The Rector of UB points out a state objective: the recovery of social welfare and public funding

This year, Professor Mercè Durfort, expert on cytology and histology from the Department of Cell Biology of UB, pronounced the inaugural address. Salvador Alemany, president of the Board of Trustees of UB, and Lluís Jofre, director general of Universities of the Government of Catalonia, also participated in the ceremony.

Rector Ramírez remembered that, last December, “the University Senate supported a statement made by the Rectorʼs Offices that agreed the referendum announced to take place on 9 November in Catalonia”. “Nowadays, many Catalan citizens —I am one of them— consider that the Spanish Government does not listen to mass social claims”, he pointed out. Then, he added: “We have the impression that many citizens do not feel the warmth irradiated by knowledge”. “The ability to listen to other arguments, the courage to accept mistakes and assume responsibilities, the ambition to speak considering future citizens is todayʼs major challenge”, he concluded.

On his speech, Ramírez highlighted some projects that prove the dynamism and commitment of the University and the role it plays in joining institutions, cultures and people. In this sense, he mentioned the agreements that the University has with the Barcelona City Council and other Metropolitan Barcelona town councils, initiatives such as the Arab-European Conference on Higher Education (AECHE) and the UB membership of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). “We do not have the resources we need, but we have not got discouraged; results prove it”.

Salvador Alemany praised university community members for their strong commitment to the institution, even if budget cuts have affected their wages and job conditions. He also thanked the Governing Bodies of the University for their ability to adapt themselves to new circumstances. Moreover, he emphasized: “An awareness of difficulties does not means conformity”. “It is necessary —he added— to promote entrepreneurship at the University and to transfer research results to the economy and the productive fabric”. He pointed out that “the commitment of the University of Barcelona to get out of the crisis has to be translated into improving graduatesʼ employability”.

Lluís Jofre gave his speech while members of the administrative and service staff of UB protested against cuts in a silent way. He praised the work carried out by members of the university community who were awarded on the ceremony: students who received special degree awards and members of the administrative and service staff who retired last academic year. Jofre highlighted the effort made by the UB to become “a leading university”. He stated that its university and research system is “leader in Spain and it improves every year despite severe budget cuts”. He also emphasized that it is necessary “to make bachelorʼs and masterʼs degrees equivalent to European ones” and affirmed that the UB can lead this process. Finally, he underlined that the Catalan Government goes for a clear-out model of university staff that values professional career and internationalization. He announced that the programme La indústria del coneixement (The knowledge industry) will be soon presented; its main objective is to strengthen the role that universities play in knowledge transfer.

On the inaugural address, “Els inicis de la microscòpia electrònica a Catalunya “, the Professor Emerita Mercé Durfort remembered that the University of Barcelona has been the epicentre of electron microscopy in Catalonia. Mercè Durfort i Coll is a prestigious expert in marine bivalve molluscs and crustaceans histopathology, reproductive biology of invertebrates and some vertebrate species, bioaccumulation in molluscs and crustaceans, and the determination of protozoan parasites (particularly, microsporidia). Professor of Cell Biology at the UB since 1985, she was the first Catalan scientist in writing a PhD thesis on cell ultrastructure that she defended at the UB in 1973. Besides, she was the first woman to become a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona and the second to be part of the Institute for Catalan Studies; she headed the Biological Sciences Section of the former institution from 1994 to 2000. She is member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia (2000), corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain (2007) and honorary member of the Catalan Institution of Natural History. In 2002, she received the Narcis Monturiol Medal for Distinction in Science and Technology, and she was given the Cross of Sant Jordi in 2004.

The event also included some musical performances offered by the UB Choir. Moreover, the general secretary of the University, Dr Isabel Miralles, presented the annual report 2013-2014. Then, special degree awards were given to students and the medals of the University of Barcelona were conferred on members of teaching staff and administrative and service staff who retired last academic year.