July 16, 2025
On Wednesday, July 9, the lecture series "Liberal Arts of Information," hosted by the Keio Research Center for the Liberal Arts, was held at the Hiyoshi Campus. President Kohei Itoh delivered a lecture titled "What It Means to Study at Keio University." Approximately 90 Keio students, faculty, and staff members attended.
In the first half of the lecture, while considering the current situation surrounding Harvard University, President Itoh used historical facts of Keio University facing difficulties as examples to explain that interpreting the stance one should take from "history" serves as the foundation for judgment. He also touched upon Yukichi Fukuzawa's "Transition of People's Way of Thinking," telling the younger generation that they should take the time to greedily absorb knowledge and acquire various ways of thinking without being overwhelmed by information. He spoke powerfully to the participants, saying, "There is no shortest distance on the path to achieving your goals."
The second half proceeded in an interactive format where President Itoh answered questions from the participants. When asked how to handle uncertainty regarding one's career path, he replied, "It is good to stretch yourself a little and place yourself in a position that you feel is slightly difficult." He offered specific advice, saying, "I want you to fully utilize the resources provided by Keio University and use them as nourishment for your own growth." The participants listened intently to each word, which was backed by the President's own experiences.
Photography: Aki Takematsu