Play an Active Part in Japan’s ‘Soft Power’ Diplomacy with the Whole World as Your Stage

President
MATSUDA Takeshi

It is said that we live in the age of the "flat world". It is a world in which one is able, if he/she so wishes, to find all the vital information on the Internet, a telecommunication space equally and fairly accessible at the ease of one click. So the formidable challenge that the university faculty face today, though perpetual it may seem, is in what ways and means instructors can inspire their students to develop sufficient motivation to study and academic enthusiasm to keep on studying. No doubt the key to the problem is largely in the hands of individual faculty members. At the same time, an equally helpful clue might be found in instructor-student collaboration in class that is based on mutual trust, as well as in students' daily campus life from which a spontaneous desire to learn arises from the students themselves.

For this, a proper emphasis needs to be placed on campus life, because I believe that a university campus is a space where students are assisted in developing their professional identity in their own way, while at the same time their two-or four year campus life is the most important period to solve problems in collaboration with each other.

In this globalizing world, one is expected to gain broad knowledge, not to mention a good command of a foreign language, with which world affairs can be seen and grasped from a wide perspective with the help of background information in history and culture, as well as with the ability to initiate a dialogue with peoples in distant lands to solve problems with them collaboratively.

To meet such needs, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies and Kyoto Junior College of Foreign Languages are proud to have so far produced a good number of outstanding graduates, following the ideals of Dr. and Mrs. Morita, the university founders, expressed in our school motto, "World Peace through Languages". To bring the twin institutions of Kyoto Gaidai further progress from now on, I hope to see our institutions transform into ones that are clearly and genuinely distinguishable from other Japanese universities and colleges, and also into ones in which students are able to have the first-hand experience of foreign countries and cultures through their daily campus life, while living in Japan, in order to learn about world languages and cultures.

It is my sincere hope that each individual student will be assisted in finding a job of his/her own choosing more effectively than before so that they may live a full and happy life after graduation. It is my earnest determination that no stone shall be left unturned so that Kyoto Gaidai may make steady progress with the crucially indispensable help of the faculty and the office staff. Lastly, it is my ardent wish that all of you students will say "I am very happy and pleased that I was admitted to study at Kyoto Gaidai, my alma mater!"

I wish every one of you the best of luck in your future careers. Thank you very much.