Graduation ceremony for the IL3-UB master’s degrees and postgraduate programmes in Health, Pharmacy, Psychology, Business and Culture

The closing ceremony highlighted the richness and necessity of lifelong learning and the University of Barcelona as a constantly evolving knowledge community.
 

The Paranymph of the Historic Building of the University of Barcelona provided a portentous setting for the graduation ceremony of the students who had completed master’s degrees (2023-2025) and postgraduate programmes (2024-2025) in Health, Pharmacy, Psychology, Business and Culture at the University of Barcelona Institute for Lifelong Learning (IL3-UB). The ceremony brought together hundreds of graduates, accompanied by their families and teachers, for an evening of celebration, recognition and pride in being part of the university community.

Attending the event were  Dr Màrius Domínguez, Vice-Rector for Lifelong Learning and Vocational Training at the University of Barcelona; Ms Victòria Alsina, head of Strategy and Planning at the IL3-UB, and Dr M. Carmen Vidal Carou, the rector’s representative at the Torribera Nutrition Campus.

The value of learning and the transformation of students and the University

Dr Domínguez opened the ceremony by recalling that it was also a landmark day for the University, as the institution’s new statutes had been approved that same morning in the same hall. As he pointed out, the growth and learning experienced by the students present here today go hand in hand with the University’s evolution: “The University must adapt to a world in constant change, with new demands and increasingly complex professional challenges”.

He was followed by Dr Vidal Carou, who spoke on behalf of the programmes’ management. Her address reflected on the essence of the IL3-UB’s name. The three “Ls” – life, long and learning – are inextricably intertwined, because “learning and living are inseparable processes. Indeed, life itself teaches us even when we do not want to learn, and learning, when it is genuine, can transform our lives”.

Dr Vidal stressed that lifelong learning is a way of life and not just a diploma, especially in a context marked by “vertiginous change, uncertainty and accelerated technological progress”. This gave even greater value to the graduates’ effort, who have managed to “combine studying, work and personal responsibilities with curiosity and flexibility”.

Following her address was the handing out of diplomas, in which Laia García acted as the event’s MC. One by one, the graduates from the 29 study programmes were called to the stage, encompassing a remarkable academic diversity: from the master’s degree in Pre-Hospital and Emergency Hospital Care to Oncological Nutrition, Music Therapy, Emergency and Disaster Psychology, Pharmaceutical Dermocosmetics, Phytotherapy, Behavioural Data Science and Renewable Energies. Each group of students came to the stage, received their diploma from the management team and immortalised the moment with a group photograph.

A lasting bond with the university community

Subsequently, Ms Victòria Alsina congratulated the new graduates with a few words of appreciation, highlighting the effort and dedication behind each individual’s journey, and spurred them to keep alive their bond with the university community as they continue their professional and personal growth. As she pointed out, “learning, when it is true learning, transforms the person who experiences it”.

Lastly, Dr Domínguez spoke again to encourage the graduates to “act as competent professionals, but also as active, critical citizens, bearing with pride the seal of the University of Barcelona”. He also underscored the institution’s engagement with society and the importance of the knowledge transfer embodied in the postgraduate programmes. And, as a closing message, he reminded them that learning is a journey that never stops.

The ceremony was closed with the performance of the Gaudeamus igitur. However, the celebration continued with a cocktail in the Historic Building’s lobby, creating a common space where students, teachers and families shared the joy of having completed a chapter and the excitement for what is to come.