October 08, 2024

2024 Autumn Entrance Ceremony, President Address

　Congratulations to all of you on your admission to SOKENDAI. On behalf of the faculty and staff of SOKENDAI, I extend a sincere welcome to you all.

　SOKENDAI was established in 1988 as Japan’s first national graduate university to foster the next generation of doctoral professionals at outstanding national research institutions. Over the years, SOKENDAI has graduated more than 2,500 doctoral professionals in various academic fields, including literature, science, engineering, and informatics. I am sure that you are feeling a mixture of hope and concern as you enter one of twenty research institutes scattered throughout Japan to obtain your doctoral degrees.

　Let me say a few words about the approach that I would like you to take as a SOKENDAI graduate student. Simply put,

　The ultimate goal of the graduate program is, of course, to obtain a doctoral degree. To reach this goal, you will have to acquire knowledge and skills in your specialized field and gain the abilities to identify and solve problems. People tend to think that degrees are awarded based on the academic merit of a dissertation, but that is not the case. To obtain a degree, you must demonstrate your ability to promote research independently as a doctoral professional.

　I believe how much you are able to increase your ability depends greatly on the experience you gain while in graduate school. If you stay too focused on your initial goal over the course of your dissertation research, you will probably not acquire true competence. Also, if you follow a path set by someone else, you will never reach your true goal.

　I believe that the path you take while at SOKENDAI should be as expressed by the poet Kotaro Takamura: “No path lies before me. As I press on, a path appears behind me.” In other words, you will only be able to see the path that you took when you reach your goal and look back. No matter how many twists and turns your path may take, and no matter how far your detours may take you, each step along the way has significance. I am convinced that walking your own path, not a path traveled or paved by someone else, is the surest way to gain competence. Think of the phrase “Be not afraid of getting lost!” as my way of encouraging and inspiring all of you who are about to take your first steps into uncharted territory.

　Lastly, let me say one more thing. Someday in the future, when you look back the way you came, you will feel that your accomplishments are due to the paths that you chose to take at particular points in your life, especially while in graduate school. That is how I would like you to gain your experience in SOKENDAI. The university and all of our faculty and staff are committed to supporting you in your journey to the best of our ability.

　Again, congratulations on your admission today.

October 8, 2024
Takashi Nagata, President
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI