On 26 June, IQS celebrated the graduation ceremony for master’s degree graduates from the class of 2025 with an event that took place at the Jesuïtes de Sarrià-Sant Ignasi school. In total, 139 students graduated from the master’s degree programmes at the IQS School of Engineering and the IQS School of Management, accompanied by more than 500 friends, family, and faculty members.
IQS Celebrates the Graduation Ceremony for the Master's Degree Class of 2025
The ceremony was chaired by the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at Ramon Llull University, Dr Jordi Teixidó. Dr Salvador Borrós, Director of IQS, welcomed the attendees and recognized the sponsor of the graduating class, Dr Berta Vega Sánchez, Head of Sales Automotive & Industrial Coatings at Covestro and an IQS alumna. In his speech, Dr Borrós recalled Dr Vega’s time at IQS as a student, researcher, and doctor in analytical chemistry, highlighting her brilliant professional career in the international arena, her leadership in the industrial coatings sector, and her commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Dr Borrós also shared some inspiring words with the students, underscoring that a master’s degree is more than just an academic qualification: it is a transformative experience that teaches them to work together, manage uncertainty, and grow as competent, conscientious, compassionate, and committed individuals. He thanked the families for their ongoing support and the professors for their dedication to being there for students and educating them with rigour and passion.
The presidential table included prominent institutional representatives: Dr Vicenç Pedret (President of the IQS Board of Trustees), Dr José Javier Molins (IQS Registrar), Dr Jordi Díaz (Dean of the IQS School of Engineering), and Dr Albert Fornells Herrera (Vice-Dean of Academic Planning at the IQS School of Management), representing the Dean.
“The world needs your vision”: an inspiring message from the class sponsor
In her speech, Dr Vega stressed the importance of facing the future with an open mind, curiosity, and commitment: “Chemistry, engineering, economics, and marketing are not isolated disciplines, but interconnected languages. The most innovative solutions arise within these intersections,” she stated.
She encouraged new graduates to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, learn from setbacks, embrace change, trust themselves, and always stay curious: “Graduating is not the end of your education, but its foundation. The world needs your talent more than ever. Be brave, be ethical, and be consistent.”
On behalf of the graduating class, students Alicia Lueerssen-Medina, Ana Otero Bello, and Mireia Ferrer Valls shared a heartfelt trilingual speech (Spanish, English, and Catalan) in which they recalled their nervousness on the first day of graduate school, intense classes, unexpected laughter, and adapting to Barcelona as students. They highlighted the value of what they experienced at IQS: “We gained a full array of positive knowledge, values, and experiences that will help us build the future. This is not a goodbye, but the beginning of a new adventure.”
During the event, Abir Mesra Brahmi and Blanca Isart Masó, students from the graduating class, took to the stage to present a commemorative plaque to the class sponsor. Jordi Martí, representing the AIQS alumni association, officially welcomed the new members of the Alumni community, reminding them that AIQS is the oldest alumni association in Spain. He encouraged the new graduates to maintain their bonds with IQS throughout their careers.
Presentation of the master’s degree programmes and tribute to academic talent
One of the key moments during the event was the presentation of the students by the master’s degree coordinators of each academic programme:
Martí Lecina (Master’s Degree in Bioengineering)
Marco Antonio Pérez (Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering)
Xavier Berzosa (Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering)
Roger Estrada (Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry)
Dr Manuel Abad (Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering)
Cristian Gómez (Master’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry)
Horacio Moreno (Master’s Degree in Biopharmaceutical Business)
Francesc Prior (Master’s Degree in Industrial Business Management)
Gonzalo Rodríguez (Master’s Degree in Wealth and Financial Management)
Irene Garnelo, on behalf of coordinator Dr Belén Derqui (Master’s Degree in International Marketing in a Digital Environment / International Marketing & Sales Management)
Pere Navalles (Master’s Degree in Neuromarketing)
The event began by holding the Eucharist at the chapel of the Jesuïtes de Sarrià-Sant Ignasi school. The academic event concluded with refreshments on campus, where family members, graduates, and academic staff were able to share a relaxed moment together.