Header start
The AY 2023 Undergraduate Entrance Ceremony was held on Saturday, April 1, at the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall. This spring, Keio University welcomed a total of 6,451 students into 10 undergraduate faculties, including students entering the Japanese Language Program. The attendance for the ceremony was limited to new students and relevant staff, and the ceremony was streamed online.
Keio University President Kohei Itoh began his Welcome Address by introducing The Mission of Keio University, as well as the Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa and Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning). He also shared about the various extracurricular activities at Keio and encouraged students to venture out into the world. In particular, he strongly recommended Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Yukichi Fukuzawa's seminal book teaching that in a world where the development of science and technology is further accelerating, and where business norms are evolving at a dizzying pace, the most crucial factor in retaining our humanity is the ability to continue learning and constantly update ourselves and the people around us. President Itoh's address was followed by the Congratulatory Address, delivered by Professor Yoshikazu Kenjoh of the Faculty of Business and Commerce in the morning ceremony, and Professor Satoko Nagata of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care in the afternoon ceremony. These were followed respectively by the Matriculation Address, which was delivered by incoming students Shio Fujiki of the Faculty of Law in the morning ceremony, and Yui Yasuda of the Faculty of Pharmacy in the afternoon ceremony.
The ceremony was held in two sessions: morning and afternoon. The morning ceremony was held for the students entering the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Business and Commerce, Faculty of Science and Technology, and the Japanese Language Program. The afternoon ceremony was for students entering the Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Economics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Policy Management, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, and Faculty of Pharmacy. This year's ceremony was also attended by Keio alumni who graduated 50 years ago. At the end of the ceremony, the alumni association from their graduating class, the 1973 Mita-kai, presented an inventory of items donated by the association and delivered a speech to the incoming students.
On Monday, April 3, Keio University held its Graduate Entrance Ceremony at the same venue. This Spring Semester, Keio welcomed a total of 1,732 students in the 14 graduate schools (1,263 master's, 266 doctoral, and 203 professional degree candidates). Vice-President Yoshimitsu Matsuura began the ceremony by delivering the Incoming Class Report, followed by President Itoh's Welcome Address. In the Congratulatory Address which followed, Professor Naoya Katayama of the Keio University Law School stated that graduate school was the starting point for acquiring "advanced expertise" and also the time to recharge and challenge yourself with the unfamiliar and unknown, in preparation for the future. In closing, Professor Katayama urged all graduate students to think, worry, and take on new challenges unreservedly, in the spirit inspired by Fukuzawa in his final public speech at the Kojunsha Club, "If the world does not progress, then we shall progress first."
Footer start
Navigation start