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About the 125th anniversary project
In 1900, Kinmochi Saionji’s secretary Kojuro Nakagawa opened the Kyoto Hosei School, the predecessor of Ritsumeikan University, in Sekiro, a ryotei restaurant located in Sanbongi on the west bank of the Kamo River. Next year will mark 125 years since this private academy, which targeted working students with a desire to learn, was founded. The world currently faces many complicated issues, including wars and conflicts, environmental issues, energy problems, declining birthrates and aging populations. Precisely because we live in such unpredictable and uncertain times, it is important to demonstrate a commitment to the future and to continue undertaking new challenges without the fear of failure.
Ritsumeikan has set a goal of becoming a next-generation research university and a next-generation inquiry-based learning academy by 2030, and we are moving ahead with the ambitious endeavor of creating new value for society. This is the embodiment of our founding spirit of “Freedom and Innovation” in the truest sense.
The commemorative projects for the 155th anniversary of Ritsumeikan's founding and the 125th anniversary of the Academy's founding not only afford us with an opportunity to reaffirm the value that Ritsumeikan provides to society and the position it occupies in the world, they also constitute a process of clearly depicting the "futurization" of the Academy—that is, demonstrating our intention to become a new kind of education and research institution—by implementing projects in collaboration with our stakeholders.
By thinking outside of the box, we will strive to create universal values and the clarify the various issues facing humanity, and we will work to solve these issues with the cooperation and support of many people both in Japan and abroad. Ritsumeikan will build a foundation to exist as a private academy that truly contributes to Japan and the world (“Ritsumeikan for Social Impact”) by working to achieve a wide range of ambitious endeavors.
Projects to commemorate the 155th anniversary of the founding of Ritsumeikan and the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Academy
With AY2025 marking the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Ritsumeikan Academy, during the surrounding years of AY2024 through AY2026, we will reflect on Ritsumeikan’s origins as we collaborate with our stakeholders on a wide variety of projects to promote the R2030 Challenge Design and create the seeds for further social impact well into the future.
With these anniversary projects, please keep an eye out to see how we work with our stakeholders to contemplate and clarify our approach to the “Futurize.” Concept—that is, our vision of becoming a new kind of education and research institution for the future.
Logo
The tagline "Futurize." and the dots embodying this concept are used to symbolize the continuity of the 125th anniversary period and the time frame of the R2030 Academy Vision. We envision that the will and enterprising spirit of each individual, as represented by the dots, will be set in motion, and with the implementation of the 125th anniversary project, these dots will form lines, take shape, and lead to the realization of the R2030 Vision.