To all those enrolled in Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in the 2020 academic year
[Updated April 6, 2020]
A video message from the new President, Chiba, to the new students has also been released.
We have a message for all new students along with drone photos of the campus, so please take a look.
To all those enrolled in Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in the 2020 academic year
(Japanese)
Congratulations to all the new students on your admission.
Normally, we would hold a grand entrance ceremony with all of you new students, your families, faculty, staff, and current students gathering together, but as you know, we have decided to cancel the ceremony in order to prioritize preventing the spread of COVID-19. We are very sorry about this, but above all, we hope that this extremely serious problem that has spread around the world will come to an end as soon as possible.
Now, new students, how are you feeling now that you have entered Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Engineering, or Graduate School at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology? For those entering undergraduate school, you are probably recalling the long period of hard work you put into preparing for the university entrance exam, and many of you are probably filled with anticipation as to what university life will be like. For those entering graduate school, many of you are probably aiming to further develop your research and have big dreams. Each person may have different thoughts, but I hope that you will each set big goals for your Campus Life at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Agriculture and Technology is the only national university in Japan consisting of Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Engineering. Agriculture is a field that explores the connection between nature and humans toward the future, while engineering is a field that creates a new world where people's lives are enriched through technology. I am convinced that the combination of agriculture and engineering will spread various wisdom that will build the next era to the world.
The history of mankind is said to be several million years, and it was only about 10,000 years ago that we began to transition from a hunting society to an agricultural society. Since then, through advanced industrial and information societies, we have overcome many natural threats. For example, in many life-threatening issues such as fighting infectious diseases and securing food, humans have learned about the mechanisms of nature and accumulated wisdom to overcome them. So, when you look at the world today, how does it look to you? It is true that we have overcome many problems and our lives have become more advanced, but humans still only understand a small part of the mechanisms of nature, and moreover, the enormous impact of rapidly expanding human activities is intricately intertwined with the natural world and natural phenomena, causing more difficult problems to arise one after another. This means that we need leaders who will not only explore natural science, but also deeply explore the relationship between human social activities and natural phenomena, and provide clear guidelines for what the next era should be like. Those future leaders are you. I want you to keep this in mind.
If you think back, agriculture and engineering are academic fields that have developed through the exploration of the relationship between humans and the natural world and natural phenomena. There is no doubt that new knowledge emerging from these fields will be essential to overcoming many of the problems we will face in the future. You can now begin your studies in a field that will play such an extremely important role. I hope that through your studies, you will maximize your value by engaging in research activities with a broad perspective and by working together with others to contribute to the world.
Albert Einstein once said, "A man's worth is not measured by what he has gained, but by what he has given." I hope that you will all think about what you can give to the world from now on, and make it your big goal to develop the skills to do so. In short, I think it is important to have the mindset of "being helpful to others" in all your activities. I think that each of you has a different way of proceeding and shining. It is wonderful to explore unknown natural phenomena and share new discoveries with the world. It is also important to create better things with new technology and propose better systems for the world. I hope that through your studies at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, you will become people who can do such things.
In closing, I would like to offer my congratulations and sincere hopes for a bright future for the new students.
Congratulations on your admission.
April 1, 2020
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Chief Kazuhiro Chiba
Message from the President to New Students
(English)
Congratulations on your admission to Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
Originally, everyone who enrolled this year, your family, faculty members and current students of the university will gather together to hold the university entrance ceremony, but as you know, due to the worldwide spread of the new coronavirus, greetings to new students this year will be implemented in this way. We are so sorry and hope that this extremely serious problem worldwide will end as soon as possible. In addition, I would like to have other opportunities to talk directly with you in various ways.
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology is the only national university in Japan composed of agriculture and engineering. Agriculture and engineering studies are evolving through the relationship between natural phenomena and humans. There is no doubt that new insights coming from this area are essential to overcoming many of the problems that will come. Now you can start learning in these vitally important areas.
The history of humanity has been said to be millions of years, and the transition from a hunting society to an agricultural society began only about 10,000 years ago. Since then, we have overcome many threats through advanced societies. For example, on many life-threatening issues such as infectious disease and food problems, humans have learned about nature and accumulated wisdom to overcome them. So when you look at the world today, how does it look to you? At some point we may have surpassed many things and our lives have been raised to a higher level, but humanity still only understands a small part of the mechanisms of nature, and more complicated is the enormous amount of human activity. The next upcoming era also requires the presence of leaders who clearly indicate what should be. That future leader is you.
By all means, I hope you will have a lot of experience to maximize your value. Albert Einstein said that “The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive”. I want you to think about what you can give the world and make it a big goal. It is also wonderful to explore natural phenomena that have not yet been elucidated and inform the world of new discoveries.
To conclude, it is very important to create excellent things with new technologies and to propose better social mechanisms for people in the world.
I hope you have the attitude of “Flourish with People”
I wish you a bright future.
Congratulations.
Kazuhiro CHIBA, President, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology