Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoană visits UMFST-UMCH – Official Opening Ceremony of the Academic Year

On September 25, 2023, the official Opening Ceremony of the Academic Year 2023/24 took place in the auditorium of the UMFST-UMCH Campus in Hamburg. High-ranking figures such as Mircea Geoană, Deputy Secretary General of NATO, and the Romanian Ambassador to Germany, H.E. Adriana Stanescu, were guests at this event.

Mircea Geoană brought a global perspective to the ceremony in his address. He expressed his admiration for young ambitious people from all over the world and emphasized that the future of humanity is in their hands. In doing so, he spoke passionately about the transformative power of education and science and stressed the importance of ethics in technology. He described Hamburg as the “pearl of Germany” and acknowledged the university’s unique position as an Eastern European university with a branch in the heart of Europe.

In her vivid speech, H.E. Adriana Stanescu underlined the excellent relations between Germany and Romania, which are based on a long tradition and friendship and are also becoming closer and closer from an economic point of view. She expressed her pride in the joint Romanian-German project UMFST-UMCH and extended her gratitude to all those involved in it.

The event was initiated by UMFST Rector Prof. Leonard Azamfirei, who in his address emphasized the tremendous opportunities for personal growth that the university offers students. He also highlighted the collaborative aspect of the UMFST-UMCH Campus and emphasized the great responsibility that students have in shaping their own educational experiences.

Assoc. Prof. Simona Mureșan, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in English, delivered an inspiring speech in which she highlighted UMFST-UMCH’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, tradition and community, among other values. She also encouraged the first-year students in attendance to become part of the university’s thriving academic community.

In the course of his speech, the Managing Director of the UMFST-UMCH Campus Christopher Musmann drew remarkable parallels between the founding of NATO and the emergence of UMFST-UMCH. He emphasized the crucial role NATO plays in ensuring multilateral peaceful cohesion among its international member states. In this context, he highlighted the role that NATO has played for peace in Europe since its inception, which provides the basis for UMFST-UMCH’s multinational approach.

Baraneh Salamat and Lucas Glaser from the Student Council of the Hamburg Campus encouraged the students, who were having their first official day, to find a balance between learning and relaxation. In addition, they stressed the importance of taking some time off to always have a “full battery”. They praised the excellent educational program at the university and emphasized the high practical component as compared to other institutions.

The ceremony was moderated by Julika Tan, a fifth-year student, and artistically accompanied by a musical performance by third-year student Alexander Scheibner.

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