Prof. Vidal, an expert in mathematics education, began his address by showing “a fond affection for numbers and, incidentally, giving you new graduates some advice that you can use in your future career as teachers”. Vidal went over the virtues that a good educator must have, foremost among which must be collaboration and persistence: “The educational triangle of family, school and pupil requires a great deal of persistence. It isn’t easy, but education is everyone’s responsibility and it requires constant communication.”

His address – which drew more than a few laughs – encouraged students to think of their profession as a service to society. “It depends on you to have a positive or negative influence”, he said.

“All teachers should have a touch of creativity”, Vidal reminded the students. “You’ve got to use your imagination. And you should never stop reading and learning. You should always be on top of the latest proposals in education.” Continuing in this vein, he urged the recent graduates to remain in contact with the university through the Alumni Association and to avail themselves of all the educational opportunities it has to offer.

Anna Genover, the class representative, also gave a speech. “Teaching has to change the world. We are working together to raise bright students and great people.”

Enric Vidal, Dean of the Faculty, brought the event to a close by encouraging the students to become good professionals. He said, “Just being excited about the future and having a few good ideas is not enough. You have to be true professionals and learn to find the perfect combination of creativity and technique in each decision”. He went on to say, “The educational system calls for teaching professionals who are sure of their role and what they’re doing, which is helping build a learning society in conjunction with students’ families”.

The Dean also mentioned the personal approach that makes all the difference at the UIC Barcelona Faculty of Education. “Whether you use chalk and a blackboard or a tablet and an interactive whiteboard, make sure you focus on the only thing that never changes: looking your students in the eye and teaching them to build a better future”.