November 29 Ceremony Commemorating the University’s 140th Anniversary—President’s Message

29.11.2015 Update

Good morning, and thank you all for joining us for this ceremony celebrating the 140th anniversary of the founding of Ochanomizu University. On behalf the entire university community, I can say it is a great honor to see so many people here celebrating this important milestone. To all of our guests who have taken time out of their busy schedules to be with us here today, I appreciate your time and am deeply grateful to you for your participation.

Ochanomizu University was founded on November 29, 1875 as Tokyo Women’s Normal School, Japan’s first institution of higher education for women, in the Ochanomizu neighborhood of Tokyo. Later, it became the Women’s Higher Normal School, and then the Tokyo Women’s Higher Normal School. Over the course of seventy-four years, it produced exceptional female instructors and led the way in women’s education in Japan. On May 31, 1949, after the end of World War II, the school was converted into Ochanomizu University under the new system, and continued to make history. The fact that Ochanomizu University was able to start carving out a new path as a comprehensive national university for women was a highly significant accomplishment in the development of women’s education in Japan. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of our faculty and staff, as well as the university’s other stakeholders at the time and the generous support of the Ministry of Education, Ochanomizu University overcame a variety of difficulties during that transition.

Even in an era when the social engagement of women was limited, the graduates of this university exerted great efforts as a result of their strong desire to learn and to contribute to society. They carved out a path the women who came after them could follow, and they greatly expanded the opportunities and venues available to women for proactively participating in society. Ochanomizu University still strives to produce women with a broad perspective, rich sensitivity and the capacity to play a leadership role in Japan and around the world. Our students pursue a variety of disciplines and research spontaneously, and our graduates demonstrate excellence in a variety of fields, including academia and research, education, industry and government.

In 2004, when all national universities were established as national university corporations independent of the government, Ochanomizu University set its sights on supporting women all over the world in the achievement of their dreams under the leadership of the university’s first female president, Masuko Honda. The university adopted the motto of “being a place where all women with the desire to learn can fulfill their most ambitious dreams.” We have come this far by promoting education and research from a global perspective, so the women who come to study at this university—including women in developing countries who may have the desire but not the opportunity to pursue an education—can develop a deeper understanding of people from different cultures with diverse values and perspectives, and benefit from one another while pursuing their own growth. This is something our faculty and staff are proud of, and it has created opportunities for opening windows onto the wider world in the hearts of our graduates and current students.

Ochanomizu University has developed a consolidated system referred to as &ldqu