Timothy J. Kehoe recalls his 30 years at the UAB

Timothy Jerome Kehoe, professor of the University of Minnesota, was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by the UAB. The American economist was "deeply moved" by the award and spoke on his professional career, with special emphasis on his collaboration with several Spanish institutes during the past thirty years, and the special relation he holds with the UAB. Ferran Sancho, Rector of the UAB and one of Kehoe's collaborators, praised his "sensitivity and ability to empathise", as well as his excellent work as an economist.

Kehoe was nominated for the honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies and sponsored by Jordi Caballé, professor of the Department of Economics and Economic History. Professor Caballé also praised the achievements of the new doctorate and assured the audience that Kehoe "is fully deserving" of the award "both for his numerous academic achievements and his close relation with our university and the Spanish and Catalan academic community".

In his speech, given in Catalan, Spanish and English, Kehoe said he was "deeply moved" by this award "from his friends", and he emphasised on his relation to the university by saying "Jo sóc de l'Autònoma". He recalled his first contacts with Spanish economists, beginning in 1978 when he met former Catalan Finance Minister Andreu Mas-Collell (present at the ceremony) at the University of California, Berkeley. Mas-Colell was who invited Kehoe and Jaime Serra-Puche to come to Barcelona in 1984. According to Kehoe, "the UAB was the centre of teaching and research in modern economics in Spain in the 1980s and it was therefore a fascinating place to be".

Kehoe also recalled the research projects he collaborated in regarding the integration of Spain in the European Economic Community and free trade among North American countries. He also highlighted his most important collaboration projects, both at the UAB (Xavier Calsamiglia, Joan Maria Esteban, Clemente Polo, Ferran Sancho, Joaquim Silvestre, Antonio Manresa, etc.) and at other European and American universities (among others, with Robert Lucas, professor of the University of Chicago and Nobel Laureate in Economics, who was present at the ceremony). The new honorary doctorate ended his speech by congratulating the "marvellous group of students" with whom he has worked with this year during his stay at the UAB.

Generosity with students

UAB Rector Ferran Sancho expressed the "immense honour" and "privilege" it was for the UAB to be able to award this honorary doctorate. He recalled Kehoe's words during the inauguration of the 2012-2013 academic year at the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies ("The future begins today") and pointed out "his solidity as a theoretical and applied economist, two qualities which are not easy to find".

Rector Sancho spoke of his "sensitivity and ability to empathise", which has allowed him to establish "ties with universities in different countries". And he especially pointed out "his empathy and generosity with students", with whom Kehoe is "more of a tutor and friend" than a professor. With regard to collaborations with the UAB, Rector Sancho affirmed that "the seed he planted in the Department of Economics and Economic History has bloomed splendidly".

The event included the UAB Choir performing Steal Away, with arrangements by David Blackwell; Tú no sabe inglé, by Nicolás Guillén and Emilio Grenet; and a Syrian lullaby Yalla tnam "in memory of the humanity of all peoples", according to the director of the choir Poire Vallvé. The ceremony ended with the traditional singing of Gaudeamus igitur.