In response to concerns over the spread of the virus responsible for COVID-19, Keio University announced on February 28 it is canceling graduation ceremonies and postpone entrance ceremonies.

Cancellation or postponement of ceremonies for both undergraduate faculties and graduate schools

The following events are canceled:

The following events have been postponed until further notice:

Information regarding diploma awards and certificate issuance will be made available at the same time as grade reports (scheduled to be sent on March 10) and the keio.jp portal. The exact schedule will be announced on a later date.

The university previously stated on February 25, in an announcement "Measures for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) at the Commencement and Entrance Ceremonies" that all ceremonies were planned to go on as scheduled, but acknowledged there was "a possibility of new measures being introduced hereafter as the situation dictates." The ceremonies and events were originally planned to be conducted at the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall, which recently completed renovations.

Several other private universities, including Waseda University and Meiji University, have already announced the cancellation of entrance and commencement ceremonies in response to the spread of the virus responsible for COVID-19.

【Updated Feb. 29】university planning alternative celebration

Keio's Office of Communications and Public Relations announced later that evening on Twitter (in Japanese) "we are currently considering installing a graduation celebration sign or distributing something for graduates on the Web to celebrate" everyone who graduates as an alternate means of celebration to the traditional commencement ceremony.

【Updated Mar. 9】Commencement and graduate degree conferral ceremonies to be streamed online on Mar. 11

The Office of Communications and Public Relations announced on March 4 that part of the canceled commencement and degree conferral ceremonies will be distributed online. Similar measures were taken after the Great Tohoku Earthquake in 2011 (AY 2010). The broadcasts will be conducted on March 23 (10:00) for undergraduates and March 26 (10:00) for graduate students, and will include an address from the president of Keio University, congratulatory speech, and other formalities delivered traditionally during the commencement ceremonies. The details and URL have not yet been announced, but a link will be posted on the Keio Jukusei website.

※ Editor's note: at publication time, Keio University has not released an official statement in English regarding cancellation and postponement of the commencement and entrance ceremonies. Relevant information has been translated from the official Japanese announcements, with dates of news releases referencing the time information was first made available online in Japanese.

Related pages