Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council in 2009-2014 and Prime Minister of Belgium in 2008-2009 received an honorary doctorate from the University of Łódź (UŁ).  

During the online event, the former head of the European Council said: It is a great honor for me to be able to become an honorary doctorate of this wonderful university today. The motto of this university is: “veritas et libertas”, truth and freedom. The journey of search never ends. Searching can only be completed in the spirit of freedom. Thoughts are free. Our universities have played and are playing a great role in thinking. This university is relatively small and young, but it is in line with the great European tradition of centers of thought and research.

The promoter of the honorary doctorate was Prof. Rafał Matera, dean of the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Lodz, who in laudation mentioned the reasons for awarding the title to a former Belgian politician: The fundamental reasons for awarding the honorary doctorate to Herman Van Rompuy is the recognition of his merits in the development of European integration and the appreciation of the unique role he played in political and social life European countries in a difficult period of economic crisis.