President Peter-André Alt gives matriculation speech

2017 Matriculation Ceremony was held on March 2, 2017 at the University Gymnasium. Dr. Peter-André Alt, the President of Freie Universität Berlin, was invited to give the congratulatory speech.

President Alt said that the the feeling of hope and excitement in SNU's enrollment ceremony seemed very similar to the one in his university. He briefly explained how his university had been established during the historical turmoil after World War II.
"This institution’s origins are closely tied to the struggle for freedom and democracy....Freie Universität was founded in 1948 in the western part of the city not by a government decree or a decision of a ruler, but by students and professors who were calling for just that: a free university."

He emphasized that SNU and FU have had a strong relationship since its cooperation agreement signed in 1993. Evidence presented as 2-3 students are exchanged every year.

President Alt also mentioned that former Korean President and Nobel Laureate KIM Dae-Jung had first announced his sunshine policy at his university in March 2000 and received an honorary doctorate 7 years later at the same place.

He ended his speech by inviting SNU's new students to to Berlin,"a city that has seen division and unification".

As of March 2017, a total of 6,723 students are newly enrolled, including 3,363 undergraduate and 3,360 graduate students.

Full speech file is attached.