Universitat Ramon Llull, of which La Salle Campus Barcelona is a founding member, held this afternoon the 2024–2025 Doctoral Graduation Ceremony at the campus’s Sala Congressos. Josep Maria Garrell, Professor at La Salle-URL, Rector of URL from 2012 to 2022, and current President of the European University Association (EUA), served as the sponsor of this year’s graduating class. The ceremony also featured the participation of Josep A. Rom, Rector of URL; Jordi Teixidó, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of URL; and Carles Llinàs, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at La Salle-URL.
Also in attendance were the President of the FUNITEC Board of Trustees, Br. Josep Espuny; the General Director of La Salle-URL, Josep M. Santos; the Director of the La Salle-URL Digital School of Engineering, Guiomar Corral; the Director of Research and Innovation of La Salle-URL, Rosa Ma. Alsina; as well as friends, families, institutional representatives of URL, and members of the university community.
Vice-Rector Jordi Teixidó addressed the graduates by congratulating them for their “effort and good work. You have reached the highest level of formal education, the doctorate, and have developed the knowledge and competencies needed to solve critical problems through research and innovation. You have demonstrated authority, autonomy, professional integrity, and intellectual commitment; and, in addition, the hallmark of URL: conscious, competent, compassionate, and committed individuals.” He also highlighted that this is the fifth edition of URL’s joint doctoral graduation ceremony, “a sign of the cohesion among the federated institutions that form the university, and a clear representation of our commitment to research, innovation, and, especially, comprehensive education.”
Carles Llinàs, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at La Salle-URL, introduced the sponsor, Josep Maria Garrell, stating: “It is no surprise to emphasise his enormous capacity for work and even more his intellectual rigour and clarity, the lucidity of his assessments, and the order and precision of his projects and actions.” He also highlighted “an unusual ability for dialogue, for not closing doors. Or, as I interpret it, infinite patience. I cannot think of anyone better suited to sponsor this graduating class.”
In his address, titled “The Evolution of Doctoral Education based on the Salzburg Principles”, Josep Maria Garrell outlined the changes in doctoral education in Europe since its integration into the Bologna Process and according to the Salzburg Principles. He encouraged graduates with the following reflection: “We live in a time in which humanity must face enormous challenges. What is at stake is the survival of our species. New wars, new violations of human rights, new borders... The quality of the few existing democracies in the world is gradually eroding. A large part of the population prefers a pleasant narrative rather than the truth. Simplistic populisms exacerbate the situation and, indeed, the misuse of artificial intelligence does not help. Where, then, is the role of education? Where is science? As an academic and scientific community, will we lock ourselves within the relative comfort of our walls, or will we step outside to actively improve our environment? I would like to invite you to proactively place your knowledge, skills, and competencies at the service of the common good. I know it is a lot to ask. But it is not new; it is deeply rooted in the values of the Christian humanism that inspires this university”.
Eduard de Torres, professor and researcher at La Salle-URL and representative of the graduating class, could not attend the ceremony due to illness but addressed the audience through a video organised around three ideas: first, the importance of remembering the personal transformation each new doctor undergoes throughout their doctoral journey: “Today, the doctoral degree is very important to us and we should feel proud, but what we must truly celebrate is the knowledge and experience that have transformed us into who we are.” Second, the gratitude owed to all who have been part of this process: “Research cannot be done—nor is it healthy to do it—alone. I want to thank the effort and dedication of all those who have accompanied us along the way.” And third, “it is our duty as researchers to imagine solutions to the problems the world faces. Let us not clip our own wings when dreaming, because humanity’s greatest advances have never been made by thinking they were impossible.”
In the closing remarks, Josep A. Rom, Rector of URL, took one of the commemorative gifts given to the graduates and, after congratulating them, said: “The ceremony is coming to an end... but it ends with a mission, you see? These keepsakes include a phrase by Ramon Llull: ‘It is time for us to leave and make use of the knowledge we possess.’ It struck me that both the sponsor and the student representative emphasised this responsibility already outlined by Ramon Llull in the year 1300: it is time to move forward. They explained how the experience and the path you have taken have changed you and made you doctors. They explained that it is solitary work, but cannot be done disconnected from others. And that, as doctors, we are responsible for contributing to addressing today’s challenges. Both reminded us of the essential meaning of what we are doing here.”
Extraordinary Doctoral Awards
During the ceremony, the Extraordinary Doctoral Awards were presented, which the URL Doctoral Committee grants in recognition of the best doctoral theses submitted. This year's awardees are:
- Marina Bellot Pulido, del Programa de Doctorat Química i Enginyeria Química d’IQS School of Engineering-URL
- Antonio Hinojo, del Programa de Doctorat en Química i Enginyeria Química d’IQS School of Engineering-URL
- Nil González Ríos, del Programa de Doctorat en Bioenginyeria d’IQS School of Engineering-URL
- Marcel Dohrmann, del Programa de Doctorat en Competitivitat Empresarial i Territorial, Innovació i Sostenibilitat d’IQS School of Management-URLLuciana Beatriz Díaz Cutraro, del Programa de Doctorat en Psicologia de la Facultat de Psicologia, Ciències de l’Educació i de l’Esport (FPCEE) Blanquerna-URL
- Mireya Giralt Romeu, del Programa de Doctorat en Psicologia de l’Educació de la FPCEE Blanquerna-URL
- Júlia Muñoz Martínez del Programa de Doctorat en Ciències de l’Educació i de l’Esport de la FPCEE Blanquerna-URL
- Joan Josep Tharrats Pascual del Programa de Doctorat en Comunicació de la Facultat de Comunicació i Relacions Internacionals Blanquerna-URL
- Elena García Gascón del Programa de Doctorat en Tecnologies de la Informació i la seva Aplicació en Gestió, Arquitectura i Geofísica de La Salle-URL i l’Institut Universitari Observatori de l’Ebre-URL
- Ramon Ernesto Rosales Sebastià del Programa de Doctorat en Filosofia: Humanisme i Transcendència de la Facultat de Filosofia La Salle-URL
- Cecilia Simkievich del Programa de Doctorat en Ciències de la Gestió de l’Escola Superior d’Administració i Direcció d’Empreses Esade-URL
- Natalia Ingrid Font Gorgorio del Programa de Doctorat en Dret Econòmic i de l’Empresa de la Facultat de Dret Esade-URL.
