告辞
桜も咲き誇り、うららかな春が到来しています。この佳き日に心晴れやかに入学宣誓式を迎えた新入生の皆さん、ご入学誠におめでとうございます。ただいま、学士課程1,975名、大学院課程793名、別科25名の入学許可を宣言いたしました。あわせて2,793名の新入生の皆さんをお迎えできますことを大変嬉しく思います。ようこそ金沢大学へ。教職員一同を代表して、心より皆さんを歓迎いたします。
このたびの令和6年能登半島地震により、亡くなられた方々に哀悼の意を表するとともに、被災された全ての方々に、心よりお見舞いを申し上げます。このような大災害に直面し、被害を受けられた皆様のご回復と被災地の一日も早い復旧・復興を心よりお祈り申し上げます。
今年度、本学に入学された皆さんは新型コロナウィルス感染症の最も拡大した時期に中学校・高等学校を過ごされました。休校や多くの活動が制限されるなど、大きな影響を受けました。その後、新型コロナウイルス感染症は感染症法上の扱いが「５類」となり、３年あまり続いたさまざまな制限がようやく緩和されました。大学入試直前の本年元日に、能登半島地震に見舞われ、皆さんは再び大きな試練を受けることになりました。幾多の試練を乗り越え、今日、こうして新たな一歩を踏み出そうとしています。難関を見事に突破した皆さんのこれまでの日々の研鑽と努力に敬意を表します。その志を支えてこられましたご家族の皆さまにも心よりお慶び申し上げます。
皆さんが心踊らせ入学した金沢大学は、江戸時代文久2年（1862年）の加賀藩彦三種痘所の設置を淵源とします。彦三種痘所は「天然痘」の予防接種の普及のために設置されました。金沢大学は旧制第四高等学校等の前身校から受け継いだ160有余年の歴史と伝統をもとに、革新を積極的に織り込む気風を有しています。さらに、豊かな伝統文化が醸成された学都金沢に緑あふれるキャンパスを有しています。皆さんは長い歴史と伝統、進取の気風をもつ金沢大学の学生となること、この素晴らしい環境で学生生活を過ごすことを誇りとしてください。
本学は、金沢大学憲章において「地域と世界に開かれた教育重視の研究大学」を基本理念に掲げています。これに立脚した学士課程・大学院課程のそれぞれが育成する人材像を「金沢大学＜グローバル＞スタンダード（KUGS）」として示しています。金沢大学は知的好奇心を満たし、自ら学び、育ち、世界に羽ばたくための環境を整えています。令和5年5月15日に金沢大学角間キャンパスにおいて、G7富山・金沢教育大臣会合エクスカーションが行われました。G7各国の大臣、国際機関の代表者が本学を訪れました。学生、教員と未来の教育について語り、「金沢大学ユース宣言」を発表しました。このような得難い経験は大きな糧となります。さらに、本学はナノ生命科学研究所をはじめとする世界最高水準の研究拠点を複数有しています。これらの高度な研究力を礎に、専門分野とともに学際的にも俯瞰的な知見を得ることができます。成功への情熱を持ち続け、本学の充実した教育・研究環境を活かして積極的に挑戦してください。みずみずしい知的好奇心を持って高みを目指してほしいと思います。本学では皆さんに寄り添い、教職員一丸となって最大限の支援をします。皆さんが国内外の中核的リーダーである「金沢大学ブランド人材」として成長されるよう心から願っています。大きく社会構造や価値観が様変わりしている今こそ、金沢大学での学びが将来のかけがえのない財産につながるはずです。
令和6年能登半島地震に伴い、被災された皆様の回復、被災地の復旧・復興・再建にむけて懸命な努力がなされています。半島での地震という地政学的な観点に加えて、超高齢社会・少子化とそれに伴うコミュニティ、社会インフラ、なりわい、医療や教育、有形・無形文化財などに関する多くの課題が浮き彫りになりました。金沢大学では、令和4年5月に金沢大学未来ビジョン『志』を示しました。オール金沢大学で「未来知」により社会に貢献するという「志」を明記しました。「未来知」とは、現在、ならびに未来の課題を探求し、克服するための知恵です。未来知により未来の価値を創造することにつながります。その中で、私自身「不易流行」という言葉を噛み締めています。変わらぬ本質を大切にし、挑戦をし続け、伝統と革新を積み上げていくこの「不易流行」に「未来知」の視点は重要です。金沢大学は知の総体として、被災地はじめ地域社会、国際社会にどのように貢献するか、考え続けています。皆さんも金沢大学の学生として、また社会の一員として、一緒に考え、行動していきましょう。これからの日本、世界の将来の豊かな社会を担っていくのは皆さんです。
現代社会は、長引く世界各地の国際紛争、貧困、飢餓・食糧、健康・福祉、エネルギー、気候変動、環境など地球規模の課題が多くあります。AIやデジタルトランスフォーメーション、技術革新による社会変革も急速に進んでいます。この急激に変化する社会のなかで、私から金沢大学で学ぶ3つのヒントをお話ししたいと思います。
まず、第一に「人との出会いを大切にする」ことです。
人は人から多くのことを学びます。熱意を持つ人との出会いは重要です。世界の「知」に広く開かれ、知の総体である金沢大学を通じた出会いを大切にしてください。ぜひ、誠実な関心をもって、活気に溢れる学内外の方と積極的に交流してください。偶然の出会いから一生の付き合いになる方にきっと巡り会えるでしょう。壁を乗り越える強い志を土台とした「人間力」を高めることにもつながります。私自身も皆さんと同じく期待に胸躍らせて金沢大学に入学しました。卒業後、40年以上にわたる同級生、当時の仲間との交流はかけがえのない財産です。金沢大学の学生生活を通じて、偶然の出会いが必然であった、と将来心から思えるような出会いがあることを願っています。
第二に「自分で考える」ことです。
皆さんが将来活躍する社会では模範解答が用意されているわけではありません。変化の著しい実社会では答えがないことがあり、正解も一つとは限りません。今後、皆さんが模範解答のない社会で、未来を切り拓いていくために、現在、さらに未来の課題を探求し、自ら問い、解を見出すことが大切です。その際、仮説を立て、エビデンス（科学的根拠）をもって検証し、妥当性があるか、自分で考え抜くことです。これこそ金沢大学の教育の要であり、大学で学ぶ重要なポイントでもあります。AIなどの技術革新は目覚しいものがあります。これを活用しながら、最終的に判断、決断するのは人であり、皆さん自身です。学生生活のなかで、自分で考え、課題を見出し、向き合い克服する経験を積み重ねることが重要です。このような姿勢は必ずや皆さんの人生を支える財産となるはずです。自分と未来は変えられる、そして未来は自分で創るものであるとお伝えします。
第三は「他流試合をする」ことです。
異なる文化や環境に身を置くことは皆さんをきっと大きく成長させてくれます。他流試合をする経験を金沢大学在学中に持ってほしいと思います。失敗をおそれず、まず一歩を踏み出してください。未来を切り拓くためにも、自ら考え、行動を起こすことこそ重要です。見える風景が変わってくると思います。新鮮な視点から多様な価値観も生まれ、多くの学びもあるでしょう。お互いに膝をつきあわせた対話、何気ない雑談も重要です。私自身も海外での留学生活はとても印象的でした。専門外の学び、特に自分とは異なる世界観・文化・習慣・価値観を持つ人との交流、そうした他流試合を体験してください。他流試合を通じて高い人間力と深い見識を身につけ、課題克服に貢献し、未来の新たな価値を創造してほしいと願っています。
次代を担う皆さんが、未来を切り拓き、地域を大切にし、世界で羽ばくことを心より願っております。将来、皆さんが「金沢大学ブランド人材」として、国内外のリーダーとして活躍することを大いに期待しています。本日の感激を忘れることなく、高い志、気概をもって、充実した金沢大学での学生生活を送ってください。
ご入学、誠におめでとうございます。
令和6年4月4日 金沢大学長 和田 隆志
Spring has arrived in all its glory, surrounding us with cherry blossoms in full bloom. As we celebrate this wonderful day, I congratulate you on your entry into Kanazawa University. We have just now made the Declaration of Matriculation for 1,975 undergraduate students, 793 graduate students, and 25 students of the Undergraduate Training Course for School Nurses. I am extremely delighted to have the honor of greeting these 2,793 new members. Welcome to Kanazawa University! On behalf of the entire faculty and staff, I warmly welcome all of you to our community.
I would like to express our deepest condolences to the victims of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and our heartfelt sympathy to the survivors. I fervently hope for the earliest recovery for all people and communities affected by this immense tragedy.
You who are joining us this year were in junior and senior high school at the height of COVID-19. The pandemic had a tremendous impact on your lives, including school closures and various restrictions on many of your activities. COVID-19 was eventually downgraded to a Class V Infectious Disease as defined by the Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases, and the restrictions that had been in effect for over three years were finally relaxed. Subsequently, you were subjected to another enormous challenge this year when the Noto Peninsula Earthquake struck on New Year’s Day, just ahead of the university entrance exam season. You have endured many trials and tribulations to come to this day and take this first step on a new journey for you. I deeply admire the diligence and dedication that you poured into your studies and other pursuits each day, enabling you to successfully surmount the obstacles in your path. I also heartily congratulate your families, who have long supported your aspirations.
Kanazawa University, the academic community you now join with much excitement, traces its origins to the Hikoso Vaccination Center. That facility was founded by the Kaga Domain in 1862, during the Edo period, to vaccinate the population against smallpox. This was followed by the establishment of various predecessors of our institution under the old school system, such as the Fourth Higher School. Today, Kanazawa University carries on that more than 160 years of history and tradition while also embracing the spirit of innovation. We are also blessed with a greenery-filled campus whose home is in Kanazawa, a university town endowed with a rich heritage of traditional culture. I hope that you will take great pride in being able to pursue your academic journey in the wonderful environment offered by our innovation-driven university steeped in history and tradition.
Our core ideal, enshrined in the Charter of Kanazawa University, is to be “a research university dedicated to education, while opening up its doors to both local and global society.” Our undergraduate and graduate programs are grounded in this ideal and follow the Kanazawa University “Global” Standard (KUGS) as their vision for developing talent. We are a university that is infused with intellectual curiosity and provides an environment for people to grow by following their own path of learning so that they can shine on the world stage. Last May 15, the G7 Education Minister’s Meeting Excursion in Toyama and Kanazawa was held at our Kakuma Campus. This event brought G7 ministers and representatives of international organizations to our university to discuss the future of education with students and faculty, and concluded with the issuing of the Kanazawa University Youth Declaration. Rare experiences such as this are a rich source of inspiration for us. Meanwhile, our university boasts many world-class centers of research, such as the Nano Life Science Institute. Their sophisticated power of research provides a foundation for the acquisition of comprehensive insights in both specialized and transdisciplinary domains. I encourage all of you to passionately strive for success and to use our university’s well-equipped educational and research environment to boldly take on challenges. I want you to seek new heights, driven by your vibrant intellectual curiosity. Together, our faculty and staff will stand beside you and provide their fullest support. I firmly hope that you will grow into Kanazawa University Brand talent who serve as core leaders in Japan and abroad. The insights that you will gain at our university are guaranteed to become an irreplaceable asset for your future in this era of immense change in the fabric of society and people’s values.
In the wake of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, many people are working hard to help the survivors get back on their feet and to recover, restore, rebuild the affected communities. The disaster has brought into the spotlight not only the geopolitical implications of a peninsular earthquake, but also many challenges posed by rapid population aging and the declining birthrate, and by the resulting impact on communities, social infrastructure, livelihoods, healthcare, education, and tangible and intangible cultural assets. In May 2022, our university laid out “Kokorozashi” (aspirations) as a vision for its future. This vision articulates our aspirations to contribute to society through “future-oriented intelligence,” built on an all Kanazawa University approach. Future-oriented intelligence is the wisdom needed to explore and overcome current and future challenges. It is a means of creating value for the future. In this context, I relish the expression fueki-ryūkō. This means to continue taking on challenges while firmly maintaining your immutable essence, and thereby build up both traditions and innovations. A critical element of this process is to have the perspective of future-oriented intelligence. Kanazawa University will ceaselessly think about how to contribute to the areas affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, other local communities, and the international community as a hub of diverse knowledge. I invite all of you to join us in thinking and acting together, in your roles as Kanazawa University students and members of society. You will help to sustain a prosperous society for Japan and the world in the years ahead.
Today, humankind faces many global challenges, including protracted international conflicts around the world, poverty, famine, food security, health and welfare concerns, energy needs, climate change, and environmental issues. At the same time, society is also being rapidly reshaped by AI, digital transformation, and technological innovation. I would like to share with you three tips for how to pursue your studies at Kanazawa University amid such dramatic changes.
The first is to embrace encounters with new people.
All of us have much to learn from others. It is important to meet and interact with people who are passionate about what they do. Please embrace the encounters with others that Kanazawa University offers you as a hub of diverse knowledge that is broadly open to insights from around the globe. Be sure to actively engage with vibrant people within and outside our university with sincere interest. Chance encounters will likely lead to lifelong friendships. And, these interactions will help you to strengthen your “human resilience” rooted in a strong aspiration to transcend barriers. When I was younger, I entered Kanazawa University as a student filled with the same hope and excitement that you feel today. The friendships I made with my classmates and others back then have remained an irreplaceable asset for me over the more than 40 years since I graduated. I hope that during your time as Kanazawa University students you will have encounters that at first seem by chance but years from now will make you truly feel that they were destined for you.
My second piece of advice is to think for yourself.
When you go out into the world to pursue your careers, you won’t find model answers waiting for you. In the rapidly changing real world, there sometimes aren’t any answers, or there might be more than one “right answer.” In order for you to become able to blaze a path to the future in such an environment, it is vital for you to explore current and future challenges, pose your own questions, and seek solutions to them. This means you need to think on your own, forming hypotheses and testing their validity with scientific evidence. This approach is the cornerstone of our university’s educational program, and a key point for studying here. Remarkable innovations are being achieved in AI and other technologies. These can be put to good use in many endeavors, but ultimately the decisions are made by humans—namely, you. One of the most important things you can do as students here is to build up experience in thinking on your own, identifying challenges, and boldly overcoming them. A commitment like this will undoubtedly become an asset that will support your lives. I want you to know that you can change yourselves and the future, and you can create the future.
My third tip is to interact with people outside your comfort zone.
Immersing yourselves in different cultures and environments is a surefire way to grow tremendously as a person. Please take advantage of your time as Kanazawa University students to experience interacting with people outside your comfort zone. Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back from taking the first step forward into a new world. Thinking and acting on your own is an essential part of blazing a path to the future. I’m sure that you will find new horizons. Fresh perspectives will help you to gain diverse values and learn many new things. Engaging with others in face-to-face talks and even casual chitchats is a key part of this process. My personal experiences in studying abroad left a deep, lasting impression on me. Please take opportunities to study outside your major, especially ones that enable you to get outside your comfort zone and interact with people whose worldviews, cultures, customs, and values differ from yours. I would like for you to do this to acquire strong human resilience and deep insights, and then use those assets to help overcome diverse challenges and create new value for the future.
It is my heartfelt hope that you, the next generation of leaders, will blaze paths to the future, cherish your communities, and shine on the world stage. I am strongly counting on you to become Kanazawa University Brand talent who will serve as leaders in Japan and around the world. Please never forget the excitement of this day and always maintain lofty aspirations and spirits as you enjoy enriching experiences as Kanazawa University students.
Again, congratulations on joining our university!
WADA Takashi
President, Kanazawa University
April 4, 2024
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