Serra Húnter
Jaume Serra i Húnter (Manresa, 1878 – Cuernavaca, 1943) graduated in both law and arts in 1913. As a professor of History of Philosoph at the University of Barcelona, he became dean of the Faculty of Arts and the university's rector (1931-33). He was instrumental in modernizing the hiring of professors and the structure of academic teaching. During this period, the Republican university hired people of singular merit, who were selected by the institution on the basis of scientific and academic merits. Also, he introduced the incorporation of specialised professionals through the figure of free professors, who were granted permission or venia docendi to deliver lectures on equal terms as regular professors.
His name lives on in the Serra Húnter Programme designed to improve the quality of Catalan universities by internationalizing hiring methods.