Joan Elias takes office as new rector of the UB: “We want a University that creates trust, with quality and its own signature”

Joan Elias, new rector of the University of Barcelona, started his speech thanking the rectors who preceded him, especially Dídac Ramírez and Jordi Alberch. He also mentioned the candidates to the rectorʼs position for their experience and background, “actives which, in any case, the University of Barcelona could not give up”. Elias continued thanking the members of his team, who will take office of their positions today, for their “energy, dedication and ideas, for the work they have done together with a realistic and enthusiastic program”, and also thanked the unconditional support of his family.

“This is one of the most important days in my academic life”, he added. And he reminded the attendants that he entered this University as a student more than forty years ago. He said he is starting his mandate “full of motivation” and called for common effort to consolidate a university system that faces the current challenges. He asked the minister for complicity, commitment and collaboration with the university world. “We want a University that recovers its hope, that creates trust among its members and society”. “And we have to do so with quality and our own signature. We want a University taking its own decisions”, he said. Also, being aware of the complex mandate he will face, he said that “Not a single difficulty will prevent the UB from having a determining position in a Catalan public university system”. And added “I want to be the rector of everyone, integrating and open to dialogue, open to people and to debates for ideas”.

Jordi Alberch, the outgoing rector, recalled the hard moments he and the former rector Ramírez shared with the governing team, as well as the good moments, and said that, during this transfer, his disposition will be of complete collaboration with the new governing team. Also, Alberch highlighted the complex socioeconomic context which has shaped the mandate, and reminded people that there is still a lot of work to do, a path that “will need personal and collective sacrifices to go towards the university of the 21st century”. “We have to look at the future now, which is full of challenges”, he said. He also highlighted that one of the main challenges is the generational replacement in PAS and PDI: “We have to strengthen the bonds with younger generations; we have to work together and collaborate so that the quality of the public service doesnʼt decrease”.

The Minister of Business and Knowledge said that “the new rector will have the collaboration and loyalty from the Government of Generalitat to work on his mission” and remembered that “the UB is the historical standard of this countryʼs academy (…), which lived many different situations but always succeeded as one of the strongest centers in all Europe”. He also said that “Anything the UB gets, is then consolidated. It is a key factor for a quality university system, and an active the country wants as its own, which we have to own”. In this speech, the minister said that the university is not an isolated institution and has to go through a “redefinition process of funding, government, retirement of accounts and the role it has on society to get out of the crisis, to contribute and create a stronger country”. He also thanked the rectors Jordi Alberch and Dídac Ramírez and the candidates for the last elections, and wished luck to the new rector and his team.

“Our society shares that the missions of the university are key factors”, said the President of the Board of Trustees in his speech. “Therefore, we need the collaboration of the university to create a solid model with equal opportunities” he continued. “We need universities to strongly contribute with education and knowledge transfer”. In this context, he asked for a financial model that provides economic stability for the universities, especially the UB, and asked for a new investment plan. He reminded the new rector that his wise choices and successes will be part of society&lrsquo; too.

Vice-rectors taking office

Today, Tuesday December 20, at 12 h, at the sala de juntes room of the Rectorʼs Office, the following members of the new governing team will take office: Belén Noguera de la Muela, Secretary-General; Àlex Agular Vila, Vice-Rector for Projection and Internationalization; Alba Ambròs Pallarès, Vice-Rector of Students; Amelia Díaz Álvarez, Vice-Rector for Teaching; Josep Oriol Escardíbul Ferrà, Vice-Rector for Economy; Domènec Espriu Climent, Vice-Rector for Research; Salvador García Fortes, Vice-Rector of Arts, Culture and Heritage; Rafael Martínez Martínez, Vice-Rector for Organization of Administrative and Service Staff; Mercè Pallàs Lliberia, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Research Staff; Oriol Pujol Vila, Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation, and Dolores Sánchez Aguilera, Vice-Rector for Academic Planning.

The new rector Joan Elias i Garcia (Barcelona, 1956) is professor of Mathematics at the Department of Mathermatics and Computer Science of the University of Barcelona. During his academic life he has combined teaching, research on commutative algebra and management. He has been the main researcher of several research projects, national and networks and actions integrated in several countries. Also, he was editor in chiefl of the General Editor of Real Sociedad Matemática Española (Royal Spanish Mathematical Society). In management, he has been Head of Studies (1992-1993) and Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics (1996-2002), Vice-Rector of the University of Barcelona (2008-2010) and Secretary-General of the Inter-University Council of Catalonia (2006).

More photographs of the ceremony are available at the UB Flickr.