CHARM-EU Celebrates the Graduation of Its 4th Cohort of the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability in Barcelona

CHARM-EU Celebrates the Graduation of Its 4th Cohort of the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability in Barcelona

On 29 January 2026, the 4th cohort of the CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability celebrated their graduation at the Paraninf of the University of Barcelona. The ceremony brought together 41 graduates, alongside their families, friends, and members of the CHARM-EU and University of Barcelona academic and administrative communities. In total, more than 165 guests joined the celebration to mark the end of an intense and transformative journey.

Group picture of the Graduation 4th cohort at the Paraninf at the University of Barcelona.

The ceremony opened with Avelina Tortosa, Coordinator of the Master’s programme at the University of Barcelona, who highlighted CHARM-EU’s innovative approach to learning and teaching higher education. Built on collaboration, transdisciplinarity, and real-world impact, the master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability places students at the centre of a rich, multicultural learning environment shaped by European universities and diverse stakeholders.

“Over these three semesters, you experienced an educational approach that puts the students at the centre. Your voices were acknowledged, teaching became facilitation, and assessment focused on authentic learning, constructive feedback, and personal and academic development. Sustainability was not merely a subject, it was a guiding principle.”
Avelina Tortosa, Coordinator of the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability

Avelina also emphasised that graduation marks the moment when students carry their knowledge, values, and creativity back into society—ready to shape innovative, ethical, and inclusive solutions.

The keynote address continued with Valerie Borrell, Chair of the Master’s Programme Board from the University of Montpellier, who reflected on today’s global uncertainty. While conflicts, climate change, and biodiversity loss threaten progress towards the 2030 Agenda, she underlined that a different future remains possible—one rooted in sustainability, resilience, and international cooperation.

“As CHARM-EU graduates, you are the key players in this transformation our society so desperately needs.”
Valerie Borrell, Chair of the Master’s Programme Board

The student speech was delivered by Galang Gibran, a graduate from Indonesia, who shared a deeply personal reflection on the CHARM-EU experience. For him, the programme was not only about academic learning, but about personal growth, empathy, and collective responsibility in the face of global challenges.

“Sustainability is not just about being smart—it’s about caring.”
Galang Gibran, CHARM-EU Graduate

The ceremony concluded with a celebratory reception at the University of Barcelona, marking not an end, but the beginning of the graduates’ lifelong commitment to sustainability and positive change.

Interested in the Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability?