2026 GBC・GB Fall Entrance Ceremony
Under a clear autumn sky, we are delighted to welcome you to the 2026 fall entrance ceremony. Today, a total of 47 promising students--41 undergraduates and 6 graduate students--are joining the University of Hyogo community from around the world.
Dear new students, today is a day of great joy and pride--not only for you, but also for your families and for all those who have supported you along the way. On behalf of the university, I congratulate all of you who have overcome various challenges and successfully begun a new chapter here.
Many distinguished guests have joined us today to celebrate, including Mr. Takashi Tsukamoto, Deputy Director-General of the General Affairs Department, representing the Governor of Hyogo Prefecture; His Excellency Yoshihiro Ohno, Honorary Consul of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Kyoto; His Excellency Alzakhgui Delgermaa, Consul General of Mongolia in Osaka; His Excellency Batbileg Dashpurev, Consul of Mongolia in Osaka; His Excellency Yoshihiko Okabe, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Kobe, as well as the families and friends of our new students. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all our guests.
I also ask you to remember, with gratitude, that the local community and the many corporations whose names are displayed on the plaque at the entrance of Global House support your life and studies here. Executives from these companies are seated behind you as guests.
With a history of nearly 100 years, the University of Hyogo is now one of the leading public universities in Japan, with six faculties, nine graduate schools, and five research institutes.
Our university upholds academic freedom and harmony and is promoting advanced interdisciplinary education and research activities based on the SDGs principles of "well-being" and "leaving no one behind".
Seven years ago, we launched a new course called GBC, and five years ago, we established a graduate program called GB. These initiatives are designed to nurture knowledgeable and open-minded professionals who can lead a global, multicultural society and build bridges rather than walls between people.
Now, 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 climate change, which is threatening biodiversity.
AI is becoming the new operating system underpinning society and is taking over the roles that humans have traditionally performed.
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 frequent, intensified by global warming, and eroding the foundations of our lives and society.
I hope that each and every one of you, as global citizens with intellectual flexibility and a powerful imagination, will take an interest in these challenges and will forge your own paths in a borderless free world built on peace and justice.
I also encourage you to cultivate both critical and creative thinking skills and to embrace the four cardinal virtues underpinning vibrant civil society: prudence, courage, temperance, and justice, throughout your years at the university.
Let me say a word about student life. The university regards you as adults and expects you to take responsibility for your actions. You are asked to observe societal norms and exercise sound self-discipline. Do not be misled by appealing claims that are difficult to verify or lack objective evidence, and make choices rooted in justice, courage, and love.
You all courageously embarked on a new chapter in your lives as university students in Kobe, leaving your families and hometowns behind. Please cherish every fleeting encounter and make good friends with whom you can learn, grow, and take on new challenges.
As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." While staying connected to your roots and traditional values, we hope you will enjoy fantastic life in Japan, become familiar with its culture and customs, and make every effort to improve your Japanese.
We extend our warmest wishes to each of you on this new beginning. We trust that you will have happy and exciting years ahead.
Congratulations once again, and welcome to the GBC and GB family.
Makoto KOSAKA
President
September 18, 2026