President’s Address at the Saitama University Graduation Ceremony
for the academic year 2020
Congratulations to everyone celebrating their graduation and completion here today. Today
we are celebrating the completion of 1516 Bachelor’s degrees, 552 Master’s degrees, and 33
Doctoral degrees, of which 26 Bachelor’s degrees, 98 Master’s degrees, and 11 Doctoraldegrees were completed by international students from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia,India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia,Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, UK and Viet Nam.
On behalf of all our staff, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to
the family and friends who supported you throughout your journey.
More than a year has passed since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Japan. Many
people remain in hospital and healthcare professionals continue to work tirelessly to provide
treatment. Here at the university, we were forced to implement stringent measures to preventthe spread of the virus. Entry to the campus has been restricted, and most classes wereconducted online. For many months, the campus has remained silent, and here we are on theday of graduation, with only a handful of representatives able to participate. During your time
here, you have connected with teachers and friends, made lasting friendships, deepened yourknowledge, and even during the pandemic have continued to use your time with intent andpurpose. This day of departure marks an important milestone in your life, and not being able
to share that with you in person is a matter of great personal regret. Yet, this is something wemust bear to slow the spread of the virus.
Now, as you stand on the threshold of your bright future, I would like to gift you some wordsof wisdom to carry with you as you go: “keep learning” and “keep thinking.”
The spread of COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on social systems, and we have seen
many new endeavours as society tries to adapt. Many measures that were implemented toprevent the spread of the virus will undoubtably remain in place even after the virus no longer
poses a threat. We are welcoming in a new era of globalization, and the normalization of workfrom-home and online learning experiences has significantly advanced the digitaltransformation of society. These changes make us question once again what it is that defines
a sustainable society, and how we can achieve that. It is imperative that we face these questions
head on, and that each of us seeks out a viable solution.
Right now, we are entering a new era, ushered in by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The
progress of digital technology is at the foundation of this new era, and plans and proposals areto be based on mass data collected from AI and IoT (Internet of Things) - technology thatconnects man and machine. It is an era where networks and big data are about to bringsignificant changes to the way we live our lives. However, while the digital revolution makes
our lives easier in many ways, we are also forced to contend with the fact that how we work,and how we live, will also be profoundly affected. The rise and fall of industries is something
every generation experiences, and the skills and knowledge in demand change accordingly.
Now, the rate at which that happens will only keep getting faster. Furthermore, as lifetime
employment is replaced by short-term and independent contracts, the hiring process will alsochange. How can we, who are living through this social revolution, adapt and live throughthese changes?
1The first skill we need to cultivate is the motivation to “keep learning.” Three-time Pulitzer
prize winner, Thomas Friedman, wrote of the importance of life-long learning in his book,“Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations”(Farrar, Starys and Girous, 2016). Friedman talks of how in a world where technologicaladvancements, globalization, climate change are accelarating, you need to keep learning, andrelearning, if you want to keep working your whole life. In other words, you must have a senseof ownership over your life-long education. Friedman goes on to say that “the big divide willbe "the motivational divide" - who has the self-motivation, grit and persistence to takeadvantage of all the free or cheap online tools to create, collaborate and learn.” With a clear
goal, and the motivation to keep learning, you have the tools to carve a path toward your future.
The second skill, one that will help you achieve that goal and remain independent in society,is the ability to “keep thinking.” With increased speed, comes increased unpredictability, andthe time we are living in is no different. To remain independent, you need the ability to makedecisions for yourself, and the strength to follow through. Every new thing you see, every new
thing you learn, approach it with an open and curious mind, peer into the very heart of thematter, and cultivate your ability to question and think.
Furthermore, the problems that you will face, be they in your career or society’s, cannot besolved on the power of one academic discipline alone. As AI research advances, and thetechnology is applied to more diverse areas of society, we will need to consider the legal andethical issues, and the subject will require an interdisciplinary approach that draws on
humanities and social sciences. Those of you who are going on to further study should cultivate
curiosity and appreciation for all subjects, while also deepening knowledge of your own. Thoseof you who are stepping out into the world, use the knowledge that you have acquired, and theexperiences you have gained here. Live your life with purpose and an open mind so that you
may never lose your motivation to keep thinking and keep learning.
Finally, I would like you to remember that your time here has helped shape you as a humanbeing, and will always be your second home. And at times, I hope you may recall fondly thedays of youth, spent with faculty and friends on the beautiful green campus of Saitama
University. Whatever challenges you face, if you arm yourself with the knowledge gained fromyour studies here and reflect on the experiences that taught you how to overcome trouble andconflict, and how to survive, I am confident you will have the strength and courage to take one
more step forward. If you have the chance, please come back and visit Saitama University.
Your second home will always be here to welcome you, and will always be your biggest
supporter.
It is my earnest hope that you graduates of Saitama University live boldly and brightly as
you stride down life’s road.
Once again, congratulations on your graduation and completion.
March 25, 2021
Takafumi Sakai
President, Saitama University2