2026 GBC・GB Fall Commencement Ceremony
In the crisp autumn air, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the University of Hyogo's 2026 Fall Degree Ceremony. Today, a total of 45 students-- 39 undergraduates and 6 graduate students--are setting out on new journeys from the University of Hyogo.
On behalf of the university, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates who have successfully navigated these turbulent and uncertain times, including the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are honored to be joined today by many distinguished guests, including Mr. Takashi Tsukamoto, Deputy Director-General of the General Affairs Department, representing the Governor of Hyogo Prefecture; His Excellency John Tjahjanto Boestami, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Osaka; His Excellency AA Ngurah Andy Laksmana, Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Osaka; His Excellency Ryusei Kajiyama, Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Osaka; His Excellency Tobias MULIMBIKA, Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia in Japan; and the families and friends. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all our guests.
Dear graduates, today is a day of great joy and pride--not only for you, but also for your families and friends. As you reach this significant milestone and move on to the next stage of your careers, I hope you will remember those who have encouraged you and watched over you along the way.
I also ask you to remember with gratitude the many corporations whose generous support has contributed to your education. Executives from these companies are seated behind you as guests.We are equally grateful to the members of the local community who have warmly supported our students throughout their time at the university.
Seven years ago, we launched a new course called GBC, and five years ago, we established a graduate program called GB. Both initiatives are designed to nurture knowledgeable and open-minded professionals who will lead a global, multicultural society and build bridges rather than walls between people.
When you entered the University of Hyogo, you all courageously embarked on a new chapter in your lives as university students in Kobe, leaving your families and hometowns behind. Together with classmates who shared similar experiences and new friends you made here in Japan, you faced and overcame many challenges, sometimes dealing with feelings of loneliness and anxiety. And now, you stand before us as distinguished graduates, with dignity, humility, and strong values.
The world around us is at a major turning point, marked by the rapid development of AI and ICT, intensifying conflicts and humanitarian crises, and the global biodiversity crisis driven by climate change.
AI is becoming the new operating system underpinning society, penetrating every sphere and beginning to challenge uniquely human capabilities.
The disregard for the rule of law and the shift toward peace through strength are fueling the rise of exclusionary forms of nationalism.
Large-scale weather disasters--the kind that occur only once in a century--are becoming increasingly frequent and eroding the foundations of our lives and society.
With your intellectual flexibility and powerful imagination, we hope that each of you will forge your own paths in a borderless world built on peace and justice, leaving no one behind.
Your connection with us does not end with graduation. The Kobe Campus for Commerce will always remain your alma mater. Please return to visit us anytime. As a multi-generational campus, we will continue to support you as you pursue lifelong learning and reskilling in the era of the 100-year life.
Keep moving forward and have the courage to rely on others when times are difficult.
Finally, we bid each of you a warm farewell and we trust that many happy and fruitful years lie ahead of you.
Makoto KOSAKA
President
September 17, 2026