The honorary doctorate, or doctor honoris causa, is the highest distinction a university grants in recognition of a person’s scientific or university career or values that clearly identify with the institution. They are, therefore, highly relevant individuals due to their special relationship with the university, their contributions to progress, science and culture; or they are people who have a prominent place in the life of each university due to their integrity. Rules governing the procedure for granting a UPF honorary degree

 

Emmanuelle Charpentier
 

Emmanuelle Charpentier

Academic year 2024-2025

"My research is a collective work; all the recognitions would not have been possible without the immense work of a whole team of young researchers, as well as the support of institutions, universities..."

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Vandana Shiva
 

Vandana Shiva

Academic year 2023-2024

"Knowledge without thinking about the effects on humans and nature is partial knowledge. For me, it is not knowledge; it is ignorance."

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Raewyn Connell
 

Raewyn Connell

Academic year 2022-2023

"The University bestows its highest distinction in recognition of her studies and research on the construction of class and gender hierarchies and masculinities, and as a transgender woman, is contributing to promoting parity in institutional actions and increasing diversity in the profiles of awardees of the UPF honorary doctorate."

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Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard
 

Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard

Academic year 2021-2022

"In recognition of her exceptional research career that has enabled identifying the genes that regulate the development of living organisms and discovering general principles of embryonic development. She is also an example of honesty and of the commitment of scientific research to society."

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Angela Y. Davis
 

Angela Y. Davis

Academic year 2020-2021

"For her extensive academic and intellectual career including valuable analysis of the relationship between gender, race and social class, and her activism in defence of civil rights, justice, equality and freedom of individuals."

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Gonzalo Pontón
 

Gonzalo Pontón

Academic year 2019-2020

"For being a benchmark in the dissemination of historical, political, humanistic, literary and scientific thought of the highest intellectual calibre, through his work as a publisher and historian."

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Maria João Pires
 

Maria João Pires

Academic year 2018-2019

"In recognition of her artistic excellence, for her contribution to the music world as one of the most acclaimed pianists and performers of classical music in recent decades, and especially for her contribution to a more inclusive form of musical education, strongly rooted in values, working towards the social integration of the underprivileged."

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Dorcas Muthoni
 

Dorcas Muthoni

Academic year 2017-2018

"In recognition of her entrepreneurial career in the field of ICT on the African continent, her significant work in the promotion of engineering studies among young women in Africa, and her social commitment to breaking the vicious circles of poverty."

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Frederick Wiseman
 

Frederick Wiseman

Academic year 2016-2017

"In recognition of his bold career, a reference in cinema studies, and his work that has helped expand sociological and cinematographic knowledge highly committed to progress and to the institutions that govern our society."

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Sydney Brenner
 

Sydney Brenner

Academic year 2013-2014

"For his brilliant career in teaching and research in the field of molecular biology, which has made him one of the world’s leading figures in this field of knowledge."

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Miquel Barceló
 

Miquel Barceló

Academic year 2012-2013

"For his impressive contribution to contemporary painting and sculpture, manifested in a career that combines his deep-rootedness with his enormous capacity to become a global artist, which is expressed in his unique work in which he reflects the aspirations, anguish, joy and sadness of human beings today."

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William Labov
 

William Labov

Academic year 2011-2012

"For his brilliant teaching and research track record and for being one of the leading figures in the field of linguistics, founder of variationist and quantitative sociolinguistics."

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Eugenio Bulygin
 

Eugenio Bulygin

Academic year 2011-2012

"For his brilliant, extensive career in teaching and research in the fields of Legal, Moral and Political Philosophy, he has contributed his indisputable and beneficial mastery in training several generations of philosophers of law both in Latin America and in Europe."

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Ernesto Garzón Valdés
 

Ernesto Garzón Valdés

Academic year 2011-2012

"For his brilliant, extensive career in teaching and research in the fields of Legal, Moral and Political Philosophy, he has contributed his indisputable and beneficial mastery in training several generations of philosophers of law both in Latin America and in Europe."

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Joan Manuel Serrat
 

Joan Manuel Serrat

Academic year 2010-2011

"For the dignity and power of his words and the expressive value of his original songs, for the dissemination of the works of some of the best poets of the twentieth century, for his civil and political defence of the Catalan language and culture during the Franco regime, and for having contributed, through his music, to spreading Catalan around the world."

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Jordi Nadal
 

Jordi Nadal

Academic year 2010-2011

"For being one of the key figures of Spanish historiography in recent decades, and his undisputed expertise in the education of several generations of historians and economists."

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Michelle Bachelet
 

Michelle Bachelet

Academic year 2009-2010

"For having promoted policies of historical reparation and reconciliation and improving the levels of social justice, paying special attention to the female population."

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Alois M. Haas
 

Alois M. Haas

Academic year 2009-2010

"For his remarkable academic track record in the field of theology and the history of religions and mystique, and the extraordinary social and cultural merit that the donation of his private library has meant to UPF, consisting of some 40,000 volumes of great bibliographical value."

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Robert M. Solow
 

Robert M. Solow

Academic year 2007-2008

"For his crucial contributions in a variety of fields of economic science, which have constituted a starting point for modern economic theory of growth."

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Woody Allen
 

Woody Allen

Academic year 2006-2007

"He is a leading figure not only of the cinema but of contemporary culture as a whole."

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Miquel Batllori
 

Miquel Batllori

Academic year 2001-2002

"For his plentiful, excellent research into the history of Catalonia, which has contributed to projecting Catalan culture and putting it on the map of world history."

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Desmond Tutu
 

Desmond Tutu

Academic year 1999-2000

"In recognition of his person and his activism in the defence of the values that are connected with the respect for human rights, justice, tolerance, equality and freedom of individuals, regardless of their status, race and religion."

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