The official ceremony took place in the UNWE Ceremonial Hall on 25 September 2024. The award was presented by Professor Dimitar Dimitrov, rector of the host university, for Puhl’s outstanding contribution to establishing and successfully developing the European University Alliance ENGAGE.EU.
As President of the coordinating university, Puhl has worked hard to establish ENGAGE.EU as one of the leading alliances within the European Universities Initiative. In his laudation, Professor Dimitrov praised Puhl’s commitment: “Your work has helped to shape the reputation of ENGAGE.EU and establish it as a European university.”
In his acceptance speech, Professor Puhl emphasized the importance of international cooperation and the strong relationship within the ENGAGE.EU family. “This honor is a demonstration of our joint work,” said Puhl, adding that the alliance is an example of what can be achieved together. At the same time, he emphasized that an alliance like ENGAGE.EU can only be implemented through the collaboration of many individuals. He thanked all those involved: “Your commitment, enthusiasm, and teamwork are the heart and soul of our mission. I accept the honorary doctorate on behalf of all those who have contributed to our shared vision.”
The ceremony was attended by numerous academic and administrative representatives. In addition to the award, Professor Puhl also received the right to give an annual public lecture at UNWE.
A detailed report including a picture gallery and video recording of the ceremony can be found at ENGAGE.EU.