On September 21, the 2026 Autumn Semester Entrance Ceremony was held in the presence of parents and guarantors. The ceremony was originally scheduled to be held in two sessions. However, due to an approaching typhoon, the schedule was revised and the ceremony was held as a single event. The event was also streamed live on YouTube.
This autumn, a total of 324 students enrolled in degree programs offered entirely in English, including the Faculty of Liberal Arts, the Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures (SPSF), and the English-taught programs in the Faculty of Science and Technology. Of these, 208 were international students.
The ceremony began with a blessing by Father Antonius Firmansyah (Catholic Jesuit Center), followed by the reading of the Gospel of Matthew 9:9-13.
In her address, President Miki Sugimura reflected on the 65-year history of Sophia University’s Summer Session program and referred to the Gospel passage introduced earlier in the ceremony. Quoting Jesus’ words, “Go and learn,” she noted that these words point to the importance of grasping the very essence of the experience we call learning. Noting that we live in an age where AI can efficiently provide vast amounts of knowledge and information, she encouraged students to experience what is possible precisely because they study at Sophia University, a place where students from over 90 countries and regions come together. Urging them to “seek out the questions, and ask what the real issues are,” she expressed her hope that they would develop both a wide perspective and a solid foundation that would enable them to continue engaging even with questions that have no ready answers.
Following President Sugimura’s address, new student representatives Thu Mai Duong (Master’s Program in Global Studies, Graduate School of Global Studies) and Minh Hoang Nhat Duong (Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures, Faculty of Economics) took the stage and shared their expectations and aspirations for their studies at Sophia University.
In his congratulatory address, Chancellor Sali Agustin spoke about Sophia University’s educational philosophy of “For Others, With Others” and the importance of learning and growing together with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. He expressed his hope that students would cultivate freedom, justice, compassion, and wisdom, and grow into individuals who embody the four Cs: Competence, Conscience, Compassion, and Commitment.
Following his remarks, a congratulatory address was delivered by Mr. Tatsuya Kodaira, Chairperson of the Sophia University Parents’ Association.
The ceremony concluded with the alma mater.
