Last Friday, July 12th, the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV) celebrated the first graduation of the Joint Master Programme in Marine Biotechnology, an event attended by Javier Oliver, Director General of the Valencian Agency for Assessment and Forecasting (AVAP).
The ceremony, held from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the Santa Úrsula campus, featured 24 students from various nationalities who successfully completed this prestigious program developed within the framework of the European Erasmus Mundus program and under the EU-CONEXUS alliance.
The Joint Master Programme in Marine Biotechnology was developed with the collaboration of eight European universities, as part of the EU-CONEXUS initiative, which aims to achieve environmental excellence in coastal areas. During the graduation ceremony, Javier Oliver emphasized that the training from this master’s program places its graduates “at the forefront of innovation” and assured that this academic experience will open doors for them in the job market with the best conditions.
“As the director of AVAP, I have had the privilege of knowing this master’s program since its inception, and I want to congratulate all those who have promoted and developed this postgraduate degree. Their efforts have led us to celebrate this graduation today. It has been an honor to feel part of this initiative,” Oliver stated.
The ceremony was attended by the rectors of the nine universities that form the EU-CONEXUS consortium, led by José Manuel Pagán (UCV) and Jean-Marc Ogier (La Rochelle). Also present were the rectors of the South-East Technological University (Ireland), the University of Rostock (Germany), the University of Zadar (Croatia), the University of Klaipeda (Lithuania), the Agricultural University of Athens (Greece), the Technical University of Civil Engineering (Romania), and Frederick University (Cyprus). In his speech, Jean-Marc Ogier addressed the graduates, highlighting their crucial role in building a sustainable future filled with European values such as tolerance and respect for diversity.
The graduation marked the end of an international week dedicated to urban, marine, and coastal sustainability, which included events like the Blue Innovation Day. This pioneering event aims to foster the international expansion of marine biotechnology through collaboration between universities, students, researchers, and industry professionals. Ester Olivas, Director General of Entrepreneurship and Internationalization of the Generalitat Valenciana, highlighted the importance of the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem of the Valencian Community in this context.
José María Tormos, Vice-Rector of Research at UCV, emphasized the university’s commitment to innovation and sustainability through shared knowledge and cooperation. He highlighted that the best innovation strategy is open science, essential for transforming society and promoting its sustainability.
AVAP’s participation in this event underscores the importance of the relationship between educational institutions and evaluation agencies in promoting academic excellence and sustainable development. This master’s program, resulting from a joint effort of multiple European universities, represents a significant step towards training professionals capable of facing the environmental and technological challenges of the future.
