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Ronald Kee-Young Chao

Founder of Bai Xian Foundation

President Tanaka, esteemed guests, and dear students of Waseda University,

It is with profound humility and gratitude that I accept this honorary degree. Waseda, with its legacy of fostering global leaders and bridging East and West, is an institution I have long admired. To stand here today, among scholars and students committed to shaping a better world, is both an honor and a responsibility. 

We live in an era of unprecedented connection—yet also of deepening divides. Technology allows us to communicate across borders in an instant, but true understanding requires more than digital exchange. It demands curiosity, empathy, and the courage to confront our own biases. 

Young people today inherit a world where geopolitical tensions, economic inequality, and cultural misunderstandings threaten progress. But you also inherit something far more powerful: the tools to transcend these challenges. Education—especially in institutions like Waseda—equips you not just with knowledge, but with the wisdom to see humanity in every face, whether across a negotiating table or a social media feed. 

Mutual respect is not passive tolerance; it is the active pursuit of common ground.

When we reduce cultures to stereotypes or nations to rivals, we betray the very ideals of education. The classroom, the laboratory, and the campus are microcosms of what the world could be: places where differences spark innovation rather than conflict. 

To the students here today: You are the architects of the next chapter. I urge you to: 

1. **Seek discomfort.** Step outside echo chambers. Engage with ideas—and people—that challenge you.
2. **Listen to understand, not to reply.** The most transformative dialogues begin with humility.
3. **Lead with shared values.** Climate change, pandemics, and inequality do not respect borders. Solutions demand collaboration.

Waseda’s motto, *“Independence of Learning,”* reminds us that education is liberation—from ignorance, from prejudice, from fear. As I accept this degree, I pledge to continue working alongside you to build a world where intercultural understanding is not an aspiration, but a practice. 

Together, let us prove that diversity is not a fault line, but our greatest strength.  Thank you.

Profile

Mr. Ronald K. Y. Chao holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Tokyo and a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois. 

During his study abroad experience, Mr. Chao discovered the value of cross-cultural education. In 2010, he established the “Asian Youth Center” at 5 key universities in China.  In 2013, he established the Bai Xian Foundation, and the following year, he founded the Bai Xian Asia Institute, where he currently serves as Honorary Chairman.  The foundation launched the “Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program” which supports up to 100 Asian students to further their studies in a network of top East Asian universities each year.

September 21, 2025

Entrance Ceremony Video