New president. University of Navarra
NEW PRESIDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY
María Iraburu
New president of the University
The Chancellor, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz has appointed Professor María Iraburu Elizalde as the new president of the University of Navarra, replacing Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero, who has been so since September 2012. She is scheduled to take office in January 2022. Professor Iraburu is the ninth person to occupy this position in the nearly seventy-year history of the University of Navarra.
María Iraburu (Pamplona, 1964) was Vice President of academic staff since 2012. She has been a member of the boards of the Schools of Medicine and Science, and in 2005 she joined Office of the Executive Council as Vice President Alumni. During the 2018-19 academic year he completed the Senior Management Program (PADE) at IESE of the University of Navarra. In 2020 he joined the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America.
A biologist from the University of Navarra, she defended her doctoral dissertation at the department in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1992 and between 1993 and 1996 she did a post-doctoral stay at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. In 1996 he joined the University. Since then, she has combined her research career with teaching and university administration. She has been principal investigator of 7 research projects and has supervised 8 doctoral theses. Full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, she has taught at Schools in Medicine and Science. She currently teaches Structural and Functional Biochemistry and Biosynthesis of Macromolecules and their Regulation at Degree in Biochemistry.
In her first words, María Iraburu acknowledged the work of Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero: "I think I am speaking for all of us in expressing our gratitude to him for his leadership in such complex times. His years as President, in which we have not lacked difficulties, are a solid base on which to face the future with hope".
He also addressed the professors, students, professionals and alumni , expressing his confidence "in the professional and human quality of all those who form part of the University. Everyone brings their talent, their vision, their commitment to a job well done. We are all necessary for this adventure to continue, for the new and the unexpected to emerge, for the University of Navarra to continue to surprise us over the years".
The Chancellor, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz, thanked Professor María Iraburu "for her willingness to take on this new responsibility and face a new stage of the institution, full of challenges in research and teaching". He also thanked Professor Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero "for the years he has dedicated to the service of the University as President, marked by his optimistic spirit and magnanimous disposition".
For his part, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero thanked everyone for their collaboration during his mandate as President. "I have felt continually supported by all those who make up the University of Navarra. Thanks to this support, especially that of my colleagues at Office of the Executive Council, we have been able to promote great projects, face some adversities and provide the university service that society expects of us". He also expressed his gratitude for the good relationship with the different governments, institutions and companies. "One of the reasons for greatest satisfaction is the growing number of friends that the University has," he added, while expressing his confidence "in the qualities of Professor Iraburu to lead the University in this new stage".
Professor Sánchez-Tabernero will continue with his work professor and research at School of Communication at the University of Navarra.
IN PICTURES
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1993
Thesis and post-doctoral stay
The new president is a biologist and former student of the University. In 1992 she defended her doctoral thesis on "Structure and function of chloroplast ATPase" at the University of Navarra, directed by Professor María Jesús López Zabalza. Between 1993 and 1996 he did a postdoctoral stay in New York, at the Liver Research Center of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In the image he appears with the team researcher of which he was a member and which was led by Professor Marcos Rojkind.
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2000
Former student
After her postdoctoral stay, she joined the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department at department as a lecturer. Since then, her research work has focused on molecular mechanisms of liver physiopathology. She has been principal investigator of 7 research projects and has supervised 8 doctoral theses. She is pictured in a laboratory of department.
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2006
Government positions
In 2005 she was appointed Vice President of Alumni and before that she held the positions of vice-dean of the Schools of Sciences (2001-2004) and Medicine (2004-2005). At the submission Trophy awards ceremony President on Sports Day.
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2009
From Pamplona
María Iraburu, who was born in Pamplona in 1964, is the first president of the Comunidad Foral. In the photo, taken in 2009, she participates in the presentation of the book Historia de la Historia de la School de Comunicación de la Universidad de Navarra, together with professors Carlos Barrera and Mercedes Montero and the former director of Diario de Navarra José Javier Uranga. The presentation took place in the Cámara de Comptos, an emblematic space for Pamplona and the University because the first classes were given there in 1952.
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2009
Students
Together with the then Chancellor don Javier Echevarría on a visit to the University. During his years at Office of the Vice President of Students (2005-2012) a great impulse was given to counselling work, solidarity activities and several projects related to student training were developed.
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2012
University Life
At the 'Vida Universitaria' Awards Gala. That year she was named Vice President of academic staff. As a fundamental part of the University's strategy, the new president promoted the development of the Institute Core Curriculum, whose essential mission statement is the humanistic training offered to all students, as well as the Docens program, aimed at professors.
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2016
Silver Medal
In the photograph, Iraburu receives the University's silver medal from his predecessor, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero, at the 2016 medal ceremony submission .
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2017
Women and Architecture
At the opening of the exhibition "arcVision Prize - Women and Architecture" at School of Architecture.
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2019
Member of the 'Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America'.
Together with Ramón Gonzalo, President of the Public University of Navarra, at official opening of the academic year 2019/2020. The new president is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America.
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2019
Women for Science and Technology
At the opening of the 2019/2020 academic year with Mr Francisco Ponz and other members of the faculty of the School de Ciencias. She has been the main driving force behind the 'Women for Science and Technology' initiative which, since 2016, has been promoting scientific careers among female students at Degree and postgraduate program in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
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2021
Strategy 2025
In the picture, Professor Iraburu speaks at the Horizon 2020 stocktaking event and presentation of the 2025 Strategy. In recent years at Office of the Executive Council she has led various sustainability initiatives.
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2021
With the Alumni in New York
In the 2018-19 academic year, he completed the Senior Management Program (PADE) at IESE of the University of Navarra. The photograph captures a moment from a recent alumni meeting at IESE's New York headquarters.
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2021
With the Chancellor
During a meeting in Rome with Chancellor, don Fernando Ocáriz.
