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

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

On Friday, February 2, 2024, Philippe Augé, president of the University of Montpellier, will award an honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier to 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 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 and 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 receive an honorary doctorate

Professor of Psychology at the University of Barcelona (UB), where he has been rector since 2020, Joan Guàrdia i Olmos is a leading specialist in the methodology of human behavioral sciences and statistics. He is a member of the UB Institute of Neuroscience (UBneuro) and the Institute for Complex Systems (UBICS), where he conducts research on quantitative and computational neuroscience. He is the author of some 30 books and more than 260 scientific articles on topics as diverse as depression in adults, quality of family life, attention deficit 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 contributed greatly to strengthening the long-standing relationship between the University of Barcelona and the University of Montpellier with 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 teaching and research, this consortium of European universities has notably established a joint interdisciplinary degree entitled "Global Challenges for Sustainable Development" in 2021. It should also be noted that the UB is one of five international universities that have supported the I-SITE program of excellence since its creation in 2017.

Signing of a framework agreement between the two universities during the graduation ceremony

The framework agreement between the University of Montpellier and its partners in the I-SITE Program of Excellence 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 the European capitals of health, agro-environment, and ecology-environment around the themes symbolized by the triptych "feed, care for, 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 "Doctor Honoris Causa" represent?

Created by decree on June 26, 1918, the origins of the honorary doctorate date back to the 17th century. It recognizes foreign figures who highlight and echo the values of the university through their contributions to the world of ideas, culture, arts, and 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