To all students who have become new students of the Kyoto Institute of Technology Graduate School of Science and Technology, congratulations on your enrollment. Today, at this pledge ceremony, we welcomed 18 students in master’s programs and 20 students in doctoral programs. I believe that you will all work even harder than before on your research and studies with a fresh state of mind as you aim to earn a master’s or doctoral degree. As the President of this university, it is my sincere hope that each of you will achieve results through considerable thought, study, and discussion with others, and that your time at this graduate school will be fulfilling.

　Kyoto Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Science and Technology seeks to foster highly specialized professionals, including highly specialized engineers and researchers in the international science and technology field who will create the industries and culture of the 21st century, to respond to the progress of science and technology and the demands of society. We call these highly specialized engineers in the international science and technology field “TECH LEADERS,” and work consistently, from the undergraduate stage to our graduate school, to foster such people.
　We say that TECH LEADERS are “persons who, based on knowledge and skills in a specialized field, can take a leadership role in the global arena and successfully lead projects that address various social issues”; at master’s level, we aim to cultivate people who have higher level specialist knowledge than people at the undergraduate stage and can apply this in a flexible manner, and who are equipped with practical foreign language abilities. At the doctoral level, our goal is to foster people who have excellent research and development abilities with an abundance of creativity, as well as international experience. Our education programs for each of our specialist subjects have been put together to achieve these goals. Additionally, our classes are, in principle, carried out based on a quarter system, enabling study abroad and internships in companies and other organizations. We also offer a class subject known as the Design-centric Engineering Program (dCEP), in which students focus on projects that transcend specialist subjects. I hope that you will all communicate well with your supervisors and the heads of your specialist subjects, and, as master’s and doctorate holders, become talents in line with the goals of our university.

　Kyoto Institute of Technology is located in Kyoto, which was the capital city for over 1,000 years, and we appreciate the importance of history and culture in the lives of humans. In recent years, we have created the concept of “Kyoto Thinking.” The culture of Kyoto was fostered through manufacturing by craftspeople with skills and quality, and relationships of mutual trust. However, these skills aren’t just simply passed down—people are continually taking on innovative challenges and creating new value. Kyoto Thinking is the term Kyoto Institute of Technology uses to express the mindset and spirit of creative challenge based on confidence built up in the Kyoto area. By living in Kyoto, you may well develop a certain amount of sensitivity through proactively experiencing cultural properties, handicrafts, and more. The Kyoto Institute of Technology’s Museum and Archives possesses materials related to crafts, textiles, and design from our predecessor school, and holds planned exhibitions. Please feel free to visit when you are taking a break from study or research. And please strive to engage in your research with an awareness of Kyoto Thinking.

　Now, we are currently facing a variety of challenges, including global warming and the world-wide spread of COVID-19, as well as disparity, division, and conflict caused by humans. For example, when it comes to global warming, many researchers and engineers are working to first develop technology for a zero carbon or carbon neutral society, where the generation of CO2, one of the causes of global warming, is reduced and any increase is prevented. We rarely find a so-called “magic bullet” for these various challenges, but humans have made history by doing what we can. In the future, it is vital that we analyze the challenges we face and propose countermeasures with a focus on science and technology. We want all of you, as TECH LEADERS and researchers, to boldly take on the challenges that you can handle and play a role in discovering solutions. I hope you will use your time here to find your standpoint and carefully build your foundation.

　In addition, I believe now is a time when we are rethinking the direction of human development and questioning the construction of new values that are a little different to the previous worldview, which demanded economy and efficiency; these new values broaden our perspectives in terms of sustainability and diversity. We also stress well-being as the concept of a state that has intrinsic value to certain people. Such value creation requires extensive thought that is not restricted to specialized thinking. However, a single TECH LEADER or researcher thinking deeply and widely about something is not necessarily the best idea. On the contrary, it is important to exchange opinions with other people.
　Kyoto Institute of Technology is now launching an initiative known as KYOTO AGORA. The organization responsible for this is called the Center for the Possible Futures (CPF). This center hosts discussions between faculty members with different specialist fields, and carries out activities that dream up multiple possible futures from completely new angles. It then creates the challenges we would face working toward those futures. I believe that from now on, we must strive to consult and cooperate with people from different fields, with broad perspectives.
　I hope that all of you will refine your field of expertise while consulting and cooperating with diverse people from a variety of standpoints, going beyond your own field so you are truly able to come up with accurate solutions to the variety of issues that we face and realize human welfare.
Please do your best.
　
　And with these words, simple though they may be, I would like to conclude this welcoming address.

September 25, 2023
President, Kyoto Institute of Technology
Kiyotaka Morisako