The Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), together with the Ibero-American University Foundation (FUNIBER), is holding the first official graduation ceremony of the International University of Cuanza (UNIC), a historic event that marks a milestone in the consolidation of the higher education system in the province of Bié, Angola. In total, 241 students from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities completed their university studies, becoming the first cohort of graduates from the institution.
The event was attended by prominent political, diplomatic and academic figures, including the provincial governor of Bié, Celeste Elavoco David Adolfo; the head of the Military Intelligence and Security Service, General João Pereira Massano; the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Angola, Manuel María Leja Lobo; and the Secretary of State for Higher Education, Eugénio Adolfo Alves da Silva.
During the ceremony, the Rector of UNIC, Prof. Dr. Carlos Jelvéz Martínez, highlighted that this first graduation represents a significant academic achievement that consolidates the presence of higher education in the region and strengthens cultural and scientific ties between Africa, Europe and the Americas. He also emphasised the university’s commitment to research, innovation and sustainable development.
For her part, Governor Celeste Adolfo highlighted the strategic role of higher education in the progress of Bié Province, reaffirming the Angolan Government’s commitment to continuing to support educational initiatives that contribute to the training of highly qualified professionals.
The ceremony took place in two formal sessions. In the first, held in the morning, students from the Business Management and Administration course graduated. In the second session, graduates in Organisational Psychology and Journalism received their diplomas, in an atmosphere marked by emotion, pride and academic celebration.
The event also highlighted the award presented by ENSA Seguros de Angola, which recognised the 15 students with the highest academic average across the three degree programmes. Each of them received a laptop, a rucksack and a one-year health insurance policy as an incentive for academic excellence.
The ceremony was hosted by Sérgio Rodriguez, a presenter from Angolan Public Television (TPA), who acted as master of ceremonies, lending the event a sense of solemnity and dynamism. The second part of the ceremony was brought to a close by José Fernando Tchatuvela, Deputy Governor for Technical Services and Infrastructure in Bié, who delivered a message of congratulations and encouragement to the new graduates.
In his virtual address, Dr Santos Gracia Villar recalled the origins and development of the university project, emphasising that the establishment of the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza (UNIC) is the result of a strategic vision launched in 2018 with the aim of expanding access to quality higher education in central Angola. In his message, he highlighted that the project began to take shape in 2020 with the construction of the university campus in the city of Cuito, a process that symbolises the transformation of the region and a commitment to social development. Dr Gracia Villar emphasised that the land on which the university now stands had previously been a minefield, and so its reclamation and conversion into a space dedicated to knowledge, academic training and international cooperation represents a powerful symbol of peace, progress and hope for the country’s new generations. He also noted that the university aims to establish itself as a regional leader in higher education, research and innovation, actively contributing to economic growth and the strengthening of human capital in Angola.
The Universidade Internacional do Cuanza is an educational initiative launched by FUNIBER and UNEATLANTICO, forming part of an international academic network that promotes educational cooperation between Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries within the framework of the Iberophone community, a cultural and linguistic community comprising over 900 million people worldwide.
With this first graduation, UNEATLANTICO reinforces its commitment to the internationalisation of higher education and academic cooperation, contributing to the training of qualified professionals in Angola and to the educational and scientific development of the African continent.