Josep Eladi Baños: "In 50 years' time we'll have an even better university than the one we have now”

The institutional ceremony, presided by the Catalan Minister of Research and Universities Gemma Geis and part of the events celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the unanimous approval of the Law recognising the University of Vic by the Parliament of Catalonia on 21 May 1997, took place at midday in the Aula Magna of the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC). It also included speeches by the acting mayor of Vic City Council, Josep Arimany, and the rector of UVic-UCC, Josep Eladi Baños, and the attendance of the government representative for Central Catalonia, Rosa Vestit, authorities and members of the university community, rectors of other Catalan universities, former rectors of UVic-UCC, and councillors and mayors of several municipalities including Manresa and Ripoll. During the event, Dr Javier Paricio, a professor at the University of Zaragoza, delivered the keynote address entitled "Rethinking qualifications? Higher education and the challenge of a complex and changing society."

The institutional event began with the screening of the video produced to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of UVic-UCC, in which various people from the university community reflect on the past, present and future of the institution. The Catalan Minister of Research and Universities Gemma Geis then took the floor, and referring to the testimonial video and congratulating the entire UVic-UCC university community, she said: "Universities are people. When a university reaches its twenty-fifth birthday, it is thanks to a combination of the efforts by the many people who work there and who help it to keep moving forward."

Geis emphasised that UVic-UCC "has grown at a firm, unstoppable pace" and that it has contributed to the growth not only of the city of Vic, but to transforming and enhancing an entire region, as "central Catalonia is today located on the knowledge map of the world." She acknowledged "the huge task involved in a series of efforts to position this university where it is today." The minister recognised UVic-UCC's unique character and commitment to public service, and awareness of the demands of UVic-UCC and the "need for a commitment to a network of knowledge based on the territory," before concluding: "I am certain that UVic-UCC will continue to lead the transformation of the country we want."

With an eye on the future

Josep Arimany, the acting mayor of Vic and president of the Foundation for Advanced Health Sciences Studies (FESS), expressed his satisfaction at being able to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary, since "this first quarter of a century has been momentous for many of us who have been lucky enough to see the University's birth and growth, and who have seen it progress at an increasingly determined pace, and become bigger and more robust within the Catalan, Spanish and international university system." The acting mayor referred to the university's medieval roots, and mentioned the figures of Bishop Ató and Gerbert d'Orlach, before moving on to the last quarter of a century - a period in which "the University has transformed the city" and its immediate surroundings.

Arimany emphasised that UVic-UCC has made a commitment to a federated structure that has enabled it to undertake "joint projects with Manresa". This federation, currently made up of four foundations, "has given us great returns, such as building a Faculty of Medicine when many people didn't believe it was possible." On this point, the president of the FESS recalled how he argued for the need to undertake this project with the then president of the Government of Catalonia Artur Mas, as well as the launch of health studies that will take place in the coming years. In order to boost the University's profile, the acting mayor asked for the support of the Catalan Ministry of Research and Universities to move forward with the programme agreement, without forgetting all the people who have made UVic-UCC possible in the past, and in particular its first rector and his teacher, Ricard Torrents.

He was followed by the rector Josep Eladi Baños, who began his speech by explaining that "the 25 years have come at a good time for UVic-UCC" and that they are the result of the daily efforts made by many people. Looking towards the future, the rector said that the university is facing important challenges, and one of those is "maintaining what it has achieved so far by adapting to the new technological landscape, since the new social environment is a threat to the traditional role that universities have played." In this respect, he said that technological platforms and distance education are here to stay, and that "the University of the future will be hybrid or will not exist at all." In the same vein, he pointed out that it will be necessary to pay close attention to the changes in the profile of the student body arising from socio-demographic changes, since "the number of students entering university from higher secondary education will fall in the coming years while on the other hand, there will be increased interest and demand for continuous training."

Another challenge, according to the rector, involves creating a change in attitudes to research and enhancing its value, and by way of an example he mentioned the fact that "Catalonia is a leading country in research, but we are ranked very low in terms of the number of patents." However, he pointed out that UVic-UCC works with one eye on the future, and said that "complacency must not be part of our university's DNA" and added that "in 50 years' time we'll have an even better university than the one we have today."

Lecture on the future of university qualifications

During the institutional event in the afternoon, Dr Javier Paricio, professor at the University of Zaragoza, gave a lecture entitled "Rethinking qualifications? Higher education and the challenge of a complex and changing society." The speaker focused his lecture on the importance of training experts, and on the key role played by universities in this area. He said that "universities must change their course plans because knowledge is not enough - it is necessary to know how to use it." He said that an expert is not only someone who has specialised knowledge, but also someone who "knows how to innovate and deal with new challenges and complex situations."

Paricio emphasised that three factors must be taken into account in order to train experts. First, an in-depth understanding, because "understanding is only achieved by reasoning, and asking ourselves questions." He argued that "an expert is not someone who knows more, but instead someone who reasons differently; that is why we need university qualifications to focus on what is really important, on in-depth concepts." The second factor to take into account is that it is necessary to foster critical attitudes spirit and general questioning among students, because "the University is not there to provide answers, it is there to encourage questions." Finally, the speaker said that in order to be an expert it is necessary to stand next to another expert, and watch how they work. On this point, he described tutorials with teachers as "a privileged place of learning" for students. He concluded his lecture by saying that "the higher education of the twenty-first century must be able to address complexity.

Today's celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary ended with the audience in the Aula Magna rising to their feet to sing Gaudeamus Igitur. The event also featured musical performances of O Radiant Dawn (J. Macmillan) and Salve Regina (F. Poulenc), by Ferran Albrich, Judit Muñoz, Mariona Llobera and Carles Prat. Outside, Els Emboirats, the UVic's "castellers" group, created two commemorative towers to mark the anniversary

The performance of 'PRE LU DI' at L'Atlàntida this afternoon

Today's celebration will continue at 7 pm at L'Atlàntida de Vic, with the performance of PRE LU DI, produced by the company Didactics, and aimed at the entire university community. It is a visual, poetic and musical performance that provides an overview of the past, present and future of UVic-UCC, which has been specially created for the University's twenty-fifth anniversary. Dance, song, music and light are some of the elements that will be involved, and the professional performers who will be participating include Lluís Soler, Joana Serrat, Ernest Crusats and Roger Mas.