Albert Arbós worked in the Bell-lloc School in Pla de Girona for 29 years, and at UIC Barcelona for 16 years. He spent 45 years fully dedicated to teaching.

The opening speech at the event was given by Dr Josep Argemí, who was rector of UIC Barcelona while Arbós was working there.  “You were a strong, brave, audacious and determined person, an extraordinarily hard worker, who made decisions when they needed to be made”, said Dr Argemí.

In 2001, Albert Arbós was Vice-Dean of Humanities, while he was setting up what would subsequently become the Faculty of Education.  He was the person who laid the foundations of the Vice-Rectorate for Academic Organisation and Teaching Staff.  Argemí said that he hoped he would be able to “enjoy and recover most of the many things you had to put on the back burner while you were working” during his retirement. The former rector of UIC Barcelona also took the opportunity to underline the importance of the people who are not only present at the beginning of an institution, but are also involved in its continuity.

On the other hand, Dr Albert Arbós had a few words of thanks for everyone who worked with him, both in the Vice-Rectorate and in the Faculty of Education.  “What have I learned”? he asked himself...and then talked about specific people who “taught him how to create a proposal to the Board of Governors”, like the former General Manager, Jaime Alonso, about whom he remembers his: “Order, smiling face, strength, and privileged mind”.  Of Francesc, head of the cafeteria, he said “he was always smiling”, and about professor Pere Puig, he said, “I can say about him these words taken from the Ecclesiastes:  “he who has a friend, has a treasure”. He then said that “it was worth coming from Girona to work here”. He didn’t forget about the women he worked closely with either:  Mar Rodríguez, from the Vice-Rectorate of Academic Organisation and Teaching Staff, Maria Sánchez, from Human Resources, and the late Pilar Bofill, from Financial Management.  “I would like to underline how hard-working and friendly the three of them were”.

“In relation to the tasks I undertook as a member of the Board of Governors, I would like to highlight the fact I learned that it is more important to know how to listen than how to speak, and more important to read rather than how to write”.  Dr Arbós looks on the future with confidence, based on some advice from the Opus Dei prelate, Monseigneur  Javier Echevarria.

The event ended with a speech from Dr Jaume Armengou, the current Vice-Rector for Academic Organisation and International Relations, who encouraged the audience, consisting of family members, Dr Arbós’ former workmates and UIC Barcelona staff, to live by the university’s mission, and:  “talk to people based on loyalty while also loving the truth”.