UIC Barcelona held its grant awards ceremony for the 2025–2026 academic year this Wednesday, coinciding with the feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of universities. The event placed students at the centre and celebrated the effort, dedication and academic excellence of more than 700 grant recipients.

The ceremony opened with a welcome from the rector of the University, Dr Alfonso Méndiz, who thanked the companies, foundations and individuals that support UIC Barcelona’s grants and financial aid programme. In his address, the Rector encouraged students to embrace the challenge of helping to make “this planet a more liveable world” through academic and professional excellence. He described the ceremony as “a celebration and a shared commitment to the future”.

The following organisations collaborated in this year’s grants and financial aid programme: Alter Domus; ELIA | Enterprise for Large International Architecture; Barraquer Foundation; Damm Foundation; Maria Pou Foundation – Lunet; Maria Teresa Rodó Foundation; Princesa de Girona Foundation; Nemesio Diez Foundation; Mi Fundación Álex; Mullor Facility Services; Santander Universidades; and Torrella Ingeniería-Arquitectura. During the ceremony, representatives from several of these organisations presented diplomas to the grant recipients.

This was followed by an address from Aroa Saiz, director of the Administration and Finance Department at the Princesa de Girona Foundation, speaking on behalf of the partner companies and institutions. She highlighted the alignment between the Foundation’s mission and UIC Barcelona’s educational project, noting that the University “educates people who are principled, committed and capable of transforming society through excellence”. Addressing the students, she reminded them that the grant “is an invitation to all you can become”.

Representing the student body, Estel Massip, a fourth-year student on the Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences, expressed the commitment of grant recipients to make the most of this opportunity “with responsibility” and to be “worthy of the trust placed in us, both during our time at the University and in our future careers”. She added her hope that current recipients will one day return “from the other side”, supporting the next generation of talented students and helping to ensure that “no talent is left without a future”.

Yago Oliva-Rifá, a 2023–2024 graduate of the Bachelor’s Degree in Law, then shared his experience as a former grant recipient, highlighting the lasting impact that the support he received during his studies has had on his academic and professional development.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from the vice-rector for Students, Dr Esther Jiménez, who congratulated the grant recipients and commented that, “It is a privilege to have students like you”. Dr Jiménez emphasised that being awarded a grant “is both an honour and a responsibility”, one that requires effort and perseverance to obtain and maintain. She also underlined the importance of creating opportunities that enable students to achieve their academic and professional goals.

With this ceremony, UIC Barcelona congratulates all grant recipients and expresses its gratitude to the companies, foundations and individuals that support the grants and financial aid programme.