On Saturday, September 28, the 2024 Doctoral Degree Conferral Ceremony (Fall) was held in a large lecture hall at Suzaku Campus, and 36 students were granted doctoral degrees. President of Ritsumeikan University Yoshio Nakatani, other Academy officials, faculty supervisors, and family and friends of the degree recipients were in attendance to congratulate the degree recipients on their new beginnings.

At the ceremony, President Nakatani presented each of the students with their diplomas. Then he delivered a congratulatory address in which he said, "Conferring doctoral degrees is a role that only universities are permitted to play. It is also the fulfillment of a very serious social responsibility, that is, the cultivation of human resources who will bring about change in society. Ritsumeikan University is proud to confer these degrees upon you today. I hope that all of you will take this to heart, and I expect you will continue to hone your skills and find success in your respective fields.”

Next, Kaori Yamanaka (Graduate School of Gastronomy Management), a recipient of a coursework doctoral degree (Gastronomy Management), and Teruo Jyo, a recipient of a doctoral degree (Engineering) by dissertation, delivered remarks on behalf of the doctoral degree recipients.

In her speech, Yamanaka reflected on her research activities to date, saying "As we live in what is being called the era of 100-year lifespans, it is important that we remain humble and continue to learn. The speed of social change is accelerating due to the evolution and advancement of AI and other technologies. Although we have reached a milestone today with regard to the research we have been conducting over the past several years, there may come a time in the future when we might even have to unlearn even our successes. What I learned through my research was the spirit of entrepreneurship—always challenging yourself to explore new worlds with an open and honest mind. We will continue to devote ourselves to our work and take on new research challenges.” She also expressed her gratitude to her faculty members, colleagues, and friends as well as the upperclassmen and underclassmen with whom she worked hard together.

In his speech, Jyo also reflected on his research activities by saying, “The achievement of obtaining doctoral degrees today is the culmination of our hard work and dedication to learning. However, we must not limit this to a mere personal accomplishment, but use this as the foundation for contributing to society. From now on, I will do my best to give what I have learned here back to the next generation and to society, so that we can start to build a better future. We will continue our pursuits in our respective fields, and we will trailblaze the frontiers of knowledge. Society is constantly changing, and we must be able to adapt to these changes and continue learning in a sustainable manner. I believe that the knowledge and skills we have accumulated will serve as the foundation for new future challenges from which we can help build a better society." He closed by thanking everyone who supported him and expressing his hopes for the future.