The Universitat de Barcelona (UB) has close historical ties with Barcelona and Catalonia. The institutional mission of the UB is to provide quality public higher education through teaching and research, thus contributing to the creation and transmission of culture and scientific, technical and professional knowledge and fomenting critical thought and a culture of freedom and pluralism. The basic academic structure of the UB consists of 19 faculties and university schools broken down into 100 departments and a series of specialized University research institutes. To create a more flexible and dynamic relationship with society, the UB oversees the work of the UB Group, a collection of organizations and institutes with legal autonomy over their capital which strive to complement and strengthen the activities and the results of the University in a range of fields. The UB is a leading producer of scientific knowledge in Spain and Latin America and is respected internationally for the quality of its teaching and research. Its reputation for quality and the diverse and comprehensive range of academic programs on offer make the Universitat de Barcelona one of the most important universities in southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

Since it was founded in 1450 by Alfonso the Magnanimous, the UB has played a major role in many of the events that have shaped the history of Barcelona and Catalonia. In 1717, several faculties were transferred to Cervera following a series of reforms to the academic system of the period, and the University was not to return to Barcelona in its present form until 1842. Work on the emblematic Historic Building in the centre of Barcelona began some 20 years later in 1863, and its architectural importance and valuable art collection saw the building declared a national monument of historic and artistic interest in 1970, at which time it still housed all of the University´s teaching activities. During the early part of the 20th Century the UB was heavily involved in the intellectual debate and political lobbying concerning the autonomy of higher education institutions, which was fundamentally linked to the autonomy of Catalonia as a whole. The Statute of Autonomy of the Universitat de Barcelona was passed in 1933, the year in which the use of Catalan as a teaching language was legalized. At the same time, student representatives were incorporated into the governing bodies and the curricular structure was altered to reflect the University´s new autonomous status, although the outbreak of civil war brought this period of independence to a premature end. The natural growth of the University gave rise to a period of construction and expansion in the 1950s to meet the greater demand for public university education in Barcelona and Catalonia. The real consolidation of the UB as an autonomous, democratic scientific institution came in 1977 under the Spanish transition to democracy, following the death of Franco two years earlier. The UB Statute of 1985 set out a new framework for renewing the University´s academic structures to reflect its newly granted autonomous status, and the current Statute, approved in 2003, emphasizes the role of the faculties and university schools as the backbones of university life and the principal exponents of its mission as a public institution offering higher education designed to meet the needs of society.

The range of degree programs and other qualifications offered at the UB reflect diverse student interests and requirements and the changing demands of wider society. Bachelor´s degrees, master´s degrees, doctoral programs and lifelong learning opportunities at the UB cover a range of disciplines and are renowned for the quality of tuition provided. Most of the bachelor´s degrees for the 2009-10 academic year are adapted to the requirements of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and the number of official EHEA master´s degrees has increased every year since their introduction, now standing at 130. At doctoral level, 43 of the 68 programs offered for the 2008-09 academic year received the official EU quality award and 57 were fully adapted to the EHEA. The UB has a total student population of approximately 90,000 and provides 30% of the public university places available in Catalonia, making it the largest university in the region. The intake of new students is currently around 12,000 for each academic year. Teaching quality is a long-standing priority, and the UB has always work to promote innovation, the development of new methodologies and materials, and the creation of innovative assessment systems to enhance the learning process of students at all levels.

The UB is the leading producer of scientific knowledge in Spain and is internationally renowned for its research prowess. UB researchers, working in 230 separate groups involved in 650 projects, publish over 3,100 articles a year in journals listed in the ISI (Institute for Scientific Information), and 40% of the doctoral theses read in Catalonia every year are produced by UB students and researchers. Research activity is carried out across the UB´s 109 departments by almost 5,000 researchers including teaching staff, laboratory assistances and research fellows, most of whom are affiliated to specific research groups. A large volume of research is also carried out through specialized research bodies, which include 8 UB-specific institutes, 9 affiliated centres, 2 university research institutes, 2 inter-university institutes, 15 research centres and a range of other bodies and agreements. The UB is also home to three research foundations, the Barcelona Science Park (PCB) Foundation, which includes the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IRBB), the Clinic Foundation/August Pi i Sunyer Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBAPS) and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL). The Scientific and Technical Services provide invaluable support to over 1,000 users from the scientific community at the UB, generating an annual turnover of €2.85 million. Technology and knowledge transfer are key to the scientific activity of the University, and are overseen by a variety of bodies including the Innovation Centre of the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation and the Agency for Assessing and Marketing Research Results, which has worked with the UB Patents Centre since 2006 to oversee University policy on the commercialization of licenses and patents held by researchers in the UB Group.

The UB recognizes the need to continue learning throughout life, and its range of lifelong learning courses is the largest and most diverse in Catalonia and one of the most extensive in the whole of Spain. Master´s degrees, postgraduate diplomas and university extension courses at the UB cover all major academic disciplines and many lesser-studied knowledge areas. Lifelong learning courses taught through face-to-face learning, distance learning and a mixture of the two are organized by UB faculties and schools and by the Institute for LifeLong Learning (IL3-UB). Courses in Spanish as a foreign language are available through the Institute of Hispanic Studies, and the UB´s Language Services organize Catalan courses that attract around 2,500 students every year. Finally, the School of Modern Languages (EIM) offers courses in 16 languages at a variety of levels. Since 1997, the UB has organized the Els Juliols summer school program for members of the University community and the general public.

The UB has a long tradition of cooperation with universities outside Spain and plays an important role in promoting international mobility, welcoming almost 2,000 visiting students and 250 teaching and research staff each year. In addition, 3,000 foreign students enrol on official degree programs at the University every year. International activity at the UB covers the following broad areas: 1. International mobility of students and teaching staff under specific academic agreements. 2. Education in an international context, as part of the UB´s commitment to integrating international and, in particular, European activity into the structure of its undergraduate and postgraduate programs. 3. Collaborative work with international scientific partners to promote the importance of international research. 4. University cooperation in developing countries. 5. UB presence in institutional networks, which strive to create a culture of quality in institutional activities and university services. The UB has exchange and cooperation agreements with 430 European universities, maintains specific relationships with universities and higher education institutions in Latina America, the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia, and has worked diligently to strengthen its academic partnerships with centres in North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and China.

Information for students The Student Support Service (SAE) provides information, advice and support to UB students during their studies and as they approach graduation and the transition to professional life. Students of all levels can seek information on a range of academic matters either in person or via the mónUB web portal, which provides links to news items, general information, guides to administrative procedures, and advice on applications for grants, scholarships and placements. Accommodation The UB runs three halls of residence, offers places in halls run by affiliated institutions, and has agreements with various public and private bodies for the provision of student accommodation. Library The UB Library, Teaching Resources centres and Publications Office form part of the Learning and Research Resources Centre (CRAI), which operates 20 specialized libraries across the UB´s many campuses, faculties and schools. All libraries offer long opening hours and provide study areas with computers and internet access. Sport at the UB UB Sports offers the university community close to 100,000 m2 of sports facilities, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness and activity rooms, football and rugby pitches, a general sports hall and an athletics track. Other Activities The UB has a thriving cultural life and organizes an annual concert season, operatic performances and a variety of exhibitions throughout the year. The University also provides support to theatre groups and various music groups and bands based in its faculties and schools. Solidarity and International Aid The UB Solidarity Foundation oversees a range of activities and initiatives to promote social participation and cooperation for sustainable development.

The UB combines the strengths of a long-established university with an innovative spirit and a commitment to teaching quality. The University is famed for its open and cosmopolitan outlook, which echoes the spirit of the city around it, and uses its privileged location in the heart of Barcelona to promote cultural production within the university community and in wider Catalan society. The UB is a world-class research institution and is renowned internationally for the quality of its teaching and scientific production. The range of courses and subjects available is second to none and is designed to reflect the key social and requirements of contemporary society. The UB offers all those who choose to become part of its community an educational experience founded upon solid values and a strong sense of responsibility and professionalism, and the diversity of its students in turn contributes to the lively and dynamic spirit of the University. As the largest single provider of higher education in Catalonia, the UB is proud to assume the responsibility of meeting social demands and pursuing its goals of excellence and pluralism in public higher education.

View larger map

No hay ningún documento en este momento. Puedes buscar documentos de otras universidades con el siguiente Buscador