On 4 August 2025, nine students graduated with degrees from UNU-IAS, six from the MSc in Sustainability programme and three in the PhD in Sustainability Science programme. This year’s graduates come from seven different countries. This special occasion was celebrated with a ceremony at UNU-IAS in Tokyo, which was attended by students and their family members, faculty and guests.
Tshilidzi Marwala (Rector, UNU), Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS), and Naoko Hirayama (Deputy Assistant Minister and Director, International Affairs Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan) delivered congratulatory remarks. Melissa Brown (UNU-IAS Advisory Board Member; Deputy Director of the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University) delivered a special lecture via video.
Following an introduction of the postgraduate programmes by Yasushi Katsuma (Academic Programme Advisor, UNU-IAS), the academic degrees were awarded by Prof. Marwala. Graduates received celebratory gifts from Katsuhisa Sagisaka (Senior Managing Director and Secretary-General, The Japan Foundation for the United Nations University (JFUNU).
PhD graduate Matthew Boadie-Ampong and MSc graduate Kitzia Oribe Aguilar gave speeches on behalf of their graduating classes.
The UNU-IAS postgraduate degree programmes are intended for future global leaders who will make important contributions to the international community by advancing creative solutions to issues of sustainability.
UNU-IAS congratulates the graduates on their accomplishments and extends best wishes for continued success in their future pursuits.
