2025 Fall Semester Entrance Ceremony held

On September 21, with parents and guarantors in attendance, the 2025 Fall Semester Entrance Ceremony was held and simultaneously streamed on YouTube.

The ceremony was conducted entirely in English, offering a rich international atmosphere with many speakers of foreign languages, and students from the Sophia University English Speaking Society (ESS) served as moderators.
Among the faculties and graduate programs where degrees can be earned entirely in English—such as the Faculty of Liberal Arts, the Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures (SPSF), and the English Courses in Science and Technology—a total of 307 regular students enrolled this fall, including 4 re-enrollees. Of these, 204 were new international students.

The ceremony opened with a blessing by Father Antonius Firmansyah (Catholic Jesuit Center), followed by the reading of the Gospel of Matthew 9:9-13.

Representatives of the new students expressed their hopes for their upcoming university life

Following President Miki Sugimura’s address, new student representative Okutaro O (Department of Materials and Life Sciences) took the podium to deliver his message of acknowledgment.

Chancellor Augustine welcomed the new students with a congratulatory speech

In his congratulatory address, Chancellor Sari Agustin noted that this year marks 80 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of World War II, and coincidentally, the Catholic Church has declared 2025 its Jubilee Year. He stated, “As memories of war begin to fade, we must reflect on the tragedies of the past with sincerity and gravity, and take responsibility for making peace. Guided by the educational spirit of ‘For Others, With Others,’ Sophia University does not engage in research for military security or dual-use (civilian and military) purposes, and aims to be beacons of Hope and Reconciliation. I encourage you to engage in dialogue with peers from diverse backgrounds, and reflect deeply on what you can do, in shaping a more just and peaceful world.”
Following a congratulatory address by Mr. Toshiaki Saito, Chairperson of the Sophia University Parents’ Association, the ceremony concluded with the singing of the alma mater, accompanied by the Sophia Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sophia Mixed Choir Amadeus Chor.