Closing ceremony for programmes in the health, pharmacy and social fields
On Monday 13 July, the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Barcelona hosted the closing ceremony of master's and postgraduate programmes in the health, pharmacy and social fields, promoted by the University of Barcelona through the Institute for Lifelong Learning (IL3-UB). The day put the spotlight on the students' efforts to continue training throughout their professional careers, and reminded them of their duties as they go forth as the magnanimous people they have become.
The Rector of the University of Barcelona, Dr Joan Guàrdia, opened the ceremony, asserting the IL3-UB's role in providing the UB with a dynamic, active and solid structure. He continued by thanking all the students for their trust in choosing the UB, stating, "university changes people's lives and directs them towards the right path".
Dr Màrius Domínguez, Vice-rector for Lifelong Learning and Vocational Training at the University of Barcelona, congratulated the graduates. He also recognised the work of the master's and postgraduate programmes' teaching staff and directors, as well as the families lending their support, in accompanying people who are now a part of the "University of Barcelona community". He stressed the great value of "returning to the classroom when you are already working, since it is difficult to combine this with personal and professional responsibilities", and congratulated them for having made this decision and believing in one of the UB's great passions: lifelong learning. Dr Domínguez also underlined the importance of lifelong learning in the sense that "the processes of social transformation in nursing, pharmacy and the social field force us to constantly train ourselves", and that is why "lifelong learning is an essential element in our current society".
Next, Gemma Martínez Estalella, director of the master's programme in Nursing Leadership and Management, spoke on behalf of the programme directors in the areas of health, social care and pharmacy at the IL3-UB. She focused on three key ideas: lifelong learning as a driver of transformation, the importance of leadership that puts people at the centre and recognition of personal and collective effort. Speaking of transformation, she mentioned Alvin Toffler and his famous quote: "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn", so "a good professional is one who includes ongoing training in their life." She went on to applaud the skills of a good leader, such as listening, inspiring, accompanying and generating trust, and concluded by recalling that "education not only transforms what we know, but also what we are and what we want to become one day".
The ceremony continued with the awarding of diplomas, a moment led by Aurora Rull, coordinator of the IL3-UB Training Programmes Department, as master of ceremonies. Immediately afterwards, diplomas for 30 IL3-UB master's and postgraduate degrees in the health, pharmacy and social fields were awarded.
The Rector of the University of Barcelona brought the ceremony to an end, declaring the 2025–2026 academic year of the aforementioned programmes closed and again emphasising the concept of magnanimity. He recalled that the word comes from the medieval period and has a deep connection to "the characteristic of knowledge, since it was granted to those who had the capacity to know about things". Therefore, he reminded them that donning the graduation stole is the symbol of "a lifelong commitment to all that is magnanimous", and reviewed the qualities this implies: generosity towards oneself and others, not being petty and paying attention to the things that really matter, aspiring to great things, exercising the clemency and forgiveness that "define us as feeling human beings", tolerance of difference and diversity, consideration of others and, above all, assuming the obligation to generate hope. He concluded by underlining the fact that, in difficult times, it is important to remember that the graduation stole they wear is a "vaccine that will allow you to generate hope, because you have the best antidote to ensure it flourishes: science and rigour".
The ceremony ended with the performance of Gaudeamus igitur, the alma mater song, followed by a cocktail in the Faculty of Economics and Business hall, where graduating students, faculty and collaborating institutions were able to share a final moment of celebration.