Stir up your “Waseda Spirit”!

Professor Katsuhiko Shirai, President of Waseda University

Professor Katsuhiko Shirai, President of Waseda University

I would like to congratulate you on entering Waseda University. Your success has been achieved by your assiduous efforts and firm faith, and I have no doubt that your joy is shared not only by your parents, but also by those who have supported you. You should always be thankful to them. Let me quote to you the words of Socrates. He said “if you were ungrateful for your parental love, nobody would form a friendship with you, because everybody knows that kindness means nothing to those who are ungrateful to their parents.” I do hope that you will inscribe these words on your memory. You cannot carry on your life without parental love and the community in which you live.

From the day of your birth, you have developed relationships and built a social life in a close-knit community. In this community, all the people might have had similar values. At Waseda, however, you have got a chance to move beyond the bounds of such a traditional community. Waseda University consists of eleven faculties and sixteen graduate schools. The students obtain admission to Waseda by various kinds of examinations and they have come to Waseda from all parts of the world. The University is proud that it has about fifty thousand students who have various academic qualifications. Waseda is a kind of melting pot of excellent students.

I hope that you will devote yourself to your studies, have many experiences and learn to stand on your own two feet. When you establish yourself, you will realize better the significance of the words of Socrates. You may feel relieved and at ease after the ordeal of the entrance examinations. To be admitted to Waseda, however, does not mean you have reached a destination. The studies which you have done so far aimed to accumulate organized knowledge. The studies at Waseda are totally different. Here you are expected to present, consider and solve problems for yourselves. You should take a positive attitude towards your academic studies.

One of the most important features of private universities is that they have their own founders. The founder of Waseda University was Shigenobu Okuma. Now Okuma is not just an historical figure. He remains our comrade and an indispensable man when we hope to realize a lofty ideal. The established principles formulated by Okuma in 1913 have been called Kyoshi(教旨). The preface of Kyoshi reads “Waseda University has laid down three fundamental principles: respect for academic freedom, practical application of academic study and fostering good citizens.” Okuma’s message is that you should discard old-fashioned ideas and outdated authorities, and that you should create your own original ideas and apply your academic studies for the benefit of new generations. He is also informing you that your study and work will give you world-wide fame. As a member of Waseda University, you are expected to inherit Okuma’s spirit and carry out his intentions. You should know that your behaviour will be closely linked to the prosperity of other human beings. Study hard and display your grit to be a world leader! May success be yours!