Richard L. Revesz sees in the new academic year with a lesson on environmental regulation
Richard L. Revesz sees in the new academic year with a lesson on environmental regulation
Regulation and Rationality is the title of the inaugural lecture given by Richard L. Revesz, Lawrence King professor of Law and dean emeritus of the New York University School of Law, at the opening ceremony of the 2016-2017 academic year at UPF.
The event, broadcast live via the institutional website and covered by Twitter (#InauguracioUPF) was held on 26 September at noon in the auditorium of the Ciutadella campus, and was presided by Jaume Casals, UPF rector.
In attendance were Arcadi Navarro, secretary for Universities and Research of the Ministry for Business and Knowledge of the Generalitat (Government) of Catalonia; Miquel Àngel Essomba, commissioner for Education and Universities of the City of Barcelona; Josep Pallarès, director general for Universities; Núria Basi, chair of the UPF Board of Trustees, and Pelegrí Viader, general secretary of the University
The event kicked off with a welcome speech by Jaume Casals followed by the screening of the University 2015-2016 academic year video report. It includes a review of the main milestones achieved in the areas of teaching, research and transfer, institutional outlook and the University community. It also looks at the main commemorative events held on the occasion of UPF’s 25th anniversary.
University 2015-2016 academic year video report
This was followed by the inaugural lecture by Richard L. Revesz, entitled “Regulation and Rationality”.
Inaugural lecture by Richard L. Revesz
> Inaugural lecture by Richard L. Revesz (pdf document)
Richard L. Revesz, in his speech referred mainly to regulation in the areas of health and safety: this includes environmental regulation designed to reduce the concentration of pollutants that have an adverse effect on human health, the regulation of employee safety and to prevent accidental deaths or injuries in the work place, and the regulations to prevent damage resulting from consumer products.
He focused on four different elements of the politics of regulation, which are necessary for a reasonable system, and which if not taken into account, may lead to the wrong decisions being taken: first, how to determine the appropriate rigour of the regulations designed to reduce adverse impacts on human health, including premature deaths; second, having decided on the level of protection we desire as a society, how to put into practice the requirements that the actors who impose the risks must comply with and compensation involved in this choice; third, the way to establish rigour regarding the standards for new and existing industries, and to prevent the pernicious consequences of the acquired rights from being excessive. Finally, the way to appropriately assign a regulatory authority in federal systems.
After the inaugural lecture, Núria Basi proceeded to award the prizes granted by the University’s Board of Trustees. This was followed by speeches by Miquel Àngel Essomba, Núria Basi and Arcadi Navarro.
Richard L. Revesz speech
Speech by Arcadi Navarro
The secretary for Universities and Research began his speech by congratulating UPF on the results obtained recently in several prestigious university rankings: “We shouldn’t be obsessed by rankings, but they demonstrate UPF’s consolidated position among the best universities in the world. Catalan universities are gaining increasing international recognition”, he stated.
Arcadi Navarro mentioned that UPF has contributed to the transformation of the Catalan and the world society, in the context of a Catalan university model that has enjoyed continuity over the last 30 years throughout the changing political circumstances.
Also a professor of the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences at UPF, he highlighted several initiatives that are already heading in the right direction: the industrial doctorates programme, now in its fourth edition, in which UPF plays an important role; the knowledge industry programme, to develop science-based companies. He also spoke of the need to have a coherent offer of bachelor’s and master’s degree courses, flexible enough and of sufficient quality as to be attractive internationally.
Finally, Arcadi Navarro dealt with the need to continue with university entrance examinations with a view to 2017 and to review and update them for 2018; to seek a financing model and a policy of scholarships that do justice to the work of the universities.
Speech by Jaume Casals
> rector speech (pdf document)
The rector Jaume Casals highlighted the important role that UPF is playing as a university institution, both in Catalonia and in the world. “In the last year we have increased our international perception of quality an incredible 8%”, he said, and this is because as a group “we are generous when it comes to putting personal and professional qualities at the service of a good idea”.
Concerning Barcelona, the rector highlighted the beauty of the city and how it is the perfect match for the University. Has stated that “several promises have been made to each other, as in the past they were made and were fulfilled”. Catalonia also featured in his speech, explaining the institution’s commitment to playing its role, “linked to culture, education and science, which are the pure matter of progress and of social welfare”, at a time of promises and excitement.
Jaume Casals showed himself to be hard with the State administration, which he ensures “doesn’t know how to give freedom and explanations a chance, but instead opts for distrust and control, without accountability”. He added that this system is most harmful to UPF: “We have a group of young teachers who, despite having fulfilled their commitments over a number of years, do not have a fixed contract because the replacement rate established by the Spanish Ministry of the Treasury and Public Administrations says that, as we do not have retired people, we cannot fulfil our commitments”. The rector stated that UPF “does not deserve this lack of faith, wherever it may come from”.
Under these limitations, Casals encouraged the University community “to think of UPF as a university of the world, steeped in intelligible goals on a global scale”, associating this idea with the bases of the new Strategic Plan drafted this year.
To round off, Jaume Casals ended by declaring the 2016-2017 academic year open and the UPF choir sang the traditional university song Gaudeamus Igitur.
