CIHEAM Zaragoza’s auditorium located on the Campus of Aula Dei, will host the inaugural ceremony of the academic year 2025-2026. The event will take place on 28 October, commencing at 11:00 CET and will mark the official start of this year’s master’s programmes: Plant Genetics, Genomics and Breeding (coorganised with the University of Lleida and with the collaboration of ICARDA, CBGP and Agrotecnio), Animal Nutrition (coorganised with the University of Zaragoza y with the collaboration of the UPM and FEDNA), Olive Growing and Oil Technology (coorganised with the University of Cordoba, with the collaboration of the Regional Government of Andalusia, IFAPA, IOC, CSIC and FPCO) and Sustainable Fisheries Management (coorganised with the University of Alicante and with the collaboration of the General Fisheries Secretariat of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA).
The director of CIHEAM Zaragoza, Raúl Compés, will preside the ceremony, joined by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) of Spain, CIHEAM General Secretariat, and the Government of Aragon, together with representatives from partner institutions of the master’s programmes with editions commencing this year.
Keynote lecture
Fernando Miranda, Counsellor of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at the Diplomatic Mission of Spain in Italy and Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to FAO, will deliver the keynote lecture "Agri-Food Geopolitics in the Mediterranean: Threats and Opportunities for Collaboration”.
The talk will analyse the impact of current international conflicts in agri-food relations in the Mediterranean region. It will address the role of international organisations, opportunities for collaboration between nations and strategies to mitigate tensions and strengthen food security in the Mediterranean.
Miranda has developed his professional career at the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with numerous technical posts and long-standing experience in senior roles within the Ministry since 2006, where he has been president of the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund (FEGA), director general for Production and Markets and Secretary General of Agriculture and Food. He served as Counsellor of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at the Permanent Mission of Spain to the International Organisations in Geneva from July 2024 to September 2025.
Tribute to Miguel Mut and Miguel Valls
The inaugural ceremony this year will include a heartfelt In Memoriam tribute to Miguel Mut Catalá and Miguel Valls Ortiz, two fundamental figures in the history of the Institute that passed away this year. This institutional tribute will mark a public recognition of the extraordinary contribution that both former directors made to the evolution and consolidation of CIHEAM Zaragoza as an international centre of excellence in agri-food training.
The section will begin by recalling the professional journeys of Miguel Mut Catalá - director between 1975 and 1988- and Miguel Valls Ortiz -director from 1988 to 2003, together with some personal testimonies. Both periods were decisive in marking the identity of the Institute and building the reputation that the Institute enjoys today.
Ramón Esteruelas-CIHEAM Zaragoza Prize
The winner of the second edition of the Ramón Esteruelas-CIHEAM Zaragoza Prize 2023-2025 will be announced during the event. This award recognises the outstanding achievement of master’s students at CIHEAM Zaragoza and is named in honour of Ramón Esteruelas, visionary founder of CIHEAM and president of the Governing Board between 1962 and 1983. Through this award CIHEAM Zaragoza acknowledges the pursuit of academic excellence to enhance cooperation and development within Mediterranean countries.
The agenda is as follows:
- Welcome address
- Presentation of course activities and doctoral programme
- Announcement of the second edition of the Ramón Esteruelas Prize
- In Memoriam tribute
- Keynote lecture and discussion
- Official opening of the 2025–2026 academic year
- Refreshments.
If you wish to attend the inaugural ceremony, either in person or on line, please register here.
Excellence in international training
CIHEAM Zaragoza was founded 56 years ago, providing highly specialised international training, leading to new opportunities in the agri-food sector and enhancing access to the job market. This centre of excellence promotes research, innovation and cooperation for development to overcome the main challenges that Mediterranean countries are facing in the scope of agriculture, livestock production, fisheries, the environment and natural resources.
Thanks to CIHEAM Zaragoza’s scholarship programme, outstanding students from the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean have access to post-graduate studies in key aspects for the future of the agriculture and food sector in their countries of origin and other parts of the world.
The full catalogue of CIHEAM Zaragoza’s master programmes is available at: https://www.iamz.ciheam.org/education/master-programmes.