The Honorable Mr. Alfredo Dombe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the Kingdom of Spain, together with the Honorable Mr. Rubén Calderón, Rector Magnificent of the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), presided on the 10th anniversary of the University the graduation of the students of Computer Engineering (II), Agro-Food Engineering (IIAA), Industrial Organization Engineering (IOI), Food Science and Technology (CTA), Human Nutrition and Dietetics (NHD), as well as of the non-face-to-face postgraduate degrees taught at this academic institution.
On Saturday, June 22, the solemn graduation of the students of engineering took place, in which UNEATLANTICO was honored to have the participation of the Angolan ambassador in Spain as godfather of the graduation class. During the ceremony, Mr. Dombe and Mr. Calderón dedicated a few words to the new graduates. The event was characterized by the high internationalization of the graduates, among them the first four Angolan students graduated from UNEATLANTICO: Joana Dos Santos Alfredo, Moisés Zola Cassoma dos Santos, Venceslau Benias Diogo, and Ademara de Almeida Meireles Patrocínio.
Ambassador Dombe, who assumed the patronage of the degrees of Computer Engineering (II), Agro-Food Engineering (IIAA), and Industrial Organization Engineering (IOI), emphasized in his speech the responsibility and merit of each student. “Every diploma that will be awarded today is a testimony to your resilience and determination,” these are words that the ambassador dedicated to the students.
On the other hand, Rector Calderón highlighted the high internationalization of the event—the largest in the history of the University—, with the presence not only of the Angolan ambassador and students from the African country but also with the participation of many students of other nationalities, including graduates of postgraduate distance education, who were invited for the first time to receive their degree in person.
Also present at the ceremony was Dr. F. Álvaro Durántez Prados, Director of Institutional Relations of the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) and the FUNIBER Chair of Ibero-American Studies and Iberophony, who highlighted the importance and significance of Angola as the largest African country with an Iberian, Portuguese language.
Close ties between UNEATLANTICO and the Embassy of Angola
The close relationship between the Embassy of Angola in Spain and the Universidad Europea del Atlántico has been reflected over time, highlighting the delivery in June 2023 to the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza (International University of Cuanza, UNIC)—UNEATLANTICO’s sister institution and member of the FUNIBER Network—of the prestigious Spanish award, Premio Archiletras, which recognized its work in the linguistic and educational field, as well as the various visits to the university campus in Santander made by Ambassador Dombe and his professional teams.