学長式辞（要旨）

式では、福田 裕穂 学長から新入生へ向けて歓迎の言葉が贈られました。

(学長式辞要旨)
　国際情勢の緊張や気候変動など、世界が大きな転換期を迎えている今、不確実な時代だからこそ新しい道を切り拓くチャンスが存在します。日本国内、そして世界各地から集まった皆さんこそが、課題に対する革新的な解決策を見出し、未来を形作る力を持っています。学問的な研究において最も重要なのは、単に既存の知識を習得することではなく、自らの問いを立て、探求のプロセスを通じて真の知恵を得て、さらに新たな問いを生み出していくことです。研究の道は決して平坦ではありませんが、好奇心を道しるべに、失敗を恐れず発見と成就への歩みを進めてください。本学は1999年の開学以来、１万人以上の卒業生を社会へと送り出してきました。皆さんもその足跡に続き、本学で深く学び、世界へと羽ばたいていくことを心より期待しています。

(学長式辞全文)
　New students, congratulations on your admission. On behalf of the faculty and staff of Akita Prefectural University, I extend a heartfelt welcome to each of you.

　Today, the world stands at a major turning point. Rising international tensions—including the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and the rise of authoritarian regimes—together with global environmental challenges such as climate change, have made our world increasingly uncertain. Living in such unpredictable times is undoubtedly difficult. Yet it also offers us an opportunity to forge new paths beyond those of the past.

　You have come to Akita from across Japan and around the world. You are precisely the people who can transform crisis into opportunity: by finding innovative solutions to pressing challenges and helping to shape the future. I sincerely hope that you will pursue your aspirations with determination, deepen your studies in graduate school, and help open new possibilities for the world.

　Akita Prefectural University pursues cutting-edge research and technological development, guided by a commitment to truth, a broad perspective, and flexible thinking. Through the Graduate School of Systems Science and Technology and the Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences, the University seeks to contribute to both local and global communities while fostering the people who will lead the future.

　Once again, congratulations on beginning your doctoral journey. The years ahead will invite you to ask profound questions, think independently, and explore ideas whose answers may not yet exist.

　During your time here, I hope that you will cultivate insight, originality, and communication skills alongside your research expertise. In academic research, what matters most is not simply acquiring existing knowledge. It is learning to formulate your own questions, gaining genuine wisdom through the process of addressing them, and ultimately generating new questions. Through this kind of learning, I hope you will develop both insight and originality.

　Academic research should be enjoyable, but it is rarely a straight path. Failure is often a stepping stone to success, and setbacks should not discourage you. Let curiosity guide you on your path toward discovery and achievement. Your time in graduate school is not only a period for acquiring knowledge; it is also a time for creating new knowledge and developing your own voice as a researcher.

　Although our University is relatively young, having been established in 1999, it has already sent more than 10,000 graduates into society. Many of them are now making important contributions at the local, national, and global levels. I hope that you, too, will follow in their footsteps, study diligently at our University, and spread your wings to the world.

　With my sincere wishes for your success and growth during your time in graduate school, I conclude my address.

　October 5, 2026
　Hiroo Fukuda, President of Akita Prefectural University