With this appointment, UIC Barcelona recognises the professional merits of these two individuals, internationally renowned in the fields of architecture and sociology. 

Dr Rivka Oxman is known for her research on Artificial Intelligence in Design. In this area, she has explored experimental methods based on the concepts of Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence, as a basis for developing design systems. She is currently performing research on theories of digital design and exploring the contribution of digital technologies to novel paradigms in design and architecture. 

Oxman is a lecturer in the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning at Technion - Israel Institute for Technology and combines her work as a professor with collaborations at leading international universities such as Harvard and Berkeley. 

Dr Pierpaolo Donati, on the other hand, is a full professor in the Faculty of Sociology at the University of Bologna. During his professional career, Donati has been president of the Italian Sociology Association, member of the Executive Board of the International Institute of Sociology and director of the Italian Government’s National Family Observatory. 

Dr Donati has published over 800 works and is regarded as the founder of “relational sociology” and the “relational theory of society”. 

Presided by the rector, Dr Xavier Gil, the event included the traditional procession of PhD holders, following which the patrons presented the new doctors with the traditional hat, ring and laudatios. The ceremony was attended by both civil and academic authorities. 

With their appointment, Rivka Oxman and Pierpaolo Donati are now part of the list of honorary doctors at UIC Barcelona that also includes Dr Valentí Fuster, Dr Joaquín Navarro-Valls and Dr Ramón Guardans.