2023 Fall Degree Ceremony
The University of Hyogo held its 2023 Fall Degree Ceremony on September 15th, during which a total of 44 students were awarded the bachelor degree. This ceremony marked the graduation of the first cohort of international students from the Global Business Course (GBC) at the School of Economics and Management, who had enrolled in September 2019. Additionally, graduates from the Economics Course and Business Administration Courses at the School of Economics and Management, the Department of Business Creation in the School of Business Administration, and the School of Social Information Science, among others, were also conferred degrees.
The ceremony was held in person and was streamed LIVE online.
The ceremony began with the conferment of degrees, with President Makoto Kosaka handing a diploma to each graduate.
President Kosaka addressed the graduates in his ceremonial speech: “Four years ago, we launched a brand-new course called GBC to nurture professionals of knowledge who can lead global society in the right direction and build bridges rather than walls between people. And now, you are the glorious first graduates with dignity and inalienable values. The Kobe Campus for Commerce is your dear alma mater. Whenever you have time, please come back to the campus. We look forward to hearing about your successes and failures. We extend our heartfelt greetings and fond farewells to each of you, and we trust you have many happy years ahead.”
Mulyadi Yassmyn Khairussalima Ratu from Indonesia delivered the farewell speech as the representative of current students. During her speech, she emphasized the following: “Today marks the end of a chapter in our lives and the beginning of a new one. Three years ago, we came to Japan from various backgrounds and overcame many difficulties along the road, but we have also grown together, learned to be independent, and respected each other’s culture. As we move on to the next phase of our lives, some of us plan to further our studies or enter the world of work. I hope that our experience at GBC will open our eyes, ears, and hearts so that we may better comprehend the world, respect individuals regardless of their backgrounds, and be wise and responsible leaders in the future.”
Shukla Anushka, the representative of graduates, gave the acknowledgment speech. ”It feels as if it was yesterday when I stood here, in the same place, and gave a speech at our entrance ceremony four years ago in September 2019. Honestly, I was pretty nervous at that time since it was the start of university life in a new country with a different academic environment. I think that all GBC students had similar feelings and emotions. We feared whether we could adjust and adapt to our new surroundings. But GBC professors and university staff always extended helping hands and made us feel welcome. Many of us have developed a sense of belonging to Japan, too. In my four-year-long journey in GBC, I became a global citizen with international mindset. I gained significant expertise in business and economics. Furthermore, at the personal level, I became a more mature and confident person. As a matter of fact, GBC has given me some of the most precious lifetime experiences and unforgettable cherished memories with my GBC classmates. The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives drastically, and we faced unexpected challenges and difficulties. Thanks to the administration team's remarkable persistence and our great professors' dedication, GBC students did not give up on learning and continued their education online.”
She continued her speech and expressed her gratitude towards the University's officials, the Japanese government, and the companies that provide financial support for GBC: “Today, we are graduating from the University of Hyogo with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. We are about to embark on a new journey following new passions, careers, and dreams. It is another major milestone that we as students have achieved in our life, and each one of us should be proud of what they have accomplished. Today, on this special occasion, I would like to thank my mother and father for their faith in me, continuous motivation, and for bringing me up so well. With a heavy heart, we are going to say goodbye to GBC, our friends, professors and all the members of the GBC team. It will not be easy to part ways. However, with all the love, support, and great memories we built here, we must keep going forward and excel in every aspect of our lives. For all my dear friends here, I wish you all the very best for starting a new chapter in your life, and many congratulations on your well-deserved graduation.”
After the ceremony, the graduates enjoyed taking photos with friends, parents, and others. The venue was filled with the smiling faces of the graduates, creating an even more festive atmosphere.
We hope that the University of Hyogo will be an essential alma mater to all graduates, a place to which they can return at any time, and that they will all make further progress.