The rector of Ramon Llull University (URL), Josep Antoni Rom, passed away early Saturday morning at the age of 62 from a heart attack. "It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our parish priest, Josep Antoni Rom Rodríguez. We keep him in our prayers and extend our deepest condolences to his family during this time of grief. May he rest in peace," the URL stated in a press release. Rom had served as rector since September 2022 and was recognized as a leading figure in the field of advertising strategy and creativity. Born in Barcelona in 1963, the rector held a degree in contemporary history from the University of Barcelona (1987) and a doctorate in advertising and public relations from URL in 2004, where he was a professor and chair. In 1994, he joined Blanquerna-URL, where he co-founded the Faculty of Communication and International Relations, served as Vice Dean of Technology and Equipment (1998-2016), and directed the degree program in advertising, public relations, and marketing (2016-2020). Before becoming Rector of Ramon Llull University, from September 2020 to September 2022, he was part of the Rector's team as Vice Rector for Research and Innovation. He was also a member of several scientific committees for national and international conferences and journals. Tripods, Graph and Advertising IssuesHe has also been the director of the Master's programs in Advertising Strategy and Creativity and in Art Direction for Advertising at Blanquerna-URL. Finally, he has also served as the director of the Design and Publications Department at Blanquerna-URL.

Francesc Torres (Ibiza, 1962) is a professor and telecommunications engineer. He was rector of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) from 2017 to 2021. He is now serving again and speaks to ARA in his first interview since winning the rectorship elections a month ago.

Professor Francesc Torres Torres will once again be rector of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). Torres was elected with 53.28% of the vote in the elections held this Friday. Torres will thus succeed Daniel Crespo, who held the position since June 2021 and obtained 36.16% of the vote.

ARA published a few days ago that Catalan universities are revolting against minister Castells's plans. Among other things, they criticise that the new law the ministry is preparing, known as LOSU, hyper-regulates the sector and constrains it. The Catalan Minister for Universities and Research, Gemma Geis, has now joined vice-chancellors criticism, calling the new law "a threat" and warning that "the Catalan university system does not feel recognised". That is why the minister and the 12 Catalan vice-chancellors are preparing a joint document to position themselves against the new regulation, the third since the end of the dictatorship. First came the university reform law of 1983 and the organic law of universities of 2001, which is the one that is now in force.

Catalan universities are the most highly rated institutions according to the Centro de Estudios de Opinión (CEO) and top the rankings of the best centres in Spain. At the Spanish level, however, their social prestige is unknown because the Centre for Sociological Research does not take them into account. This is a small example that shows that the Catalan university system - and also the research system - has always been one step ahead. This is why Catalan universities have been particularly opposed to the plans of the Ministry of Universities, led by Manuel Castells: from the elimination of three-year degrees, which is already official, to the drafts of the future law on Universities.