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2007-08 / 2 SUMMARY Foreword from the Rector I. The Academic Year 2007-2008 at the UB • Annual report 2007-2008 • Governing bodies • Main structures of the UB • The UB in figures • The year in pictures II. Teaching and Student Services • Academic courses offered • Students and teaching staff: summary of data • Teaching improvement and innovation • Student services • Student Council Permanent Committee and Committee for Economic Affairs III. Research and Technology/Knowledge Transfer • Strategic research plan and other activities • Groups, projects and financial resources for research and technology/knowledge transfer • Human resources for research: scholarship-holders, doctors and theses • Research foundations and institutes o Barcelona Science Park Foundation (PCB) o August Pi i Sunyer Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBAPS) o Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL) o Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) o Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICC) o Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN 2UB) o Water Research Institute o Research Institute of Applied Economics (IREA) o Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA) o Inter-University Institute of the Ancient Near East (IPOA) o University of Barcelona Institute of Mathematics (IMUB) • Research and ethics IV. International Work • International institutional work • Participation in international academic exchange programs • Overall summary tables for student exchanges, TRS exchanges and international programs • Additional activities supporting international exchange V. Learning and Research Support Services • The Learning and Research Resources Centre (CRAI): Library Services • The Institute of Education Sciences (ICE) • The Language Services (SL) • The UB Scientific and Technical Services (SCT) • The Animal Experimentation Units (UEA) • Radiological protection • The Patents Centre • Health, Safety and the Environment 2007-08 / 3 VI. University and Business • The Bosch i Gimpera Foundation Innovation Centre (FBG) • The Agency for Assessing and Marketing Research Results (AVCRI) • Business training • The Feina UB program VII. University and Society • Institutional activities • Cultural activities • Sporting activities • Media activities • UB corporate image campaigns • Publishing • Antics UB (alumni association) • The UB Solidarity Foundation • The Vives University Network VIII. Annual Financial Report • Financial agreements • UB Group aggregate accounts for the 2007 financial year • University of Barcelona accounts for the 2007 financial year • Staff costs for the 2007 financial year • Budget for the 2008 financial year This symbol indicates that detailed or supplementary information can be found on the CD annex. 2007-08 / 4 Foreword from the Rector As I reflect on the academic year 2007-2008, two fundamental activities stand out. The first is the preparation of our new undergraduate degree programs and the second concerns my appointment as acting rector and the electoral process that has been instigated to select the next rector of the University of Barcelona. We are now entering the final stage in the preparation of the new undergraduate degrees. At the close of the academic year, the first forty of these degrees stand approved and await final validation. Together with the official master’s degrees, the new undergraduate degrees will occupy a central place in the educational offering provided by our University. With the full support of the Senate, we are taking these steps forward with assurance, maintaining an open dialogue and encouraging participation. Rejecting the use of violence in any situation, our aim remains to ensure the peaceful resolution of all issues, conflicts and protests that may arise. On 22 April 2008, our rector Màrius Rubiralta was named as the new Secretary of State for Universities. From that time, I have occupied the post of acting rector of the University of Barcelona and the team surrounding me has continued to ensure the normal operation of the institution and its current initiatives and policies. The upcoming academic year will bring the opportunity to select a new rector of the University under the election procedure set out in our Statutes. The entire community of the University will have an opportunity to play an active role in the process, and the debate and participation that take place will only serve to make our institution stronger. In addition, we have marked the seventy-fifth anniversary this year of the Statutes of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, renewing and reaffirming the values of the University of Barcelona as a public university in service to the country. In this Annual Report, you will find the principal results of the University’s efforts in education, research and knowledge transfer during the academic year 2007-2008. The work has been tireless and far-reaching, undertaken with seriousness, rigour, perseverance, quality, prudence and responsibility. The responsibility is shared and generously exercised by all the members of our community wherever they work or contribute. It is the sum total of their hard work and dedication that strengthens us and makes the UB a robust, cohesive institution ready to confront the missions to which it is called from both within and beyond our University. As the EUA’s Institutional Assessment Committee said in its evaluation of the UB, the University of Barcelona has enormous potential, creativity and critical mass and we can grasp the future in our own hands if we boldly exercise our autonomy. There is no doubt that the great source of our strength lies there, in the highly dedicated men and women that make up our University. Josep Samitier Acting Rector 2007-08 / 5 THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2007-2008 AT THE UB — Annual report 2007-2008 — Governing bodies — Main structures of the UB — The UB in figures — The year in pictures 2007-08 / 6 I. THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2007-2008 AT THE UB Annual report 2007-2008 The work undertaken during the academic year 2007-2008 by the main governing bodies of the UB has been intense and conducted in many areas of university activity, as will become apparent throughout this Annual Report. The introductory text below broadly sets out the main lines and aspects of greatest importance in this work. Governing bodies During the academic year 2007-2008, the University Senate met twice. The first meeting, held on 11 December 2007, was devoted to consideration of a letter sent to members by the rector concerning the financial situation of the University of Barcelona. The matter was discussed thoroughly and a declaration of institutional commitment was approved unanimously by all members in attendance. The declaration set out a defence of the University of Barcelona as a public university and called upon the public administration to adopt an approach to funding that is fairer and more balanced. In the meeting, approval was also given to the annual reports of the rector and the university ombuds officer. The Senate met again on 30 May 2008 in extraordinary session, convened at the request of more than one-sixth of Senate members. In the meeting, the acting rector submitted a report on the actions taken since the December meeting, making special mention of the situation arising from the appointment of Dr. Rubiralta as the new Secretary of State for Universities and the naming of Dr. Samitier as acting rector. At the behest of the rector, the Senate approved, by ample majority, three motions based on the initial proposals made by Senate members. The first motion established the commitment of the University of Barcelona and its governing bodies to the peaceful resolution of any issue, conflict or protest that should arise at the University, and affirmed their rejection of the use of violent methods of any kind. In response to the request that the Senate issue a statement on how the European Higher Education Area is to be applied within the Catalan universities, the Senate adopted a resolution to open a dialogue involving all the agents of the university community in the country in order to determine the best course of action to take in adapting to the European Higher Education Area. The Senate also decided to make public the difficult economic situation of the Catalan universities and their growing dependence on private capital. Lastly, the Senate adopted a resolution with respect to the defendants in the photograph burning case, calling for an immediate stay of proceedings against Senate member Enric Stern, and the other fifteen individuals charged with libel against the crown. The resolution also supported repeal of the crimes of libel against the crown and insult to the flag and called for respect to be given to the Catalan language in all areas of the judicial system. The Governing Council—the University’s collegiate governing body—held seven meetings and one extraordinary session during the academic year 2007-08. The extraordinary meeting was convened as a result of the appointment of then rector Dr. Rubiralta as Secretary of State. In response to the news, the pertinent provisions of the University’s Statutes for the naming of an acting rector were put into effect and agreement was reached to postpone the election of a new rector until the Governing Council was to meet in the first half of September 2008. In the remaining ordinary sessions, the Governing Council exercised its duties in the following areas: organization of courses and teaching, research, human and financial resources and drafting budgets. While the Governing Council agreed an extension to the previous budget on 17 December 2007, the budget for the 2008 financial year was approved in the meeting of 15 May 2008 and sent to the Board of Trustees for its final approval. 2007-08 / 7 In the area of courses and teaching, the Governing Council approved the proposed new master’s degrees for the 2008-2009 academic year on 8 October 2007. On 18 February 2008, new guidelines for the UB’s undergraduate course offerings received approval, including a map of qualifications, a degree framework and a curricula design template. On 14 July 2008, the first forty protocols for new undergraduate degrees received approval to proceed to verification.