Following the traditional procession of PhD holders, the opening address was given by the rector, Dr Xavier Gil, who then handed the floor over to Dr Nuria Casals, director of the Doctoral School, and Dr Alfredo Rocafort, president of the Royal European Academy of Doctors, who delivered a lecture. Everyone agreed that the large number of theses defended this year at UIC Barcelona, 110 altogether, is proof that the university is maturing, capable of accommodating all this research. They also encouraged the new doctors to continue their scientific career in this new stage that is just beginning.

In addition to presenting the new doctors with the traditional hat, thirteen Doctoral Awards were also given out. Afterwards, new PhD holder Jaume Figa spoke on behalf of all the recently invested doctors. Dr Figa thanked the families and friends for the patience they showed during their years of research as PhD students and urged everyone to keep working in their field of study.

Lastly, the rector, Dr Xavier Gil, offered a few words to the new doctors, congratulated them on their investiture and offered a quote from St Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of universities, who once told a student, “Choose to enter by small rivers, and not go right away into the sea, because you should move from easy things to difficult things”.

The ceremony ended with the traditional signing of “Gaudeamus Igitur”.