��Congratulations to all of you who have been admitted to or have advanced to the Graduate School of Science and Technology at the Kyoto Institute of Technology. I am pleased today at this entrance ceremony to welcome 31 students to our master��s programs, and 23 students to our doctoral programs. On behalf of the faculty and staff of the university, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the families and all those who have supported you thus far on your journey. As president of the university, it is my sincere hope that your time at this graduate school will be a fulfilling one.

��Engineering, the central subject in science and technology universities, is the study of building things that benefit society, as well as safe and comfortable environments. Engineering is based on an understanding of basic theories and natural principles in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. In recent years, the advancement of globalization and urbanization has made apparent issues related to energy and resources, global warming, super-aging societies, and the development of societies that are resilient against disasters. Engineering will become ever more important in solving these issues.

��In order to plan and design things that will benefit society, or safe and comfortable environments, we must first discern the issues, and clarify the objectives. There is no moving forward without understanding the requirements. The next most important thing is learning what methods you can use to develop these things and environments. This includes the essential step of understanding theoretical limits. Additionally, we must always consider whether the method we plan to use is the best one, and a natural one��not something that is unnecessarily complicated. Remember that it is important to be able to make comprehensive decisions, in addition to simply building individual things and environments.

��In graduate school, you will work to deepen the expertise you acquired in your undergraduate studies. The process of asking your own questions, and working with your peers to find the answers, will begin in earnest. In our master��s programs, you will work through an entire process, from planning to design to evaluation, in order to solve specific issues. In our doctoral programs, you will develop the ability to discover issues on your own, and solve these issues to create new value. Here, you will also need to develop the ability to answer questions such as whether your methods are unique, what the benefits will be if you succeed, and the strengths of the technology you are researching compared to other competing technologies.

��This is where I would like to bring up ��KYOTO Thinking,�� the way of thinking that serves as the foundation for the university��s education and research in engineering and its other fields. Here in Kyoto, there has always been a strong emphasis on refinement in every aspect of our daily lives, from our clothing, meals, and homes, to every aspect of our culture, from tea ceremonies to flower arrangement, Noh theater, and festivals. It is not just about passing techniques down; Kyoto has also been a city that has developed by creating new value through continuous innovative challenge. Even today, Kyoto is home to high-quality craftsmanship, from traditional fields to cutting-edge industrial products, all of which are supported by the idea that there should be no ��ugliness�� in what we do. This is what we describe as ��KYOTO Thinking.�� As a cutting-edge international science and technology university in Kyoto, we thus aim to create entirely new ideas and value.

����KYOTO Thinking�� serves as the basis for the university��s three principles: ��TRADITION x INNOVATION,�� ��ART x SCIENCE,�� and ��LOCAL x GLOBAL.��
��Through ��TRADITION x INNOVATION,�� we aim to create innovation that opens up the future, through the spirit and creative determination long cultivated in the city of Kyoto.
��Through ��ART x SCIENCE,�� we aim to combine the out-of-the-box thinking and ideas of art with science. To solve the various issues that are occurring in the world on the global scale, we will need not just the natural sciences, but also ways of thinking from the humanities and social sciences. Now that you have advanced to graduate school, I encourage you not only to dig deep within your own area of specialty, but also to become involved in interdisciplinary projects. Doing so will allow you to see new meaning in your current research, and may even give you ideas as to different outputs or conclusions, or even different ways in which your research could be implemented in society. Whether you are looking for new avenues of development or want to go as far as you can go in your own research, you are sure to make wonderful new discoveries.
��Through ��LOCAL x GLOBAL,�� we aim to create new value by combining locally-cultivated ��KYOTO Thinking�� with global ways of thinking for solving global problems sustainably. I encourage all of you to look overseas in one way or another, and to venture out overseas. You will have many opportunities to go overseas, whether it be to present your research, to participate in an overseas internship, or undergo a joint degree program at an overseas graduate school. If you are an international student, I encourage you to experience all the ��local�� we have to offer in Kyoto, and work actively to tell other students about your own culture and perspectives. By coming to understand a different perspective, I expect you will be able to more firmly establish your own values.

��Ask your own questions, and work to solve them. It is important that you discuss and collaborate with your peers, learning about and incorporating perspectives from other fields and other cultures. I hope that your activities at this graduate school will be fruitful. Congratulations again to all of you.

Masahiro Yoshimoto
President, Kyoto Institute of Technology
September 25, 2024

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