Inaugural lecture 2013-2014

“Lifelong learning is a reality, one that we can touch and experience.”

“People are aware that with the initial education – even though they've turned twenty-something and sometimes even thirty – it is not an education that allows them to focus the rest of their life; on the contrary, changes happen in their environment and the internal changes that occur in people mean that they have the will – sometimes the imperative – to train or simply change line of action within the same year or even change profession completely.”

“To face these challenges as an individual and as a group, distance learning systems have spearheaded the way and have advanced in comparison with traditional education systems which have also played an important role, but it's clear that the distance learning system, and in particular universities like the UOC, have played a fundamental role in developing and providing this service each time society and the people in it voice their needs and requirements more vociferously.”

“And I believe this will continue and even in some cases, we'll even see how distance learning systems have a positive influence on traditional education systems and, in particular, on-site teaching.”

“It's a fact that the systems need to create relationships with each other and that one helping the other and vice versa is positive. I simply believe that the education system is so important that the diversity and heterogeneity of the system need not frighten us, quite the opposite: it's good that it's there because it's an element for progress that helps with finding solutions and if it doesn't find them or the other does, these solutions become generalised and develop the system as a whole.”