Introductory remarks from IUJ President Hiroyuki Itami
International University of Japan Graduation Ceremony 2023
Today, we all gather here to congratulate our class of
2023 as they finish their graduate study at International
University of Japan. IUJ happily announces that we can
send out 92 masters students from Graduate School of
International Relations, 54 masters student from
Graduate School of International Management, and 2
PhD student from Graduate School of International
Relations.
I would like to congratulate all the graduating students
and their families for their hard work during your years
of intensive study here on our campus. Both you and all
of us can be proud of your wonderful achievement.
Very unfortunately, however, we cannot have Mr. Osoba from Nigeria today with us
because he passed away due to illness on May 31st, less than a month ago. Since we could
judge that he has finished all the academic requirements for graduation, we had the special
graduation ceremony for him on June 2nd, attended by his beloved wife and many fellow
students. Our staff and many of our students also planned a special candle light service for
his memory the next afternoon. He was loved and cherished by many people around him
and we all miss him so much.
Now, today is the day that marks the dividing line between the past and the future for all
the graduating students. The past you end today is your campus life as students. To
commemorate that day, the term graduation is perhaps appropriate. You also begin,
however, your new future tomorrow. The future you will begin is your professional life out
in the society where you are going to contribute as global leaders. To commemorate that
day of beginning, the term commencement seems more appropriate. As many of you know,
it is customary to call the graduation ceremony a commencement ceremony in the US for
this reason.
Looking back from the commencement day perspective to your past here on our campus, I
hope that all of you remember IUJ as two kinds of places, the place where the students can
learn about the world and learn about Japan, as well as the place where the world
cooperates. These are the two concepts we started to emphasize since I became the
president of IUJ six years ago.
We are the place where you can learn the world standard theories in various fields, as well
as where you can learn the many logics behind the development history of Japan as the first
country in the non-Western world who could industrialize itself.
The second concept of our university is: we are the place ‘where the world cooperates’. We
used to say we are the place where the world gathers. It is better, I think, to cooperate
rather than just to gather from around the world. We are a place where international
cooperation, large and small, emerges so naturally and so often and a place where the
students learn how to cooperate smoothly across cultures. International cooperation can
be a very natural outcome of our setting.
A wonderful and symbolic example of ‘where the world cooperates’ was an international
chorus at the International Festival about a month ago, by our students from many
countries together with the Japanese high school students of Kokusai Joho Koko nearby. I
was so impressed by both the beautiful harmony I heard and the earnest preparation by
many of you.
Looking forward from the commencement day perspective into your future out in the
society, the famous passage from Steve Jobs’ commencement address comes to my mind
very naturally. Jobs himself never graduated from college, but he gave the commencement
address at Stanford University back in 2005, when he was the CEO of Apple.
He ended his impressive speech by quoting two simple sentences he liked so much from his
favorite book: Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
I like this so much too.
Please stay hungry for what you want to accomplish in your life after commencement. A
whole new life and new future will begin tomorrow, the future with much uncertainty
where the only certainty is that you will encounter many difficulties and many obstacles.
But we can overcome those obstacles if we stay hungry and stay foolish. Only those who
are foolish and optimistic enough and hungry enough for the uncertain future can achieve
something very special.
And I believe we are foolish enough, indeed. You were foolish enough to come to IUJ,
Isolated University of Japan, in this little town of Urasa two years ago because you expected
something very special. I was foolish enough to accept, six years ago, the president job at
IUJ, because I thought this unique university with such international diversity is a treasure
for Japan.
But, after arriving and spending some time here, all of us have found we were not that
foolish after all, because we found this place is like a precious jewel. Jewel like people like
you and jewel like countryside and nature. There is something spiritual about the nature
around our campus.
People can get energy, on and near campus, from the green fields in summer, the massive
white snow in winter and beautiful mountains all year round. Maybe not a spectacular
scenery, but from morning mist, bright sunshine, thin clouds and glittering snow, I very
often feel I am revived by getting energy from this jewel-like nature. I hope that many of
you agree with me.
I know that many students jokingly call IUJ as I and U in Jail. But, IUJ should stand for I and
U in Jewel, not Jail.
So, to end my speech today, let us remember to stay foolish and stay hungry. Also, let us
remember this special place called IUJ, where both the best cross-cultural interaction
among people and the best spiritual interaction with nature occur. You can be proud of
such a university and I hope that this is the place you will want to come back often in the
future, both in your memory and in person. We will always welcome you.
Congratulations again and good luck to all of you.