June 9, 2017
A huge honor for the Jacobs University class of 2017: Nobel Prize winner Professor Randy Schekman came to the international university to attend their graduation. 365 graduands from more than 60 countries were presented with their degree certificates at the ceremony. And in keeping with tradition, they threw their mortarboards up in the air at the end of the ceremony.
Parents, family members, and friends from all over the world traveled to Bremen to attend the moving graduation ceremony held on the Jacobs University campus. In his speech, Professor Schekman, who won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2013 together with two other scientists for his findings in the area of trafficking processes in cells, emphasized the opportunities offered by science. “There are now more opportunities than ever to make discoveries,” said Schekman. The field of science is stronger around the world than it has ever been, he said, adding that no temporary political influence could stop the accumulation and transfer of knowledge. During the ceremony, Professor Schekman was awarded an honorary Jacobs University doctorate.
Keynote speaker at the graduation was the publicist, author, and blogger Tim Cole. His humorous and improvised speech, which was met with a great deal of applause, was dedicated to the topic of digital transformation. “There will be more innovations in the next 30 years than there were in the past 300 years,” said Cole. He identified three areas that the graduands would have a significant influence on: digitization, connectivity, and mobility. “The new world needs knowledge workers. And that means you, Generation Y.”
The President of Jacobs University Professor Katja Windt kicked off the university’s fourteenth graduation ceremony by welcoming the guests and addressing the students directly. “You have enjoyed an outstanding education. You are ambassadors for tolerance, respect, humanity, and peace. You now take this Jacobs spirit into the world.” Bremen’s Minister for the Economy Martin Günthner (SPD) joined via video link and emphasized what Bremen and Jacobs University have in common, saying that both were open to the world and to new ideas, and were therefore a perfect fit. Not only did the speakers contribute to the ceremony – so too did the graduates and students with, for example, musical performances.
More information:
http://www.jacobs-university.de/graduation2017
News and Photos:
https://www.jacobs-university.de/graduation-2017-media
About Jacobs University:
Jacobs University is a private, independent, English-language university in Bremen. Young people from all over the world study here in preparatory, Bachelor, Master, and PhD programs. Internationality and transdisciplinarity are special features of Jacobs University: research and teaching don’t just pursue a single approach, they address issues from the perspectives of multiple disciplines. This principle makes Jacobs graduates highly sought-after new talents who successfully strike out on international career paths.
Contact:
Thomas Joppig | Brand Management, Marketing & Communications
t.joppig [at] jacobs-university.de | Tel.: +49 421 200-4504