Presided by the rector of UPF, Josep Joan Moreso, today 17 May, the Ciutadella campus auditorium hosted the academic ceremony of the investiture of the former president of the Republic of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, as doctor honoris causa by Pompeu Fabra University. The promotor of the first woman to receive the University's highest accolade was dean of the Faculty of Communication, Josep M. Casasús, and the proceedings were broadcast live on the UPF web.

After the rector got the ceremony under way, general secretary, Josep Fargas, read the decision to award the degree honoris causa taken by the Board of Governors on 3 March, in acknowledgement of Bachelet's "defence of human rights in exercising the maximum political authority in Chile, and for having promoted policies of historical reparation and reconciliation and improving the levels of social justice, paying special attention to the female population".

Then, the vice-rector for Students at UPF, Emma Rodero, read the posthumous speech that former UPF rector, M. Rosa Virós, had prepared in praise of the doctorand's merits. Rector Moreso remembered Virós, who passed away only last Saturday pointing out that "the way to have her among us, remember and pay homage to her" could be none other than to read out her words. Prior to reading her laudatio, guitarist Eulogio Dávalos, rendered his interpretation of "El cant dels ocells".

Next, the rector awarded Bachelet with the medal of degree honoris causa by UPF and the former Chilean president, now a doctor, read her speech of acceptance during which she dedicated her degree honoris causa to the Chilean people. 

Eduardo Moga was given the task of reading a piece of the poem "Altazor", by Vicente Huidobro, and also the poem "Oda a la esperanza", by Pablo Neruda. Guitarist Eulogio Dávalos played "Alfonsina y el mar", by Ariel Ramírez and "Te recuerdo Amanda", by Víctor Jara. Finally, the rector gave the last speech of the ceremony and the UPF choir sang Gaudeamus igitur.

> Laudatio of Michelle Bachelet by M. Rosa Virós, read by Emma Rodero (pdf, 441 Kb).

> Michelle Bachelet's speech of acceptance of the degree honoris causa (pdf, 28 Kb)

> Video published on the UPF institutional channel on Youtube of Michelle Bachelet's speech of acceptance

> Rector's speech (pdf, 424 Kb)

In the twenty years of UPF history, the top distinction has only been granted to five others: South African archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu (2000), intellectual and historian Miquel Batllori (2002), film director  Woody Allen (2007), economist and Nobel Prize winner Robert M. Solow (2008) and humanist Alois M. Haas (2009).

Abridged biography of Michelle Bachelet

Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a medical doctor (paediatrician) by profession. She was elected president of the Republic of Chile in January 2006 and her mandate ended on 11 March 2010.

She was born in Santiago de Chile on 29 September 1951. Daughter of Alberto Bachelet, brigadier general of the Airforce and member of the Popular Unity government led by Salvador Allende, Michelle Bachelet studied medicine at University of Chile, where she joined the ranks of the Socialist Party. Following the coup d'état of 11 September 1973, her father was arrested by the Military Regime, and died in prison, and Michelle went into hiding. In 1975, she was arrested in Villa Grimaldi by the repressive dictatorship. Once released, she and her mother took exile, first in Australia and then in Germany.

In 1979, she returned to her country, finished studying medicine at the University of Chile and joined several movements campaigning against Augusto Pinochet's regime. With the return of democracy, Bachelet embarked on a low profile political career which led her to become health minister during the government of Ricardo Lagos Escobar in 2000. At the head of the ministry, she undertook two major challenges: to improve primary healthcare and to reform the health system. Two years later, in 2002, she took over the position of minister of defence, the first woman in a Latin American country to have held such a charge. As defence minister, Bachelet became a highly popular figure and was appointed candidate to the presidency of the Concert of Parties for Democracy for the presidential elections of 2005.

Bachelet won the elections and on 11 March 2006 she became Chilean President, the country's first woman ever to hold the top position in government. Her four year mandate was characterised by a "social hallmark" and, despite the world economic crisis also affecting Chile, she was still highly popular and well accepted by the citizens at the end of her presidency.