AY 2020 Ritsumeikan University Commencement Ceremonies (To be Held in March 2021)

The Ritsumeikan University commencement ceremonies for AY 2020 will be conducted in-person at each campus while taking every precaution to prevent infection and with participation limited to those graduating or completing their courses. There will be a livestream of the ceremonies for graduating/completing students, their families and friends, and current students who cannot attend the event on campus for various reasons. (The livestream recording can also be viewed on demand after the ceremony.)

Ritsumeikan University Commencement Ceremony Website

Ritsumeikan University considers the commencement ceremony to be an important event celebrating the students who have completed their studies at Ritsumeikan as they take their first steps towards the future that awaits them. From that perspective, the decision regarding how to conduct the ceremony during the COVID-19 pandemic was made after careful consideration of how we can maintain safety and provide a sense of security for the participants. We regret that this notification to the graduating/completing students, their families, and current students could not be made at an earlier date. In addition, there may have been some changes to the information already announced by colleges and graduate schools, so please reconfirm the schedule times and venue information below.

The commencement ceremony marks a day on which graduating or completing students set off on a new adventure. In order for these students to safely enjoy this momentous day while looking ahead to their post-commencement lives, we kindly ask that attending graduating/completing students understand the following points and make sure their actions show awareness toward preventing infection

• On the day of the commencement ceremonies, please check your temperature before coming to campus. If you have a fever of 37.5°C or above, or otherwise do not feel well, please refrain from attending. In addition, your temperature will be checked on arrival at the venue. If you are found to have a fever or other symptoms, you may be asked to watch the ceremony from a different room.
• To avoid the “Three Cs” (i.e., closed spaces, crowded places, close-contact settings) on campus, please refrain from arriving on campus more than one hour before the start time of the event (except when getting robed in a kimono on campus).
• Please be sure to wear a mask at all times, including on your way to and from the ceremony and while on campus. When taking photos, please ensure that you keep your mask on.
• Individual diplomas will be conferred to students by their college or graduate school before or after the commencement ceremony. As soon as the event is over, please exit the campus within 30 minutes. Do not stay on campus for an extended period.
• Please refrain from social gatherings and other kinds of meetings that involve eating and drinking before and after the ceremony. We also ask for your cooperation outside the campus as well by refraining from social gatherings at restaurants from the perspective of preventing the spread of infection.
• The risk of infection can be significantly reduced by wearing a mask at all times, social distancing, avoiding the “Three Cs,” and refraining from having gatherings that involve eating and drinking. Please ensure that your actions reflect a mental attitude of “protecting yourself from infection and not infecting others.”

The diplomas for graduating/completing students who did not attend the on-campus ceremony due to individual circumstances will be mailed on a later date. Information regarding this procedure will be included in the graduation/completion results announcement. It is also possible to only attend the diploma conferral part of the ceremony.

To avoid the “Three Cs,” families and friends of graduating/completing students will not be able to enter the campus. These individuals are asked to watch the livestream of the ceremonies. We offer our sincere apologies to family and friends who have been looking forward to attending this event in person, but we thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Current students are also not allowed to enter the campus unless they receive permission in advance.

Depending on how the COVID-19 situation changes moving forward, event details may change (i.e., if the BCP (Business Continuity Plan) level set by Ritsumeikan University reaches 4 or higher, the on-campus events will be canceled). Information regarding whether or not the ceremonies are to be held on campus will be posted on the Ritsumeikan University website, via SNS, etc., so please check for the latest information.

○ Osaka Ibaraki Campus
Saturday, March 20, 2021

○ Suzaku Campus
Saturday, March 20, 2021

○ Kinugasa Campus
Sunday, March 21, 2021

○Biwako-Kusatsu Campus
Monday, March 22, 2021

• Automatic body temperature measurement will be conducted at the entrance to the ceremony venues, disinfectant stations will be installed at each location, and the venues will be ventilated.
• The number of people who can enter the venue will be limited and seats will be arranged to ensure social distancing.
• Seats will be disinfected after the end of each ceremony.
• In order to avoid the “Three Cs,” entry and exit will be controlled both inside and outside the ceremony venue. We ask for your cooperation in following staff instructions on the day of the ceremony.

If you are coming to the venue in a wheelchair, or if you would like to request a sign language interpreter, please contact the following address in advance.

Contact

Ritsumeikan University, Office of Academic Regulations
Email: gk-cere@st.ritsumei.ac.jp
Tel: 075-813-8170