Josep Antoni Rom, rector of Ramon Llull University, dies at age 62

BarcelonaThe 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.

Cohesion and Innovation

In September 2022, he assumed the position of rector, replacing Josep Maria Garrell, who had held the post for ten years (2012-2022). In his inaugural address, Rom asserted that URL's challenges lay in "cohesion, values, and innovation." "I will only say in advance that the aforementioned challenges are so great that we can only face them through cohesion, through our ability to leverage each other's initiatives and to intuit new opportunities," he noted in a solemn ceremony before 300 attendees. "The greatest challenge in the coming years is to harness the diversity and complexity of our organization to be innovative, to ensure that the URL model remains an alternative model, and an organization faithful to the Catalan and Spanish university system," concluded the URL rector. Commitment to research

Upon hearing the news of Rom's death, the Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, highlighted "his human qualities, his commitment to knowledge, research, and Catalan universities, and his calm and approachable leadership at the helm of an institution he loved so much." The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, also paid tribute to Rom in a message to X, expressing his deep sorrow at the news of his passing. "His commitment to cohesion, innovation, and creativity as the central pillars of the university project will always be an example. My sincere condolences to his family and the entire URL educational community," Illa stated.

The Department of Research and Universities also extended its condolences to his family, friends, and the entire university community. In a statement, the department remembered Rom as a much-loved and respected person, recognized for his passion for communication, innovation, and teamwork, and who "dedicated his entire career to teaching, research, and university administration."