Ceremony to confer an honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier on Joan Guàrdia i Olmos

[Press Release] - Published on January 31, 2024 in Press Room

This Friday, February 2, 2024, Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, will confer an honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier upon Joan Guària i Olmos, professor of psychology and rector of the University of Barcelona. The ceremony will take place in the auditorium of the historic Faculty of Medicine building starting at 4:00 p.m., in the presence of François Pierrot, Vice President for International Relations, and Gilles Subra, Project Manager for the Charm-EU European University. On this occasion, the framework agreement between the University of Montpellier, its partners in the I-SITE Program of Excellence, and the University of Barcelona will be renewed for four years.

By invitation only

Joan Guàrdia i Olmos will be awarded an honorary doctorate

Joan Guàrdia i Olmos, a professor of psychology at the University of Barcelona (UB), where he has served as rector since 2020, is a leading expert in the methodology of human behavioral sciences and statistics. He is a member of the UB Institute of Neuroscience (UBneuro) and the UB Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), where he conducts research on quantitative and computational neuroscience. He is the author of some thirty books and more than 260 scientific articles on topics as diverse as depression in adults, family quality of life, attention and language disorders in children, and changes in functional brain connectivity.

Rector since 2020 and re-elected in December 2023, Joan Guàrdia i Olmos has played a key role in strengthening the long-standing ties between the University of Barcelona and the University of Montpellier through the signing of several cooperation agreements, foremost among which is the European Charm-EU project. Focused on innovative and sustainable cooperation in the fields of education and research, this consortium of European universities notably established a joint interdisciplinary degree program titled “Global Challenges for Sustainable Development” in 2021. It is also worth noting that the UB is one of the five international universities that have supported the I-SITE program of excellence since its inception in 2017.

Signing of a framework agreement between the two universities during the degree conferment ceremony

The framework agreement between the University of Montpellier, its partners in the I-SITE Excellence Program, and the University of Barcelona will be renewed for four years. This agreement is part of the shared international strategy of the I-SITE consortium members, implemented since 2017, which aims to make Montpellier one of Europe’s leading centers for health, agro-environment, and ecology-environment, centered on the themes symbolized by the triad “feed, care, protect.” All the conditions are in place to enable the continuation of collaborations and the development of new projects with this traditional and strategic Spanish partner of the University of Montpellier.

What does the title of "Honorary Doctorate" mean?

Established by decree on June 26, 1918, the origins of the honorary doctorate may date back to the 17th century. It is awarded to distinguished foreign figures who highlight and embody the university’s values through their contributions to the worlds of ideas, culture, the arts, and the sciences. Awarded during a formal ceremony, this academic title is the most distinguished and prestigious that can be conferred by the academic and scientific community.

Keywords: Honorary degree