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Ramon Llull University Rector Josep Antoni Rom Dies at 61 of Heart Attack

He had led the Barcelona-based private university since 2022 after a long tenure shaping Blanquerna’s communication and international relations faculty.

Overview

  • The university said Rom died in the early hours of November 7–8 and identified the cause as a heart attack.
  • Rom became rector in October 2022 after serving as vice-rector for research and innovation from 2020 to 2022.
  • His career at Blanquerna-URL began in 1994, where he co-founded the Faculty of Communication and International Relations and later oversaw technology, equipment, and the advertising/PR/marketing degree.
  • He held a history degree from the University of Barcelona (1987) and a PhD in advertising and public relations from URL (2004), and he led the GRECPRP research group.
  • Catalan president Salvador Illa expressed condolences, praising Rom’s commitment to cohesion, innovation, and creativity, while the university issued an institutional message of condolence without succession details.