On 17 June 2015, Mme. Thérèse Lebrun, Présidente déléguée of the Université Catholique de Lille, commended Fr. Nebres for being a model of the university's motto, in fide ad scientiam – in faith and science – and awarded him with a Docteur honoris causa  during the 2015 graduation ceremony in Lille, France. 

Apart from his contributions in the academe as a mathematician and professor, and his leadershiip in the fight against poverty and social injustice in the Philippines, Fr. Nebres also had a pivotal part in the development of Franco-Philippine academic relations –demonstrated by the successful collaboration and exchange between Ateneo de Manila and the Université Catholique de Lille, along with other French institutions of higher education. 

As a result of his efforts which started ten years ago, Ateneo de Manila continues to be a significant academic partner of France –accounting for almost thirty cooperation agreements and making the country a top destination for students who wish to spend a semester abroad.