Bioceb Graduation Day of the second intake

It’s already over! The second cohort of Bioceb students graduated in the magnificent Salle des Fêtes at Reims City Hall. After two intensive years studying throughout Europe, the students, who started their studies in September 2021, got together with their families to celebrate.

This unique day in the life of a student was organised by University of Reims Champagne-Ardennes, where all the students spent the first common semester of the master’s programme, and where the new cohort has just started: a great opportunity for inter-cohort exchanges!

On the day of the ceremony, about 150 guests were present: the graduates and their families, students from the first, third and fourth cohorts, teachers and Bioceb administrative team, as well as representatives from the consortium and the city of Reims.

TalTech honoured the assembly with the presence of four members who made the trip to Reims: Prof. Jaan Kers and Prof. Yevgen Karpichev, as Bioceb consortium’s representatives of TalTech, Prof. Tiit Lukk, as Vice-Rector for Research at Tallinn University of Technology, and Kärt Kängsepp, as organiser of the summer school.

URCA’s participants were Prof. Essaid Ait-Barka, as Vice-President in charge of international relations, Prof. Caroline Rémond, as Bioceb consortium’s representative for URCA, Marie-Charlotte Belhomme, as lecturer in organic chemistry strongly involved in the first semester, and the entire Office of International Affairs, including Philippine Henry (Director) and Alpin Charbaut (Deputy Director and main organiser of the event).

AgroParisTech was represented by Prof. Etienne Verrier, as Deputy Director General in charge of Academic Affairs and Development, Prof. Stéphanie Baumberger and Jeanne Beyrand, as, respectively, Bioceb coordinator and manager. Members of the European Office were also present: Elodie Popenda (Head of European Affairs) Clémence Rotolo and Maëlle Bodiguel.

The guests were warmly welcomed at 4pm by the two moderators of the ceremony: Prof. Stéphanie Baumberger et Prof. Caroline Rémond.

Then, they attended the official speeches delivered by:

• Mr. Dimitri Oudin, Deputy Mayor in charge of International Relations for the City of Reims;
• Prof. Essaid Ait-Barka, Vice-President in charge of International Relations at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne;
• Prof. Etienne Verrier, Deputy Director General in charge of Academic Affairs and Development at AgroParisTech;
• Prof. Tiit Lukk, Vice-Rector for Research at Tallinn University of Technology.

Each of the speakers underlined the immense honour of welcoming such a diversity of excellent international students to Reims, a priority for the city of Reims and for each stakeholder. Bioceb’s roots in the region contribute to its reputation in the field of the bioeconomy. Prof. Tiit Luuk particularly highlighted the importance of training young researchers in areas as important as the bioeconomy to face current challenges. He strongly suggested that they become key players in this field.

Then came the long-awaited moment when the students were called on stage track by track to receive their diplomas.

The study tracks are major structuring elements of Bioceb which ensure the pedagogical consistency of the students’ curricula and contribute to the jointness of the consortium. The students choose their study track when they apply to the Bioceb programme and spend all the three first semesters with the classmates of the same track, which settles strong links between them.
Each successful Bioceb student obtain a triple degree composed of the National Master Degree certificate of each university of his/her track:
–  Master in Integrative Biology and Physiology (IBP), study track Biomass Engineering for Bioeconomy (BEB), delivered by the Université Paris-Saclay (UPSaclay), operated by AgroParisTech;
–  Master of Science (Technology), delivered by the Aalto University;
–  Master of Science in Engineering, delivered by Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Estonia;
–  Master: Bioingénieur en chimie et bioindustries, à finalité (Master in Bioengineering: Chemistry and Bio-industries), delivered by the University of Liège (ULiège);
–  Master in Biology AgroSciences (BAS), delivered by the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA).

For Track 1: Bioproducts, green chemistry, biomass engineering (URCA, TalTech, AgroParisTech), Marie-Charlotte Belhomme delivered a short speech while welcoming the students on stage:

José Gustavo VARONA GARCIA, Martin Alejandro TERAN VELASTEGUI, George William SSENDAGALA, Bernadette LEE JIA RONG, Ariyan AMIRIFAR, Belén FERNANDEZ DE CALEYA RAMIRO and Dania MUHIEDDINE ORFALI (who could not be there).

For Track 2: Bioproducts, green chemistry, bioprocesses (URCA, TalTech, ULiège), it’s Yevgen Karpichev who introduced the soon to be graduated students:

Naresh Peter Basil RODRIGO, Erandy CORREA GUILLEN, Uswaththa Liyanage Marian Sureshi
Manthila PERERA and Ignacio Francisco LOPEZ MUNOS.

As for Track 3: Bioproducts, green chemistry, materials, polymers (URCA, TalTech, Aalto), Jaan Kers had the pleasure to call on stage the following students:

Glen PAULS, Elijah Mark GARCIA, Willow Nadine DEW, MB Devi MARHENDRASWARI and Mariana MOLINA RESENDIZ.

Caroline Rémond then asked the students from Track 4: Agro-resources, value-chain assessment, bioprocesses (URCA, AgroParisTech, ULiège) to come pick up their diplomas:

Ephraim Edem Amoah AKPARI, Laura Irieri TORRES ARELLANO, Ruxandra TOMA, Mohammad SALIKANDI, Mohamad KHALIFEH and Paul Eduardo LUGO RODRIGUEZ.

Last but not least, Jeanne Beyrand (project manager of Bioceb) called the students from Track 5: Agro-resources, value-chain assessment, materials, polymers (URCA, AgroParisTech, Aalto) on stage:

Anusha BHAT and Celia MARIN COLLADO.

Many photos of the students during their stays in each country were shown during the graduation ceremony and the speeches, which was a very moving moment.

Congratulations to all our graduates!

Once the group photos had been taken, the guests enjoyed a cocktail while a DJ played music.

Cocktail ceremony

Bioceb students Cohort 4

The next day, to close these two years on a high note, the graduating students and their families were invited to the "Au Bureau Reims Cathédrale" restaurant, so they could leave France with some lovely memories.

See you next year!

More pictures of the Ceremony