2022.10.01
News

25th Message from Our President: At the beginning of the Second Semester

It will soon be three years since the outbreak of COVID-19. Although we have passed the peak of the seventh wave, tens of thousands of people are still infected daily. The cumulative total has exceeded 21 million and is now among the world's top 10 worst. The students have responded to repeated restrictions and reminders from the university that have affected their personal lives. We express our respect and gratitude for continuing your studies, research, club activities, etc., without causing a definitive cluster infection.

The corona disaster has had a significant impact on all students. In particular, students who are now third-year students were unable to have an entrance ceremony. In addition, since they were suddenly asked to take online classes at home after enrolling in this university, they may have had fewer opportunities to make friends. We are very sorry that these students may not have been able to fully enjoy student life in an academic atmosphere where you can interact, discuss and work hard with your peers.

Under these circumstances, it is now October, fall is upon us, and the second semester (fall semester) has begun. Since grades in the fall semester are often directly related to graduation and advancement to the next step, we encourage everyone to work hard on their studies and graduation research. Moreover, fall is an excellent season for club activities, and the University Festival is also scheduled to be held. To balance academia and these activities, it is essential to manage your daily life. Therefore, please try your best to enjoy a fulfilling campus life to make up for the lost time due to the coronavirus.

Now, the world is in the midst of a severe crisis. More than seven months have passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, but the situation is still unresolved. The daily media coverage has undoubtedly given us much to think about. I ask you to think hard and deeply about why this is happening. It may be a sign of the end of such a jeopardized democracy. The democratic social life we enjoy today was created by our predecessors, who made great sacrifices. The time has come for us to be aware of the fragility of our society and to think carefully about how we should live as citizens and as human beings.

The university was quick to issue a statement of protest against the invasion of Ukraine. In March 2022, we also made a declaration on the SDGs. At their heart is the well-being of all humankind and, above all, respect for human rights. No one is left behind. We expect that you will acquire specialized knowledge and a broad range of liberal arts at this university, improve your humanistic skills, and enhance your love of humanity throughout your campus life. These will undoubtedly lead to your future happiness.

You are the treasures of our university. We hope you will have a meaningful student life with pride as a student of the University of Hyogo.

Isao OHTA
President
University of Hyogo