The assembly hall of the Universitat de València gathered this Friday, 10 July, the first of the two solemn investiture ceremonies of new doctors of the 2024-2025 academic year. In this first ceremony, 50 researchers from the faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, Law, Chemistry, Biological Sciences and Mathematical Sciences have received the PhD title. In total, 95 people will participate this year in the solemn investiture ceremonies, that will finish on Friday, 17 July.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, 566 doctoral theses were defended at the Universitat de València, a number that reflects the intense research activity that has been developed in this institution. Of all the people who obtained a doctoral degree, 95 of them have participated in the solemn ceremonies organised by the University this year.
This act, celebrated at the Assembly Hall, has been led by the Principal of the Universitat de València, –Juan Luis Gandía–, who has followed the traditional academic ceremonial. After the courtship’s entrance and the official opening of the session, the individual investiture of every new doctor started.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, 566 doctoral theses were defended at the Universitat de València, a number that reflects the intense research activity that has been developed in this institution.
The director of the Doctoral School, Mariam Tórtola, has proclaimed the names of the inaugurated people, as well as the names of those who have directed their doctoral theses and the supervisors who have accompanied them during the ceremony.
As the university tradition states, doctors of the University have worn the academic clothing with the corresponding colours of every scientific field. The new doctors have received, from the Principal, the specific symbols of the doctor’s title: the white gloves –representing integrity and responsibility in the exercise of academic activity–, and the laureate biretta with the identifying colour of the branch of knowledge in which they have obtained their doctorate.
"One of the most significant acts of university life"
After the investiture of the new doctors, the principal of the Universitat de València –Juan Luis Gandía–, opened the intervention with a remembrance for the victims of the tragedy in Los Gallardos (Almería), where about ten people died and 19 people are missing. He showed solidarity from the university community to the affected families.
Subsequently, he has underlined the academic meaning of the ceremony and has defined it as “one of the most relevant acts of the university life”, by representing public recognition of the highest degree that the university can give. “A doctor’s degree recognises that a person has been capable of providing new information, asked questions of scientific relevance and defended the results to the academic community” he stated.
The principal explained that the investiture goes beyond the recognition to an individual career path since it means the incorporation of the new doctors to the doctoral senate of the Universitat de València. In this sense, he underlined that this act “links them permanently with the institution” and symbolises the renovation of commitment of the Universitat with the creation and transfer of knowledge to the service of society.
In addition, he emphasised that the ceremony is celebrated at the Assembly Hall because is the reserved space for the events of greater academic relevance. According to him, this place represents the historical continuity of the institution and reminds them that the doctorate is part of a university tradition based on excellency, scientific rigour, and intellectual responsibility.
During his intervention, he also emphasised that a doctorate means a permanent commitment to research values. “It is not only a recognition of competences, but also a responsibility of scientific honesty, respect for every discipline and credibility of the university” he indicated.
In the last part of the speech, the principal addressed the evolution of women’s presence at the university. He recalled that, from the middle 80s, women represent more than a half of the university students in Spain, and that nowadays, they also represent more than the 50 % of the doctoral studies. However, he stated that it is still necessary to keep working to achieve an efficient equality for the next academic and research career paths.
Finally, Juan Luis Gandía appreciated the work done by everyone who made possible the development of the doctorates, particularly to the Doctoral School, the Junta Permanent and the Comité de Direcció. He also gave some words of appreciation for the families, friendships and close people that have supported the new doctors in such a significant moment of their academic path.
Besides the principal, the presidential table has been composed by the director of the Doctoral School –Mariam Tórtola–, the vice-rector for Internationalisation and Multilingualism –Emilia Ferrer–, the vice-rector for Studies and Quality –Javier Roca– and the general secretary of the Universitat de València –María José Aradilla.
The ceremony ended with the intervention of the principal and the performance of Gaudeamus Igitur by the Orfeó Universitari de València, which is the international academic anthem that, from centuries, have sounded in the solemn acts of the universities as a symbol of tradition, knowledge and belonging to the university community.
