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Governor of Oita Prefecture
Mr. SATO Kiichiro
First, let me express my heartfelt congratulations on your graduation from the prestigious Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
I also want to congratulate your families, who showered you with love and watched you grow, and express my respect to President Yoneyama and all of APU's faculty and staff who provided you with steadfast guidance.
Since opening in 2000, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University has chalked up a stellar track record as a leader in the globalization of higher education in Japan, including the acquisition of several international accreditations.
With initiatives such as the opening of the new College of Sustainability and Tourism last April, APU continues to develop as a center of knowledge that Oita Prefecture can be proud of both domestically and internationally.
APU is also open to the local community. By collaborating with companies to hold intercultural exchange events, hosting international conferences on its campus, assisting with the teaching of intercultural understanding and English at elementary and junior high schools throughout the prefecture, and participating in local festivals, APU has consistently worked to internationalize Oita Prefecture and invigorate its communities.
On APU’s multicultural campus, where students from more than 100 countries and regions learn together, you, the members of the graduating class, devoted yourselves to your studies to become people who can play an active role in the international community. During your studies at APU, the global spread of COVID-19 made it difficult for a period of time to study on campus. However, you were able to overcome this and many other adversities with your creativity and ingenuity by flexibly adapting to new learning and educational environments. I am convinced that these experiences will sustain you and give you the power you need to pioneer a new era in these times of constant change.
I hope that you will fully demonstrate the global mindset and human network you have cultivated until now, and take an active role in your respective fields, contributing greatly to the development of the Asia-Pacific region.
Finally, I hope that you will always feel affection for Oita as your “home away from home” and a place full of fond memories. I also hope you will serve to bridge the gap between different countries, regions, and people, as well as between Oita and the world, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors while praying for the continued advancement of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
Kiichiro Sato
Governor of Oita Prefecture
March 15, 2024
Mayor of Beppu
Mr. NAGANO Yasuhiro
On behalf of the citizens of Beppu, please allow me to express my warmest congratulations to the graduating class of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University and to your families. I would also like to deliver my gratitude and well wishes to your family members who have supported you along the way.
The COVID-19 pandemic struck right as you entered university, so your student life may not have been the way you had initially envisioned it to be. However, I'm certain that by embracing online tools to attend your classes and stay connected with friends, you've developed the resilience necessary to navigate crises and the fortitude to find enjoyment in any situation. I would like to express my sincerest respect and appreciation to the graduating class for the ingenuity and hard work you demonstrated, as well as to the faculty and staff who supported you.
In recent years, the world has faced significant challenges from natural disasters and conflicts. For the city of Beppu, I find it profoundly encouraging that students from over 100 countries and regions unite to form a single community on APU’s campus. I believe that seeing you venture forth into the world while carrying Beppu in your hearts will be a powerful source of strength for our city's future. Moreover, you now have a vast global network of alumni and friends to support you.
Beppu has always been a place that naturally welcomes a diverse array of people. The warmth of our people, just like the warmth of our hot springs, is our treasure. In the future, I hope that many of you will have a desire to return to Beppu and reconnect with the people you've come to know here and enjoy the hot springs. Always remember that Beppu is your home. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Beppu’s foundation as a city, and we are planning many events, so you are welcome to come back and celebrate with us.
In closing, I sincerely hope that you will continue to respect and cherish the friends that you studied with at APU as you go on to play active roles as the leaders pioneering the next generation, and I look forward to seeing you again in Beppu someday.
NAGANO Yasuhiro
Mayor of Beppu
March 15, 2024
Dean of the College of International Management
Dean of the Graduate School of Management
ALCANTARA Lailani L
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Dean of the College of International Management
Dean of the Graduate School of Management
ALCANTARA Lailani L
Omedetou gozaimasu! May this day remind you of your courage. APU is different. It is far from ordinary. You went out of your comfort zone when you chose to study at APU. You challenged yourself. You took the courage to be in a place where people speak a language that is unfamiliar to you and have values and perspectives that challenge you to think critically and act differently. It’s because you had that courage in you that you had so much to learn.
May this day also remind you how privileged you are, you are blessed with education that many don’t have access to. You have the knowledge, skills, and resources to make a positive impact not only in your life but also in the lives of others. No matter what career path you take, believe that you can make an impact. Do not underestimate the power of your simple gestures of support and kindness in making a difference in another person’s life. Remember that you have developed and matured in APU, in an environment where normal is undefined, where strangers become your friends and allies, and where anomalies are turned into strengths.
Congratulations once again, dear graduates of APU! Stay courageous and inspired.
Dean, College of Asia Pacific Studies
Dean, Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies
SATO Yoichiro
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Dean, College of Asia Pacific Studies
Dean, Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies
SATO Yoichiro
Congratulations on your graduation.
This day marks your achievements and accomplishments at APU, where you and your peers have lived, studied, and nurtured friendships together. The challenges you have faced during your student years will serve as the foundation for your future endeavors and will support you as you move forward.
Whether you are entering the workforce, pursuing further education at graduate school, or embarking on various paths, all of you share one thing in common—that you will make a giant step towards independence.
Entering into larger groups like corporate organizations may seem to provide a buffer period for this process of independence. However, such passive attitudes will eventually lead to stagnation.
No matter what path you take, the knowledge and skills you have acquired here will guide you in your next journey. As someone who has grown as a change-maker under the APU spirit, we expect you to fully utilize that power wherever you go. Your network of friends built around the world will serve as your eyes, ears, advisors, and helping hands. In today’s increasingly complex society, please continue to make efforts to bring about positive changes, small or large.
Dean of College of Sustainability and Tourism
LI Yan
Congratulations everyone on your graduation, and congratulations to your families as well!
Most of your university life was spent amidst the pandemic, but you have persevered to this day without giving up. You also spent the historical Year 2023 of APU when it established a new college, College of Sustainability and Tourism. You are all special graduates.
First, I would like to ask you to look back over your photos, journals, and class notes from the last four years. It was of your own will that you chose to leave your hometowns and loving families to come to this campus on the top of a mountain. I am certain you have many fond memories of AP House, the amazing Multicultural Weeks, and the events that you joined with the local citizens, but you may have also experienced isolation, homesickness, pressure from your classes and homework, and worries about your future career paths. Be sure to save a space deep in your heart for all these memories.
Next, let's take this opportunity to think about the skills you were able to develop, and those you were not, here at APU. I expect you all learned to understand other cultures, honed your communication skills, and gained expertise in a specific field. Try to analyze where you grew the most as well as the reasons you were not able to meet some of your goals. Now give yourself a big round of applause! Based on the experiences you have had and the lessons you have learned, the next step is to paint a picture of your life after graduation.
Finally, be sure to remember all of people who supported you along the way and thank them in your heart.
We, the faculty and staff of APU, take pride in having been able to cultivate students like you! I am sure that you will all overcome whatever difficulties you may encounter and lead wonderful lives after graduation.
Once again, you are a special group of graduates. Please think about what this means as you head out into the world and work hard so that someday, when we meet again, we can talk about this with pride. I wish you all success as alumni of APU!