The 2020 degree conferment and graduation ceremonies for Kyoto Computer Guraduate Institute of Informatics (KCGI), Kyoto Computer Gakuin (KCG), and Kyoto College of Global Motor Vehicles (KCGM) were held in cyberspace on Saturday, March 20, 2021.Due to the prevention of new coronavirus infection, the ceremony was not held in the main hall on campus, and KCG Group President Wataru Hasegawa and KCGI President Toshihide Ibaraki offered their congratulations and words of encouragement to each of the participants in a video-streamed address.The celebration following the ceremony was also held online.Despite the uncertain social outlook, these graduates left the school with confidence and hope in their hearts, having acquired solid knowledge and skills in IT and automobile maintenance, as well as the high qualities needed to become productive members of society.Congratulations to all of you!We sincerely wish you the best in your future endeavors.
This is the third degree conferment and graduation ceremony to be held in cyberspace, following March and September 2020.Zoom meetings are used for the ceremony.The ceremony was a unique event for an educational institution on the cutting edge of IT, with the latest systems being used throughout.
In his address, President Hasegawa explained that the ceremony was held in cyberspace to prevent the ongoing spread of the new coronavirus infection and to ensure the health and safety of alumni, graduates, and related personnel.He added, "At this university, you have acquired a variety of knowledge and skills related to IT, which will become the axis of society and help people.Everything you have learned and experienced will serve as a solid guide to help you face the hardships of your future.The IT field will continue to advance at a dizzying pace in the future, and I believe that all of you will be able to keep up with this evolution and stay ahead of the curve," he encouraged.He added, "You are also a member of the KCG family, a human network of more than 50,000 alumni and alumnae.I hope that no matter how society changes in the future, you will continue to value not only the horizontal ties among graduates and alumni, but also the vertical ties between seniors and juniors, cooperating and helping each other to enrich your lives," he said.
President Ibaraki said, "Over the past year, through the experience of online classes in educational institutions and remote work in companies, digitalization has progressed and the advantages as well as the problems have been widely recognized.In the after-corona society, the transformation represented by the term DX (Digital Transformation) will surely proceed.Knowledge of ICT is essential to play an active role there.You have studied digital and network technologies, which are the keys to the after-corona era, at our university.The knowledge acquired at this university will be a very powerful weapon in your post-graduation activities," he pointed out.He added, "It is said that great opportunities arise when times change.The world of ICT is changing very fast, so do not settle for the knowledge you have acquired at our university, but always remember to absorb new knowledge and keep yourself updated.I sincerely hope that you will take chances and succeed in your endeavors.
On behalf of the graduates, Ms. Sawada of KCG's Department of Information Science said, "We graduates will use what we have learned and experienced at KCG to pursue our dreams and goals from today.We will continue to strive and grow to build a more affluent society, never forgetting the pioneering spirit of our university.I would like to keep the time I spent studying at this university as an asset in my life," he said in his graduation address.
At the ceremony, graduates and alumni who have achieved outstanding academic and research results and have been selected for the Grand Prize and the Excellence Award were announced.Each will receive a certificate and a commemorative gift.The "Master of Information Technology (Professional)" degree awarded to KCGI graduates and diplomas and title certificates to KCG and KCGM graduates will be mailed at a later date or handed out individually to those who wish to receive them.
The ceremony was followed by an online celebration.Graduates and faculty members joined the "celebration venue" from their respective locations, and their smiles burst out in the drawings for graduation gifts donated by related companies and other organizations.In the hall, which was divided into small groups using Zoom's breakout room function, each group reminisced and discussed their dreams for the future.Using the "Virtual Gown Photography System" developed by Prof. KCGI for this occasion, a photo session was also held in which alumni were dressed in academic gowns on the screen.
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The KCG Group is relocating classes and other school operations to cyberspace as a measure against new coronavirus infection.For the fall semester of 2020, KCGI and KCG will be offered in an e-learning format (a system that allows students to take courses from home via the Internet), and hybrid courses that can be taken both in person and online will be introduced sequentially to meet the needs of students who wish to take courses in person.For assignment work, etc., we ensure that students have opportunities to study by allowing them to use practical equipment on a reservation system and by lending them equipment and other resources.In addition, we have a system in place to respond to individual questions and interviews "online" or "in person upon request" in order to resolve any concerns you may have about your studies.The above measures are implemented by limiting the number of visitors to the school buildings and the number of students in classrooms, ensuring sufficient distance between students, thorough disinfection of the building, installation of partitions in some lounges, installation of thermal cameras at the entrance to the school buildings, wearing masks, and thorough disinfection of hands and fingers when entering the building, etc.Since many of the classes at KCGM involve hands-on training, we take sufficient infection prevention measures before conducting face-to-face classes so as not to impede the students' progress in acquiring skills.
All students are urged to avoid situations where the "three densities" of hermetically sealed, dense, and close together overlap.Information on infection prevention and consultation services in case of illness are disseminated, and if students have any concerns, they are encouraged to consult with the office of each school by e-mail or other means.In terms of various student guidance and events, such as job placement guidance, we use both face-to-face and online services while utilizing cyberspace to maintain services for students.
With a few exceptions, administrative work on campus is also conducted in cyberspace, and faculty members telework in principle.These measures are scheduled to continue in FY2021, while keeping a close eye on the infection situation and government announcements and other trends.