The University of Granada (UGR) will officially begin the 2025-2026 academic year with a ceremony at the Teatro Kursaal in Melilla on October 23. The event will be attended by UGR rector Pedro Mercado Pacheco, along with his team and various academic and civil authorities.
According to Dean Lucía Herrera, this event holds significant institutional importance, showcasing the involvement of the Melilla campus in the university”s activities and its collaboration with the Autonomous City of Melilla. “We wish to express our gratitude to the Autonomous City of Melilla for their support in this academic event, marking the beginning of the 2025-2026 academic year at the Melilla campus,” she emphasized.
This year”s ceremony will feature a civic-academic procession through the central streets of Melilla. “Each year, the UGR holds an opening ceremony in Granada that includes a similar procession involving academic, civil, and military authorities along with the entire university community. We wanted to honor that solemn event here in Melilla,” Herrera explained.
The academic parade will commence at 11:30 AM from the Palace of the Assembly, where participants will don the traditional academic gowns of the university. The procession will include faculty members, students, administrative staff, and representatives from the Autonomous City, proceeding along Avenida de la Plaza de Maríndez Pelayo and Ejercito Español, concluding at the Teatro Kursaal-Fernando Arrabal for the main ceremony.
Herrera highlighted the support from local institutions that made this event possible. “We have the collaboration of the Autonomous City and the local police. Our university campus is currently under construction and not in the best condition for hosting this procession, so we decided to bring the university to the heart of the city,” she noted.
She encouraged community members to join the procession and experience the academic atmosphere firsthand: “I invite everyone in the community to come out and accompany us. We aim to bring the University of Granada out of the campus, allowing the people of Melilla to see who we are and how we contribute to this city.”
The institutional event will start at 12:00 PM at the Teatro Kursaal-Fernando Arrabal, a venue provided by the Department of Culture. The Secretary General of Universities, Francisco García Pascual, from the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, will deliver the inaugural address for the academic year.
Herrera described García Pascual”s presence as “an honor and an opportunity to present the realities of the Melilla campus and discuss our needs as a university site.” She also expressed appreciation for the efforts of her team and other faculties, including Social and Legal Sciences and Health Sciences, which have collaborated in organizing the event. “Each year, a faculty takes charge of the organization. This year, it is our turn in Education and Sports; last year it was Health, and the year before that, Social and Legal Sciences. It is a pride to host this event and make it visible to the entire city,” she stated.
Herrera stressed the importance of preserving the academic traditions of the University of Granada while adapting them to the Melilla context. “We wanted to contribute something more and take the university beyond its traditional space. We want Melilla to see the University of Granada in its most human, cultural, and participatory dimension,” she remarked.
The opening ceremony also signifies UGR”s commitment to education, research, and social engagement in Melilla. “The university not only trains professionals but also fosters community, generates knowledge, and contributes to the cultural and social development of the city,” Herrera highlighted.
During the ceremony, Jesús Romero Imbroda, the deputy delegate for University Affairs, will unveil a new logo for Melilla”s university policy. This design aims to visually represent the connection between the University of Granada and the Autonomous City.
Romero explained that this initiative “aims to transform Melilla into a fully-fledged university city, featuring a modern, versatile, and recognizable visual identity.” “We needed an icon, a corporate image that encapsulates the union between both institutions and projects the strength of the local academic sphere,” he noted.
The design, created by the Institutional Advertising Area of the Autonomous City under the direction of Coco Moreno, features an “M” composed of two inverted and linked hearts, symbolizing the connection between the University of Granada and the Autonomous City of Melilla. These hearts crown a “U” for university, which also represents a cup that receives knowledge and shares it with society.
According to Romero, the new icon is intended to be a living, adaptable brand that will gradually be integrated into institutional materials, campaigns, and joint activities. “We want this symbol to be visible, approachable, innovative, and recognizable, reflecting values such as talent, accessibility, and collaboration,” he added.
Romero Imbroda emphasized that the presentation of this logo “is not merely an aesthetic gesture, but rather a further step in the local government”s commitment to strengthen ties with the University of Granada and solidify Melilla”s image as a university city.”
Both the UGR and the Autonomous City acknowledged the growth of the Melilla campus in recent years, highlighting advancements in academic offerings, infrastructure, and institutional collaboration. “Our university policy continues to grow, now with a clear intention of becoming a national benchmark. This logo is merely a reflection of a solid relationship and a phase of expansion that we wish to consolidate,” concluded the deputy.
In closing her remarks, Lucía Herrera shared a message of enthusiasm and gratitude: “I hope we can all experience this day with the emotion it deserves. It is a celebration of community and a commitment to education and the future of Melilla.”
