The Junior Faculty programme is designed to help train young professors so that they can complete their research studies and obtain a doctoral degree from the UIC. The scholarship can be renewed each year and allows students to dedicate all of their time to obtaining a doctoral degree in no more than four years. Another unique feature of the programme is that it allows doctoral degree candidates to teach at the university in their area of knowledge under the auspices of a full professor.

To obtain a scholarship, however, candidates must achieve an average mark above 1.5 and pass the Research Committee’s rigorous selection process, given that this is a competitive programme and more and more candidates are applying every year.

The ceremony to award the diplomas to the four students who received the scholarship this year was presided over by UIC Rector Dr. Pere Alavedra. Also in attendance were Elisa Durán, the Deputy Director General of the La Caixa Foundation, and Esther Salat, the Councillor for Education in Sant Cugat del Vallès Town Council.

After the diplomas were handed out to the candidates by Dr. Frederic Marimon, the Vice Rector for Research, the event ended with a speech by the Rector, who thanked the authorities and everyone else for attending, congratulated the candidates and encouraged them to strive for excellence. Those attending then moved to the area displaying scientific posters of the projects being worked on by the candidates thanks to these scholarships.

The initiative, which began in 2006, once again demonstrates the commitment and support of the La Caixa Charitable Trust for the internationalization of the university system and for university initiatives involving teaching and research. A total of 14 Spanish and international students now enjoy Junior Faculty scholarships.