Address from the President
Congratulations to all new Miyazaki International University students. On behalf of theentire faculty and staff of Miyazaki International University, I would like to extend ourcongratulations.
I would also like to express my sincere appreciation and congratulations to your families,
relatives and all those who have lovingly supported you in your endeavors. Covid-19 wasdowngraded from Category 2 to 5 in May last year, getting us out of a long tunnel. Although it is
not yet completely over, it is a great pleasure to be able to hold this entrance ceremony with you all.
The next four years at university are extremely important for you as a period of preparation
for your future career in society or for planning your own life. As well as acquiring specialist
knowledge, we would like you to be interested in a variety of things and fully develop your metaintelligence and critical thinking skills to look at yourself objectively. Miyazaki International
University also warmly welcomes all international students. Some of you may have come to Japanfor the first time. I hope that you will quickly get used to Japan and be a bridge between your countryand Miyazaki. Those of you who have enrolled in the master's program are encouraged to further
deepen the insights you have gained so far over the next two years, and acquire the skills required
to become active leaders.
Now, modern society is, in a word, a global society and an information society. It has
become commonplace to see cross-border exchanges at various levels, including politics, economics,and culture. The speed of the global spread of the COVID-19 virus and the worldwide disseminationof vaccines, as well as the instantaneous spread of information and personal data from multiple
countries around the world, may be examples of how we have realized these phenomena. Generative
AI and ICT technology in Society 5.0 are having a significant impact in the field of university
education, and our university has already made an application to the Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology to establish a distance learning program, scheduled to start in 2025.
On the other hand, despite the rapid progress of modern society, we are faced with many challenges.
Even today, it is said that there are approximately 500 to 700 million people in the world who live in
extreme poverty and lack access to daily food. Global environmental problems, global warming,energy issues, and recent conflicts and wars are also major global issues.
At the very least, diversity is considered to be one of the keys to solving these global issues.
The meaning of diversity is "to accept differences in nationality, gender, age, etc., in an organizationand to take advantage of each person's diverse values and ideas.” It is particularly important that
we respect each other. At Miyazaki International University, you will understand the structure ofglobal society and the information society, and you will learn the principles of diversity.
At university, you will receive a different style of education from what you have received
in junior high and high school. As students, you will need to change from the passive learning
attitude of the past, in which teachers meticulously prepare for classes and teach in detail, to an
active learning attitude in which students ask their own questions, conduct their own research, andcome up with their own answers. Teachers will support and give you accurate advice. In other words,
please understand that the learning will change from faculty-led to student-led. One of the uniquefeatures of our university is that faculty members take care of each and every student very well andgive them appropriate advice.
Last but not least, I would like to share with you what I have learned from my experience.
If you want your opinion to be heard in university and in society, first become a person
who can listen to others' opinions, and you may find that many of your opinions are heard. If you
want people to approve of you, be a person who approves of those around you. In doing so, you may
find that others approve of you, too. If you want to be happy, make those around you happy. If you
do so, you may become happy yourself. When one loses humility, one may also lose character, andwhen one revels in defeating an opponent, it may be the time when he or she meets his or her own
defeat. You have yet to mature in this university. You should not be afraid to embarrass yourself.
Asking questions may be a temporary shame, but remaining ignorant could be a lifelong shame.
Please have the strength to overcome your loneliness, the strength not to be afraid offailure, and the strength not to be ashamed to ask questions, dive into your new environment without
hesitation, meet irreplaceable people, study hard, improve yourself in the process, and build afoundation for your future at MIU. I have high expectations for all of you.
Congratulations on your enrollment today.
April 7, 2024
Noboru Murakami,
President of Miyazaki International University