During his speech, José Capilla emphasized “the important activity of the Coastal Research Institute,” based on the Gandia Campus itself, and recalled the close collaboration that the UPV maintains with the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO). “This collaboration,” he noted, “has materialized in a shared infrastructure in the city’s port, in warehouses 14 and 15, which host a joint R&D&I unit between the IEO and the UPV.” In this regard, he announced that “we are currently in talks with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities to explore ways to deepen the collaboration we maintain with the Spanish Institute of Oceanography within the framework of the CSIC.”

The rector also highlighted the creation of the Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Sciences and Technologies, launched this academic year on the Gandia Campus, “a necessary and evident step that consolidates, in a solid academic offer, the work the university has been developing for decades in different areas.”

In addition, Capilla underlined the leadership of the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA) in the Innflow proposal, which aims to be recognized as a Knowledge Innovation Community (KIC) in the field of water by the European Institute of Technology. “We will integrate science, technology, and governance to address the challenges of climate change and the sustainable transition toward this fundamental area of knowledge for the development of life on our planet,” he stated.

The rector recalled the UPV’s long-standing relationship with marine sciences, which dates back decades, mentioning figures such as Jacques Cousteau, awarded an honorary doctorate by the university almost 40 years ago, and Lola Higueras, Spain’s first underwater archaeologist, also awarded an honorary doctorate last September. In this line, he congratulated Manu San Félix, marine biologist, photographer, and National Geographic Society explorer, who delivered the inaugural lecture “From Formentera to National Geographic.”

Capilla concluded his speech with a reflection on the sea as a space of knowledge and shared responsibility. “The Romans called it mare nostrum, our sea, not only because it surrounded their world but because they felt it as part of their identity,” he said. He concluded by quoting Jacques Cousteau: “People protect what they love. The Universitat Politècnica de València will continue working to understand and care for this mare nostrum —a source of life, science, and progress— with the rigor required by research and the commitment inspired by love for what unites us.”

The academic ceremony, held in the Aula Magna of the Gandia Campus, included speeches by Vicenç Almenar Terré, Director of the Higher Polytechnic School of Gandia; Nàdia Alonso, Secretary of the School, who presented the 2024-2025 annual report; Mª Esther Gómez, Regional Secretary for Universities; and José Manuel Prieto, Mayor of Gandia. The inaugural lecture was delivered by Manu San Félix, marine biologist, photographer, and National Geographic Society explorer.