experiencing Japanese culture and interacting with local people. The friends, networks, cultural knowledge, and experiences you develop in this way will be useful in your future career.

Second, in research life, it is not always possible to obtain the desired results. There are many times when the expected results are not obtained, and it can be frustrating. In such situations, what keeps us going with our research is our strong desire to achieve and our passion to accomplish it. You never know when and where your passion for research will grow. Some may already have it. If you don't feel that way yet, please take an interest in many things until that time comes. Once you find a clear goal that you are passionate about, challenge yourself without fear of failure. We are always here to support you.

Finally, you may have been a bit apprehensive when you heard that I am the interim president. Due to the sudden passing of President Kazuhiko Terashima, a temporary acting president has been appointed. The new president is scheduled to take office in January 2025, so please rest assured that you will be able to devote yourself to education and research at our university.