The event took place on 13 January in UIC Barcelona’s Saló de Graus and was attended by members of the University’s Board of Governors, teaching staff, colleagues from the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and the instructor’s close family members.

Dr Cristina Monforte, vice-rector for Planning, Quality and Strategic Development, was tasked with greeting the attendees and presiding over the committee, comprised of Dr Frederic Marimon, full professor at UIC Barcelona; Dr Martí Casadesús, full professor at the University of Girona; Dr Félix J. López Iturriaga, full professor at the University of Valladolid; and Dr Xavier Ferràs, full professor at Ramon Llull University.

UIC Barcelona professor Frederic Marimon opened the ceremony with the reading of the laudatio, in which he mentioned the achievements of the newly appointed professor. “You have a well-defined and strategically chosen career path. You are brilliant, talented, ambitious and empathetic: you put yourself in other people’s shoes and understand the dreams of those around you,” praised the professor from the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and colleague of Marta Mas. Dr Marimon commended Marta Mas for the passion and innovation she brings to teaching, her imaginative approach to pursuing new avenues for research and her “brilliant” leadership during the nine years she served as Faculty dean. “A handful of pearls is not the same as a pearl necklace. The thread that turns those pearls into a jewel is the exquisite care you show for others,” Dr Marimon concluded, metaphorically.

The new professor, Marta Mas, currently vice-rector for Teaching Staff and Academic Organisation, thanked the committee for their presence and emphasised the “collaborative” nature of her scientific research throughout her academic career. At UIC Barcelona, she has been the leading figure in Strategic Management and People Management in the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, as well as the instructor who launched the subject Managerial Learning Through Art History, creating a unique intersection between her Faculty’s business perspective and the artistic approach of the Faculty of Humanities.

During her speech, Mas delivered a brief lecture on early research into generative AI, which she described as “a revolution for society”. Although AI continues to grow at a “spectacular” rate year after year, the researcher, citing recent articles, pointed out that “real adaptation within companies is progressing more slowly.” As for the application of AI in teaching, the new professor argued that “more than ever, the role of people will be essential, and increasing value will be placed on skills such as critical thinking and leadership.”

The rector of UIC Barcelona, Alfonso Méndiz, also wished to dedicate a few words to the newly appointed professor. “I ask myself what kind of professor we want to have at UIC Barcelona, and you embody three very important qualities: you are an eminence, someone who supports others and are deeply committed to the institution’s project,” he explained.

Marta Mas earned a degree in Business Administration and Management in 1999 from the University of Navarra and, soon after, following a year working in a consultancy firm, began teaching as an associate lecturer at UIC Barcelona. In 2009, she submitted her doctoral thesis at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and continued to work as an associate lecturer until 2013. In 2014, she took over as vice-dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, going on to serve as dean from 2016 to 2025.

In the area of research, she has published 65 indexed articles to date and leads the consolidated research group QISE, which includes twelve researchers from UIC Barcelona. This group has explored three main lines of research in recent years: quality management, social entrepreneurship and university management. Recent articles have touched upon subjects such as collaborative consumption, generative AI and productivity, the social economy and cooperativism. At the same time, she has been a regular feature at international conferences and remains actively engaged in collaborative work with researchers from countries including the United States, Pakistan and Canada.

During the 2025-2026 academic year, she became the new vice-rector for Teaching Staff and Academic Organisation and a member of the Board of Governors. As she embarks on this new chapter, Dr Mas hopes to “bring to the fore the vital role of university teaching staff,” drawing on her long and well-established career as an instructor and researcher at UIC Barcelona.