President's Address at the 74th Commencement Ceremony for AY 2025

At this 74th Commencement Ceremony for AY 2025, it gives me great pleasure to offer my heartfelt congratulations to this year's graduating students.

I also extend my gratitude to the faculty and staff who have guided and supported our students with unwavering dedication, as well as to the parents and families who have warmly supported them throughout their academic journey. Today, a total of 1,866 students are taking their leave of Gifu Universityー1,260 undergraduate students and 606 graduate students.

The years you have spent here at Gifu University were surely far more than a time devoted solely to the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Encounters with lifelong friends, the challenge of pursuing your chosen fields of study, the balancing of academic work with extracurricular activities and part-time employment, and the perseverance to continue learning amid the unprecedented difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemicーeach of these experiences has contributed profoundly to your personal growth. Your successes and your failures alike have all been indelibly engraved upon you as irreplaceable lessons, forming a foundation that will undoubtedly guide you your whole life long.

Over the past several years, society has undergone change at an unprecedented pace. The rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence, the escalating severity of climate change, and increasing instability in the international landscape are among the challenges that touch every aspect of our lives and shape our collective future. In such an era, the qualities you have cultivated－the capacity to continue learning, the flexibility to engage constructively with change, and an attitude of respect for diverse valuesーcarry greater significance than ever before. I am firmly convinced that, by fully drawing upon the strengths you have developed at Gifu University, you will move forward with confidence toward a future rich with promise and opportunity.

At the same time, the faculty and staff have worked together to support your learning while continually seeking new approaches to education and research. On this occasion, I wish to express my profound respect for the dedication and collaboration of our students, their families, and all members of the faculty and staff.

Gifu University's history can be traced back to 1873, when Gifu Prefectural Normal School was founded. On April 1, 2020, it entered an exciting new chapter by establishing a novel institutional framework through its merger with Nagoya University. This unified entity is now known as the 'Tokai National Higher Education and Research System (THERS).' The Class of 2025 represents the sixth graduating cohort under this restructured framework.

While aligning with the THERS' mission to 'Make New Standards for The Public' and upholding Gifu University's long-term ideals of 'Learning, Exploring, and Contributing,' we promote the following core values in our new visions and strategies: strategic co-creation within the community, execution of unique and original research projects, fostering innovation, providing quality education, and serving as a hub for community revitalization to address diverse issues.

These efforts have led to notable advancements in research and education. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Gifu University has made remarkable gains since 2019. Moreover, in the performance-based allocation of government grants, we rank among the very top institutions. Gifu University's initiatives in education, research, and social engagement have received high acclaim, and these achievements stand as clear testimony to the steady and substantial advancement of the educational environment in which you have studied.

In the realm of research, Gifu University has produced a steady stream of achievements that contribute meaningfully to the resolution of global challenges. These include internationally recognized accomplishments in the fields of glycoscience and life sciences; significant advances in research by the Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research (COMIT) through close collaboration among the departments of medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, and veterinary medicine; the establishment of industry-academia consortiums in the aerospace field; and the adoption of national projects in the areas of environmental and energy science, such as hydrogen energy and CO₂ recycling. Together, these efforts attest to the sustained and expanding impact of our research endeavors.

Steady development progress has also been observed on the educational front. Reforms in teacher training within the Faculty of Education, the establishment of the Graduate School of Social Systems Management, the strengthening of information and data science education in the Faculty of Engineering, and the reorganization of the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences together represent major strides toward the cultivation of the next generation of leaders and professionals.

In the area of regional engagement as well, important progress is being made. Through initiatives such as the establishment of the Promotion of Regional Collaboration, the launch of Gifu University Entrepreneurs' Association¹⁾, and strengthened cooperation with the Gifu Prefectural Government, a solid foundation is being laid for the University and the local community to work together in shaping the future.

On the international front, we have also actively promoted the globalization of education and research through the expansion of our Joint Degree Program (JDP) and the establishment of international education consortia.

At present, Gifu University is pursuing a new institutional model as a "university, committing to social implementation through co-creation." Through this initiative, which transcends interdisciplinary boundaries and seeks to address societal challenges while generating new values, you have played an especially important role. You have journeyed with us through this period of transformation and have been instrumental in shaping a new vision for the University.

Now, to all of you who are being awarded your degrees today and are about to take your next steps forward, there is one message I wish to convey to you as President of Gifu University: "Please continue to choose your own future without fear."

The society in which you will soon find yourselves is by no means a smooth or easy one. Yet the experiences of confronting uncertainty, difficulty, and obstacles are also precious opportunities that will temper you, deepen your resilience, and guide you toward further growth. I am firmly convinced that the learning and experiences you have cultivated at Gifu University will serve as an permanent source of support, continually illuminating the path ahead as you move forward.

At this juncture, allow me to share one episode from my own personal experience. As a specialist in cancer treatment, I have been engaged in the development of a new therapeutic approach for gastric cancer. Today, this treatment has been incorporated into official clinical guidelines and is now being widely used in medical practice. However, the path leading to this result was by no means an easy one.

From the formulation of initial hypotheses, to their verification through basic research, and further to their advancement into international clinical trials, the process was marked by repeated encounters with unforeseen obstacles. There were many occasions when we were compelled to revise our plans or fundamentally reconsider our approach. Indeed, there were not a few periods during which progress stalled, and we were forced to pause. Even so, through persistent trial and error, it took twenty years from the inception of the project to finally arrive at a tangible outcome.

What I gained from this experience is the conviction that failure is not an endpoint, but rather a vital source of insight that guides us toward our next step forward--an opportunity for learning that reveals itself only to those who continue to persevere with determination.

In connection with this experience, I would now like to share with you a phrase that I have long held close to my heart: "Education does not lie in producing prematurely perfected 'small, finished products,' but rather in thoughtfully nurturing 'unfinished individuals' endowed with the capacity for continued growth throughout their lives." This statement is widely understood to reflect the philosophy of Shinzō Mori, the philosopher and educator from Aichi Prefecture who is revered as a guiding figure in national education. It has been received as a keen and insightful articulation of the very essence of education.

As you enter society, there may be moments when you find yourselves comparing your progress with that of others and feeling compelled to demonstrate results as quickly as possible. Yet, what truly matters in life is not the attainment of an early, modest sense of completion but the cultivation of breadth of character and capacity--the "vessel"--that enables you to continue learning, adapting, and growing, even as you confront failure and uncertainty.

You are not beings who are completed on this day. Instead, you depart from this place having acquired a firm foundation upon which you can continue to shape and nurture yourselves throughout the long journey of life that lies ahead.

In closing, nothing would bring us greater joy than to witness all of you going forward with vigor and achieving success in your respective endeavors. We sincerely hope that you will carry with you the wisdom cultivated at this university, hold your aspirations high, and take pride in your alma mater. We also trust that you will cherish the relationships and networks you have built here at Gifu University and continue to grow into individuals who can contribute and thrive both at home and abroad.

Should the opportunity arise, I very much look forward to the day when we may work together once again.

With these words, I conclude my address for the 74th Commencement Ceremony for AY 2025.

Congratulations to you all on this most auspicious occasion.