University of Alcalá
Dr. Alejandro Iborra Cuellar
Director of the Institute of Research in Education and Development Daisaku Ikeda

University of Alcalá
Dr. Alejandro Iborra Cuellar
Director of the Institute of Research in Education and Development Daisaku Ikeda

Celebrating a 50th anniversary has a ritual quality. On the one hand it is an act of celebration and rejoicing. On the other hand, it allows establishing ties, generating a sense of belonging, with an institution that is the result of the work of different generations of people committed to the idea of creating value in our current world. Finally, it enables the creation of a sense of collective identity, with which to feel inspired and motivated to continue a project instilled of future.

We have a motto at the University of Alcalá that says: "To the future with the past." It raises the need to be oriented to the future but without ceasing to recognize the importance of our roots.

Since 13th of September of 2018, date of the creation of our Institute, we have had the honor of contributing to the divulgation of the work of Daisaku Ikeda founder of Soka University. We have had the opportunity to fulfill this emphasizing several lines of work:

1. Alignment with a humanist tradition so cared and treasured in Alcalá University.
2. Promotion of an education whose main purpose is the happiness of our students. Understanding happiness as their enhanced competence to create value in an increasingly complex world.
3. Facilitating research projects based in dialogical, critical and collaborative practices which generate deliberately developmental contexts.
4. Fostering a global citizenship competence which allows the recognition and defense of what differentiate us integrated in our common heritage as human beings.
5. Creation of a network of universities all around the world with which to participate in international projects of an innovative and interdisciplinary nature, including the Exchange of students and teachers.

Today more than ever we need to contribute to the creation of the future citizens of the 21st century. In times of crisis it is even more pertinent to reflect on what the citizens of the future will be like: critical and reflective, self-directed, sensitive to the needs of others and willing to be able to fight for a world that they consider to be fairer. Institutions like Soka University are an example of inspiration and support for us. We look forward to building a future together for at least another 50 years.