Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year

Design created by Laia Closas, Javi Fernández, Hel·lena Prat and Maria Viladomiu, students of EINA, University Centre of Art and Design of Barcelona, attached to the UAB. Edited by Secretaria General Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Coordination Gabinet del Rectorat Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Design Mètode Design

Fotographs Pierre Caufapé Carlos Iborra Pedro Moreno Jordi Pareto Àrea de Comunicació i de Promoció Àrea de Relacions Internacionals Fundació Autònoma Solidària Oficina de Medi Ambient Parc de Recerca UAB

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Campus de Bellaterra 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès) www.uab.cat/en

Information in this report for the 2017-2018 academic year is accurate at 31 May 2018.

This report is also available in Catalan (www.uab.es/memoria/2017-2018) and in Spanish (www.uab.es/memoria/2017-2018/castellano) Index

01 Presentation 04

02 50th anniversary of the UAB 06

03 Governance and institutional activities 08

04 Teaching 10

05 Research and transfer of knowledge and technology 18

06 International projection 28

07 Social and environmental commitment 32

08 University community 36

09 Resource management 40 Presentation

The 2017-2018 academic year has been characteristics of the UAB as a campus rolling out and maintenance of different a very special one because we began university and offer a response to the socioeducational and volunteer the celebrations for the 50th anniversary needs of society. In line with this strategic programmes and in the decision to of the Universitat Autònoma de planning, new, markedly interdisciplinary promote debate and reflection on Barcelona, which will continue into the courses have been designed which can questions concerning society. In that next year. To celebrate the anniversary, be applied to new fields, especially sense, I would like to highlight the this year the UAB has organised a range technological fields. importance of awareness-raising and of institutional and cultural events which The results obtained in 2017 in research greater visibility for mental illness which have given us the opportunity to take a and transfer reflect the strength of we have undertaken this year under the closer look at the path we have travelled research activity by the research groups motto “Mental health: visible and without and the achievements we have made. At in the university and consolidate the UAB stigma at the UAB”. the same time, it has allowed us to come as the top generalist university in the This year the UAB has completed the together to enjoy a festival atmosphere number of programmes financed by the missions it had set out for itself through and cultural events and to make a European Horizon 2020. At the same good choices and rigour and, with diligent renewed call for the traits and valued time, it maintained its leadership among concern for the needs of society and the which identify us as the UAB community. Spanish universities in patents at the region, it has become stronger as a driver This necessary reflection, which leaves European Patents Office. of social change. no doubt about the progress our Our commitment to promoting innovation There is no doubt that the UAB has university has made, has also encouraged in the region has materialised this year achieved its half century on solid us to go one step further and re-think in the creation of the B30 Hub -- a foundations and with a firm commitment the university we want for the future by platform led by the UAB Research Park as a public university to offer the best drawing up a strategic plan in the which offer society, and especially the quality teaching and research and to train framework of Horizon 2030. This year we business sector, the technological citizens who go on to contribute to the have successfully completed the phases capacity and scientific knowledge of the social, cultural and economic progress of strategic analysis and the identification UAB Sphere and Eurecat. of the country. These fundamental tasks of our broad strategic lines of action. As a result of the quality of teaching and and our commitment to the public are This report reflects the commitment the impact of the research carried out, renewed every year thanks to the of our university to society with all the the UAB has achieved high positions in excellent work of the entire university necessary transparency and the university rankings this year and in community. For that reason, and accountability, and in accordance with the questionnaires on academic coinciding with the 50th anniversary of this, the pages that follow offer a succinct reputation, and together with the UAB’s our institution, we should remember with summary of the main results of the own research centres and those linked gratitude all those who have actively activities of the UAB in the areas to the UAB Sphere has reinforced its collaborated from both within and outside of teaching, research and transfer. position as a pole of attraction for the UAB, to build a university that is In the area of teaching I would like to international talent. faithful to its founding principles which remain as relevant as ever. highlight that this year we have approved The vitality of our institution is reflected Margarita Arboix Arzo new Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in in the active participation of the university accordance with the programming criteria community in campus life, but also in the Rector which demonstrate the unique

04 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 01

Figures for 2017-2018

Courses Internationalisation

Bachelor’s degrees 93 Foreign undergraduate students 1,383

Master’s degrees 127 Foreign official Master’s degree students 1,158

PhD programmes 67 Foreign UAB Master’s degree students 1,050

Lifelong learning programmes (2016-2017) 412 Foreign PhD students 1,651

UAB faculties and schools 13 UAB students on exchange programmes 1,130

Attached university schools 11 Students on exchange programmes at the UAB 1,376

Foreign students on the Study Abroad programme 3,237 Teaching

New undergraduate students 6,584 Human resources (2017)

Total undergraduate students 25,682 Teaching and research staff 3,850

Bachelor’s degree graduates (2016-2017) 4,892 Trainee research staff 584

Master’s degree students 3,072 Administration and services staff 2,315

Master’s degree graduates (2016-2017) 2,122 Budget (2017) New undergraduate students in attached centres 1,324 Expenditure settlement statement (in millions of Euros) 316.52 Total undergraduate students in attached centres 5,321

Bachelor’s degree graduates in attached centres 1,087 Notes: (2016-2017) • Information for the 2017-2018 academic year was correct at 31 Master’s degree students in attached centres 719 May 2018.

Master’s degree graduates in attached centres 489 • The number of full-time equivalent undergraduate students (2016-2017) is 23,941.

Lifelong learning students (2016-2017) 6,446 • The number of students does not include students on interuniversity programmes who are not registered directly at the UAB. Research (2017) • Teaching and research staff includes postdoctoral researchers Research groups recognised by the Government 264 (Ramon y Cajal, Juan de la Cierva, Beatriu de Pinós, etc.), of of Catalonia whom there are 177.

Departments 57 • The number of full-time equivalent teaching and research staff is 2,707. Research and study centres 25

UAB research institutes 8

Attached research institutes 35

PhD students 4,604

Doctoral theses presented (2016-2017) 994

Articles published in indexed journals (WOK-ISI) 4,287

Total patents applied for 64

New companies in the UAB Research Park 10

Resources allocated for research (in millions of Euros) 70.17

05 50th anniversary of the UAB

During the 2017-2018 academic year the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona began the celebrations for its 50th anniversary with a number of institutional events on the campus and in the nearby cities under the slogan “The Bold Adventure of Learning”.

Commemorative event «50 Years Since the Decree for the Creation of the UAB» On 6 June the 50th anniversary of the decree for the creation of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona was celebrated and represented the start of the autumn teaching activity in the Faculty of Arts «Living History of the UAB» Day and Humanities and the Faculty of Medicine. The UAB celebrated the event On 25 April members of the teaching with a series of activities which were staff and the administration and services organised throughout the day, culminating The UAB holds the official opening staff attended the Barcelona Centre for in the 50th Anniversary Dinner. of the academic year in the Monastery Contemporary Culture (CCCB) as part of Sant Cugat of the «Living History of the UAB» day. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities The official opening ceremony of the The event was organised as a tour through celebrated the event with by inviting the different periods of the institution and the eminent Henri Weber, one of the academic year was held on 21 September the participants shared their experiences of famous faces from May ‘68. In the at the Monastery of Sant Cugat del Vallès their own personal journeys at the university morning he gave a talk in the auditorium and opened the way for a series of and highlighted some of the key moments on the sociopolitical context of May ‘68. commemorative events to celebrate the in the history of the UAB. 50th anniversary of the UAB. Federico Mayor Zaragoza defended the culture of peace in his opening speech and in between the different presentations, the theatre company Comediants offered a series of fables based on the Book of the Beasts by Ramon Llull. During the opening the musical piece Universitas, was performed for the first time, Concert for 50 Years of the UAB composed by Poire Vallvé, director of On 3 May the Concert for 50 Year of The main lecture hall for the Faculties the Choir and the Music Workshop of the the UAB took place at the La Faràndula of Science and Biosciences hosted the UAB, based on a poem by Rafael Simó Theatre in Sabadell. During the first part written especially for the piece. of the programme, the Vallès Symphony presentation of the commemorative book Orchestra, conducted by Marta Cardona, The Bold Adventure of Learning. 50 performed The Four Seasons by Antonio Years UAB, coordinated by Professors Vivaldi. Next the UAB Choir and Orchestra, of Contemporary History at the UAB Borja conducted by Poire Vallvé and Jesús de Riquer and Carme Molinero, offering Badia, together with members of the Vallès a summary of half a century of history. Symphony Orchestra performed for The presentation included speeches the first time The Secret of Things, by Carlos Sánchez, Vice Rector for composed especially for the occasion Institutional Relations and Culture, the by the well-known musician, composer editors of the book and the former rectors and alumnus of the UAB Marc Timón.

06 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 02 The UAB exhibits its artistic heritage Highlight in «Art Apart» On 4 June the exhibition «Art Apart» opened in the UAB Communication Library and General News Archive. Curated by students on the Master’s degree in Analysis and Management of Artistic Heritage, with the collaboration of the ‘Cultura en Viu’ Unit, the exhibit allows visitors to see different works from the art collection that the UAB has been The UAB «giants» return for building up over the last fifty years. the 50th anniversary On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the UAB, the group of «giants» from Molins de Rei has restored the «giants» of the UAB Ramon Pasqual and Josep of the UAB and brought them M. Vallès, who also contributed to this out to dance at the university’s collective publication. annual party. The «giants» were built in 1987 with the aim of Following that there was a conversation making the campus a diverse between Margarita Arboix, Rector of the space in which to carry out UAB, and Rafael Garesse, Rector of the different extra-academic Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, which activities. They are inspired is twinned with the UAB because it was in university values such as created from the same decree. knowledge and wisdom: the female «giant» represents the goddess Pallas Athena and the male symbolises the figure of the professor.

«The Bold Adventure of Learning. 50 Years UAB» This commemorative volume for the 50th anniversary of the UAB, coordinated by Professors of Finally the facilities of the UAB Physical Contemporary History at the UAB Activity Service were offered for a dinner Borja de Riquer and Carme Molinero, created by chef Nandu Juvany and his analyses the path of the university team, and a dance accompanied by the in terms of its academic and civic Plateria Orchestra. The evening’s events The Gespa Price poetry recital significance and its scientific included a giant birthday cake decorated returns to the UAB after 43 contributions with a view to providing with historical photographs of the UAB, years an overview of the tasks carried out a toast to the past, the present and the by the UAB over this half century. On 15 May philosophy students future of the UAB by the rector and a and members of the Art en Curs The publication is the result of video projection in homage to the people group recovered the Gespa contributions by a number of different who have had the greatest presence Price poetry recital, first authors, and is a summary of the during this half century of the university’s performed in 1975 by a group experiences, criteria and opinions of existence. The celebrations ended with of philology students to give the members of the university community a spectacular firework display. art a fundamental value in the from different generations and defence of Catalan language and disciplines. In fact, over a hundred culture, making it a means of people were involved in the writing changing the situation at that of the different chapters. time.

07 Governance and institutional activities

On 14 February the Senate approved the report by the rector, Margarita Arboix, on the general lines of the UAB by 103 votes for, 30 against and 17 abstentions.

Agreements of the Board of Trustees

governing bodies - Approval of the general regulations and In terms of the operation and structure plans of the UAB in the following areas: of the Board of Trustees of the UAB, the This academic year the governing and Model of academic dedication of UAB 2017-2018 academic year, Maria Isabel representative bodies have continued teaching staff; Model of theoretical AynÈ was nominated as representative with their activities. teaching and research staffing in the of the trade union organisations, The Senate met twice during the year: department s and hospital teaching units substituting Juan Manuel Tapia. on 22 November 2017 and on 14 of the UAB; Model of budget distribution In addition to all the actions carried out February 2018. During these meetings to centres and departments; additional within the framework of the University- the model of academic dedication by remunerations derived from participation Society programme(see chapter 06 teaching staff of the UAB and the model in research, transfer and specialist training “Social and Environmental Commitment”, for the theoretical staffing of the activities covered under article 83 of the Board of Trustees has carried out the departments and teaching hospital units Organic Law on Universities (collaborative competences attributed to it by the Law of the UAB were debated and approved. tasks); Regulations for financing and on Universities of Catalonia (LUC) in the The rector’s annual report on the general academic dedication for UAB’s own staff areas of university community, financial policy lines of the university was also training; Agreement relating to degrees planning and management. Specifically, approved as was the proposal to open of 180 ECTS credits at the UAB; this year there were 24 committee up a transparent process for reviewing Conservation policy of the Digital meetings and seven Board meetings the protocol against sexual harassment Document Repository of the UAB (DDD); and 283 agreements were reached. at the UAB. Management procedure for minor It should be highlighted that the Board The Governing Council met eight times: purchases by the Universitat AutÚnoma of Trustees has taken an active part in on 27 September, 16 November and 13 de Barcelona; modification of the the commemoration activities for the 50th December in 2017; 8 February, 14 March, Regulation of the Student Council of the anniversary and in drawing up the 13 June and 10 July 2018. It adopted UAB; and the Healthy and Sustainable Strategic Plan for 2018-2030 for the UAB. 133 agreements and also dealt with Campus Plan for 2018-2022. On the other hand, among the most points of information, debate and - De-subscription of the University School important actions this year was the approval. The most significant of these for Tourism and Hotel Management; decisive contribution by the Board of were the following: creation of the ARCTIC Centre for Studies Trustees to create the Hub B30 platform and Research. the Women and Rights - Approval and referral to the Board of with the aim of making technological Centre for Studies and Research, the Trustees of the basic criteria for the capacities and the knowledge of the UAB Centre for the History of Science (CEHIC) prorogation of the UAB budget for 2017 Sphere research groups available to and the Centre for Studies and Research until the 2018 budget is approved, and society. of the 2018 budget, the financial report, for an Inclusive Society. Finally, it is important to point out that the income statement and the budget - Nominations of recipients of honorary the Board of Trustees has continued its settlement for the UAB corresponding to doctorates: Lisa Randall, Jaume Plensa work this year with actions aimed at the financial year at 31 December 2017. SuÒÈ, Caddy Adzuba, Marie-Paule increasing its transparency and visibility Kieny, Joaquim Maria Puyal Ortega and as a representative body by launching Bruno Dente. a three-monthly bulletin.

08 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 03 Highlight

On 5 July the Board of Trustees of the UAB organised a round table event at the Palau Robert (Barcelona) “A changing world. Where is it taking us?”. Rafael Bisquerra, director of the postgraduate diploma in Emotional Education and Wellbeing; Alfons Cornella, founder of the Institute of Next; Ramin Jahanbegloo, director of the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Peace; Sara Moreno, lecturer in sociology at the UAB, and Carlota Pi, president of Holaluz, discussed the The UAB awards an honorary social and economic challenges of today’s world. doctorate to Manuel Castells On 19 December, Manuel Strategic Plan Castells, professor of Sociology at the Open University of for 2018-2030 Catalonia, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the UAB During the 2017-2018 academic year in recognition of his academic there has been significant progress in career and research in the field preparing the Strategic Plan of the UAB of social sciences and his for 2018-2030. Specifically the strategic contributions to the knowledge analysis phase took place and the Plan of the information society. is also complete. Recognition for teaching staff Lecturers from the Department As a result of the process of strategic at the UAB of Media, Communication and reflection carried out by the Governing Culture of the UAB, Enric MarÌn On 24 October in the conference hall Team, the document “The UAB of the and Joan Manuel Tresserras, of the Rectorat, there was an act future. A view to 2030” was produced were the sponsors. of homage to Josep Font, retired as a starting point to encourage professor of Organic Chemistry, participation by the university community who during a long career at the UAB, in the preparation of the Strategic Plan. occupied the positions of vice rector It should be highlighted that the process on two occasions, Dean of the of strategic diagnosis was markedly Faculty of Science and the UAB participative thanks to the use of a survey ombuds officer. aimed at managers and academics and the organisation of thematic working On 23 February, Marina Subirats, sessions by different groups in the emeritus professor in the Department university. In addition, we have had of Sociology of the UAB, was contributions by emeritus academic staff awarded an honorary doctorate Margarita Salas, honorary and external professionals with by the University of Valladolid doctorate from the UAB knowledge of the university environment. in recognition of her academic contribution, especially in the field Biochemist Margarita Salas was From the reflection document and the of co-education. awarded an honorary doctorate contributions by the university community by the UAB on 18 April in we have entered the phase of defining Among the distinctions received by recognition of her contribution the strategic lines of Horizon 2030. academic staff from the UAB, this to the discovery of mechanisms Activities have been planned with this year the Government of Catalonia of morphogenesis and objective in mind to facilitate the debate awarded the Sant Jordi Cross this replication and control of genic and involvement of different groups, such year to Dolors Udina, lecturer of the expression of bacterial viruses, as open presentation workshops and Department of Translation and as a result of her valuable and group work to validate the strategic lines Interpreting and Eastern Asian fruitful dedication to the study and objectives. Also, with the aim of Studies of the UAB, for her intensive of the bacteriophage Δ29 as obtaining the opinions of the community work in literary translation. Writer a model, over more than fifty to determine the priority actions in the Carme Riera, professor of the years. Montserrat Llagostera, plan, a survey was sent to UAB staff to Department of Spanish of the UAB professor of the Department give them the opportunity to evaluate the and member of the Royal Academy of Genetics and Microbiology key elements to be faced by the UAB for the Spanish Language, received of the UAB was the sponsor. over the coming years. the Gold Medal of the Balearic Islands (the highest award in that autonomous region) for the close links and roots with the social and cultural reality of the islands that she shows in her work.

09 Teaching

The UAB has approved new degree courses with a high interdisciplinary component which enables students to face the most recent global challenges and work in leading technological areas.

The academic policy of the UAB Programming criteria for official courses With regard to degrees worth 180 ECTS has continued to prioritize teaching This year the Academic Affairs Committee credits, programming is forecast in quality, teaching innovation and the of the Governing Council has approved accordance with the following conditions: internationalisation of the student the document Programming Criteria for they must be emerging Bachelor’s degrees; curriculum. Official Courses at the UAB. The document they must be offers of complete training, This year the UAB has put into action the includes the essential elements on which can guarantee the attainment of the architecture of qualifications approved programming included in the framework competences of the qualification and under last year. Criteria have been established document The Organisational Structure no circumstances may they be the for programming the Bachelor’s and of Qualifications at the UAB, which was conversion the existing Bachelor’s degrees Master’s degrees and new degree approved last year from a set of documents of 240 ECTS credits without a substantial courses were approved. The UAB has resulting from the participative debates change in the content and, therefore, the approved new degree courses with a which were carried out in the centres. competences of the qualification. high interdisciplinary component which The general programming criteria have the document indicates that the criteria enables students to face the most recent been established based on the fact that for programming and deprogramming global challenges and work in leading the UAB is a campus university with Master’s degrees cannot be strictly technological areas. academic activity in all branches of numerical but have to take into account knowledge. This distinctive characteristic It should be highlighted that the number academic and training aspects. So, for means that interdisciplinary proposals are of students taking official Master’s example, for each of the areas of considered to be strategic. There is also degrees at the UAB has increased by knowledge of the UAB the programming emphasis on the fact that the course offer 60% in the last four academic years, of at least one Master’s degree course at the UAB must be sensitive to the need demonstrating the importance of this which offers access to consolidated of society at all times, in such a way that level of study and the prestige and doctoral studies must be guaranteed. if there are basic studies that must have capacity for attracting students of the On the other hand, the programming of a continual presence, in terms of the rest UAB Master’s degree courses, with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees is of the courses offered, the university should a total of 38% international students. conditioned by the criteria for efficiency be agile enough to deprogramme them applied by the General Universities In the area of teaching quality, a project when conditions advise that this is the Directorate to qualifications and centres. was launched to support teaching quality correct move. It is anticipated, for example, The availability of teaching staff resources in university centres and to facilitate the that the programming and deprogramming must also be taken into account and the institutional accreditation process and of courses will take into account the qualifications must be programmed in aims to improve quality control in the opinions of the end employers. courses on offer. accordance with the student:staff ratios In terms of specific discipline courses, established in the same document. In that The university’s own postgraduate and other requirements are included which sense, the document established the size lifelong learning courses have improved refer to single or minority proposals in of the groups and the percentage of time the employment prospects of over 6,000 the Catalan University System, that there in which they should be present in the graduates and professionals thanks to a should be external references in the classroom in accordance with the teaching dynamic and innovative offer. The close university systems of countries with which mode and, in accordance with nature of relationship of the UAB with institutions the UAB has mobility agreement and which each qualification the appropriate in the region has also been a key factor respond to the needs of society and take student:staff ratio. when launching an innovative programme into account the criteria for employability of dual short courses. of the students.

10 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 04 Highlight

Evolution of new Bachelor’s degree students

6,799 6,486 6,634 6,575 6,584

1,693 1,601 UAB The faculties also aelebrate 1,344 1,343 1,324 centres the anniversary Attached centres This year, as well as the UAB as 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 a whole, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, which was the first, together with the Faculty of Bachelor’s degree students, 2017-2018. UAB centres Medicine, which began to operate fifty years ago when the Centre Students registered UAB was created. Also, the Women Men Total Faculty of Education and the School of Engineering 346 1,804 2,150 Faculty of Translation and Interpreting, which were Faculty of Economics and Business 1,230 1,637 2,867 changed from university schools Faculty of Biosciences 1,246 627 1,873 to faculties in 1992, are also Faculty of Science 867 1,398 2,265 celebrated their 25th anniversary.

Faculty of Education 1,963 322 2,285 Among the many cultural activities and events for Faculty of Communication 1,216 600 1,816 remembering and reflection Faculty of Political Science and Sociology 493 538 1,031 organised by the three faculties Faculty of Law 1,256 654 1,910 were the joint Floral Games of the Plaça del Coneixement, so- Faculty of Philosophy and Arts 1,828 1,216 3,044 named because of the location Faculty of Medicine 1,795 751 2,546 of the three faculties. The prizes Faculty of Psychology 1,470 303 1,773 were awarded on 2 May to 18 students for 20 categories of Faculty of Translation and Interpreting 938 278 1,216 creation and translation. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine 667 239 906 On 19 December in the Total 15,315 10,367 25,682 Auditorium of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Faculties of Bachelor’s degree students, 2017-2018. Attached centres Arts and Translation and Centre Students registered Interpreting organised a joint

Women Men Total concert by the Tekhné Symphony Orchestra which Eina, University Centre of Art and Design of Barcelona 297 118 415 played as their main piece Massana School. Municipal Art and Design Centre 252 72 324 Beethoven’s Symphony No 7. School for Prevention and integrated Security 55 178 233 The closing events for the

US for Health Science* 191 172 363 celebration of the anniversaries included a commemorative US for Social Science* 48 12 60 monolith by Jaume Barrera at Gimbernat US for Nursing and Physiotherapy 828 559 1,387 the Faculty of Education and a Sant Pau US for Nursing 294 53 347 poem by Anna Aguilar-Amat on the wall of the Faculty of US for Nursing and Occupational Therapy of Terrassa 658 144 802 Translation and Interpreting with Tomàs Cerdà US for Computer Science 5 54 59 a translation into English by Anna Salesian US of Sarrià 76 545 621 Crowe.

US for Tourism and Hotel Management 489 221 710 The Faculty of Medicine plans to celebrate its own Total 3,193 2,128 5,321 50th anniversary during the * In process of de-attachment since the 2015-2016 academic year. 2018-2019 academic year.

11 Evolution of new Bachelor’s degree students

2,433 2,497 2,464 2,059 1,701

572 525 516 UAB % 346 centres 38 328 Attached international students on centres university Master’s degrees 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018

Bachelor’s degrees Postgraduate courses In the 2017-2018 academic years component allowing students to face the The structure of the courses introduced Bachelor’s degree courses at the UAB current global challenges and work in by the Bologna Process has meant that once again demonstrated their capacity leading technological areas. So, for the Official Master’s degrees have been for attracting students. This was seen in 2018-2019 academic year eight new consolidated in recent years as an the number of application as first option degree courses and one double degree increasingly necessary period in the (10,422) - a figure that has been growing will be offered in the area of the humanities, academic careers of students and one in recent years, and the high cut off grades social sciences and engineering. which is in more and more demand. In for many courses in the areas of science, that sense, the Official Master’s degrees This new offer includes two Bachelor’s biosciences, health, veterinary medicine, at the UAB have shown a significant degree courses of three years duration education and communication. increase in the number of students (180 ECTS credits): Management of In terms of registrations new students registered of 62% from the 2013-2014 Smart and Sustainable Cities, which accounted for 6,584, which means it has academic year, when there were 2,343 was first offered this year as a UAB degree, remained stable compared with recent students registered to 3,791 in the 2017- and Gender Studies, the first degree in years, while the total number of 2018 academic year - figure very similar the Catalan university system focussed registrations has dropped slightly from to the previous year, which indicates that on this field of study which will be imparted 26,155 in 2016-2017 to 25,682 in 2017- this increase is stable. in a completely interdisciplinary manner 2018, a decrease of 1.8%. from the areas politics, sociology, history, The accreditation process for At the schools attached to the UAB there culture and health. The UAB has also qualifications is evidence of the high were 1,324 registrations by new students incorporated the Interuniversity Bachelor’s quality of the Official master’s degrees which is a similar figure to the previous degree in Philosophy, Politics and at the UAB: year after year, the number year (1,343). The total number of Economics, which is taught jointly with of Master’s degrees that have achieved registrations in these centres was 5,321, the University Autónoma de Madrid, Carlos favourable accreditation with the seal of which indicates another slight decrease III University and the Pompeu Fabra excellency has continued to increase and with respect to the previous year (5.508) University within the framework of the currently stands at 41% of all master’s as a result of the de-attachment of the Aliança 4 Universitats association. degrees accredited. Also, over 30 Manresa university which began in 2015- Master’s degrees offered in English 2016. New Bachelor’s degree for 2018-2019 and 38% of international students taking • Ancient Studies The number of graduates in 2016-2017 Official Master’s degrees show the high • Data Engineering in the university’s own centres at 4,892 level of internationalisation achieved and • Gender Studies (3-year UAB degree) was similar to the previous year (4.861). the prestige of the programmes on offer. • Philosophy, Politics and Economics In the attached centres, however, the (UAB, UAM, UC3M, UPF) The UAB offers a wide and diverse range number decrease by 12% in comparison • Geography, Environment of university-specific Master’s degrees with the previous year from 1.238 in 2015- and Regional Planning covering all areas of knowledge and 2016 to 1.087 in 2016-2017. • Management of Smart and Sustainable tracks (professionalisation, research and In terms of the offer of courses, this Cities (3 years) specialisation). During this academic year year saw the launch of a series of new • Computational Mathematics eight new Master’s degree proposals Bachelor’s degrees which, in line with and Data Analysis were approved in 2018-2019 six of them the new programming criteria, promote • International Relations will be offered - four in the areas of courses with a high interdisciplinary • Political Science and Public the humanities and the social sciences Management + Sociology (Teaching Chinese for Spanish Speakers;

12 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Postgraduate programmes and students Students

Programmes Women Men Total Highlight

Official postgraduate courses (2017-2018)

Master’s degree in UAB centres 111 1,848 1,224 3,072

Master’s degrees in attached centres 16 428 291 719

PhDs 67 2,513 2,091 4,604

TOTAL 194 4,789 3,606 8,395

UAB postgraduate courses (2016-2017) UAB-Society Dialogues for UAB Master’s degrees 140 1,865 778 2,643 Knowledge at the Graduate Postgraduate Diplomas 86 1,051 473 1,524 School

Specialisation courses 186 1,434 845 2,279 This year the Graduate School has organised four new lectures TOTAL 412 4,350 2,096 6,446 within the framework of the UAB-Society Dialogues for Knowledge: on 22 September Teresa Fernández de la Vega Conference Interpreting; Journalism Each year the UAB invites submissions and Margarita Arboix analysed and Innovation in Digital Content; and for new MOOC courses as part of its the role of women in the African Translation and Intercultural Studies), one commitment to innovation and continent; on 20 December on the application of technology in health internationalisation of its activities Cristina Narbona and Antón care (The Internet of Things for Digital as a way of encouraging transfer and Costas held a debate on the Health) and the last in the area of health academic excellence. In the 2017 call for global challenges facing the sciences (Physiotherapy in Paediatrics). submissions 11 new MOOC were economy and ecology; on 20 March Miquel Vilardell and approved, which were produced Continuing Professional Development Gabriel Masfurroll discussed the throughout the year and made available (CPD) future of the health system, and to users via the international Coursera In the area of CPD the Graduate School on 28 May Manuel Cermerón platform. and Miquel Martí spoke about has continued to work to improve the digitization. offer of courses at the UAB and to strengthen its relationship with society and the production sector. Among the activities that it carried out, highlights included the second event aimed at UAB students and the continuation of the UAB-Society Dialogues for Knowledge. In terms of the internal organisation, Two UAB students win the this year the regulations for finance Morpheus Day prize and academic dedication for training at On 6 May the second event aimed Petra Kroupová and Sophia the UAB and the canon applied by the at students organised by the Herrmann, students on the university for CPD programmes has been Graduate School took place under Master in Economics and reviewed and homogenised. the title “Which student qualities do Business Administration (MEBA) During the 2016-2017 academic year, companies currently require?”, in of the Faculty of Economics and the Graduate School managed 400 UAB which experts from the academic Business of the UAB, have won Master’s degrees and CPD courses with and business worlds held a debate first prize (Gold Challengers) in an offer of quality courses, and improved about the what companies expect the Morpheus Day competition, which took place on 12 April in employment opportunities for graduates of future professionals. The first Paris within the European and professionals (around 6,500 this year) results of the Educa 2020 surveys Morpheus Cup initiative. who took part. were also presented. Organised jointly with large In terms of the MOOC courses at the companies and with the support UAB, this year there were 28 on offer, of the European Commission, six more than last year, which 130,215 the Morpheus Cup brings registrations. together young students who have to demonstrate their talent through the presentation of innovative projects (Morpheus Prize) or by participating in a day of thematic challenges (Morpheus Day). 13 On 22 November, 135 students from the UAB took part in the innovation workshop UAB Challenges 2017 with the objective of generating innovative ideas for the university with a marked social angle, based on the Sustainable Development Objectives of the United Nations. International educational projects

In 2017 the UAB secured a total of ten The UAB prepares an innovative projects in the area of education in of dual pre-degrees international competitions, most of them Next academic year the UAB will offer guarantee of courses offered by the linked to the Erasmus+ programme. Of a new kind of professionalising training UAB. these projects, the UAB is the coordinator which is without precedent in the of one and a partner in the others. This dual pre-degree not only offers Catalan university system. These are students’ knowledge of ICT and public In competitions the UAB has been UAB qualifications aimed at young administrations but also gives them Erasmus Mundus Joint awarded an people with upper secondary school transferable skills which can improve Master Degrees for the project: education who do not have either their level of qualification and personal “Philosophies allemandes et françaises a degree or professional experience. development. A At the same time it contemporaines: enjeux Student have the opportunity to apply puts young people in contact with the contemporains (PHIAFEC)” , associated for a study grant paid monthly during UAB campus, which could encourage with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities their practical training. them, in the future, to study for a and coordinated by the University of The first of the pre-degrees promoted university degree. Toulouse Jean Jaurés. In relation to by the UAB, Specialist in Information the competition Capacity Building in the The plan of the UAB is to offer different Systems and Local Administrations, Field of Higher Education, which enables courses of this kind in 2019, in the has been designed to increase the cooperation projects outside Europe, fields of ICT and health, among others, employability of young people in the three projects were awarded in which the as a response to the demand for public sector, with a highly practical UAB participates as a partner: two in technically qualified employees in element of training and with the Latin America and one in Indonesia. The companies and organisation and to co-direction of the Diputació de competition for Strategic Partnerships in promote the entry of university- Barcelona and local government the Field of Education, Training and Youth, qualified people into the labour market. organisations, and the quality which enables cooperation projects for innovation and exchange of good practices in Europe, resulted in the award of the project “Sustainable Tourism through Networking and Collaboration (SUSTAIN-T)”, coordinated by the Department of Geography of the UAB. Also, as a partner, the UAB is taking part in two other projects from this competition. In the Erasmus+ sport call for applications the UAB was awarded two projects in a partner capacity. Outside Erasmus+ the UAB has also participated in 2017 in the SIRIUS 2.0 Policy Network on Migrant Education, through the Department of Applied Teaching.

14 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona On 27 September four students Highlight and graduates from the UAB who took part in the last international entrepreneurship support programme BoosterWE de Red Emprendia described their experiences in the first UAB Session of the year. These sessions are a training resource offered by The UAB takes part in the UAB Emprèn to disseminate creation of a non-competitive information about entrepreneurial board game entrepreneurial projects. Academic staff from the Employability and Department of Business of the UAB have worked with the entrepreneurship Kidnelis company from Sabadell to create Biznelis - the first table The creation last year of the Social and Ethical game for entrepreneurship Employability Service has meant that Entrepreneurship Project and business management students and graduates have received This year the Social and Ethical in Catalonia. Biznelis is aimed support in their process of professional Entrepreneurship Project was launched at children from 10 to 12 years development in line with the studies they aiming to promote skills and competences old and has the backing of the have taken and has facilitated a greater based on the generation of ideas and Department of Education of involvement by those using the service. problem-solving in the area of the Government of Catalonia. In the 2017-2018 academic year, the entrepreneurship from a social and ethical Employability Service published 2,493 perspective. An initiative of the Vice-rector’s job offers and internships and managed Office for Students and Employability and 2,310 agreements. It also organised 124 the Board of Trustees this project brings professional orientation group activities, together a series of initiatives and activities attended by 4,856 people, and 662 aimed at students and graduates which individual professional guidance activities. are broad-ranging and multi-disciplinary. The international internships programmes First, students have been offered the Erasmus+ Internships and UAB Internship necessary instrument to generate ideas. Third Year of the UAB Programme enabled 288 students to do Over the year the online campus has Startup Lab internships both within and outside published 15 training pills covering The UAB Emprèn programme Europe. different aspects related to the generation together with the School of In the area of entrepreneurship, the UAB of ideas (creativity, leadership and shared Engineering of the UAB have Emprèn programme has offered a series management, etc.), offering information launched the third year of the UAB of initiatives and activities carried out by about the social and supportive economy Startup Lab. The programme the UAB with the aim of promoting the and presenting the experiences of existing is aimed at students and aimed entrepreneurial spirit of its students and entrepreneurs. to accelerate technology-based graduates in a wide-ranging and Second, the UAB Challenges workshop entrepreneurial projects which can multidisciplinary manner. The programme was set up on disruptive innovation, provide solutions in four offers information and training in organised by the Imagine Creativity categories: reduction of entrepreneurship which facilitates and Center team, where students generate inequalities; clean and accessible promotes the generation of ideas. UAB innovative ideas for improving the energy; peace, justice and solid Emprèn has a homeworking space where university from a marked social angle. institutions; health and wellbeing. users with new ideas can receive support The four winning projects were Finally, to complete this training route, and specialist advice to develop them. the following: C4Growth, the specialism in Entrepreneurship and NutriAssistant, UAB-Movil and Social Innovation was introduced to be RadiatedEnergy. available from next academic year, and which aims to offer basic competences, both specific and transferable, for the creation and management of innovative projects, especially those with social characteristics.

15 On 16 May in the Main Lecture Theatre of the Faculty of Law the UAB Teaching Innovation Day took place. The event was organised by the Teaching Innovation and Training Unit of the UAB (ICE-OQD). This event aims to offer a space for reflection and debate from an exchange of successful teaching experiences by lecturers of the UAB. The day began with a lecture by Carles Monereo, followed by 25 presentations of good practice. 250 people took part.

Teaching quality and innovation

Internal Quality Guarantee System Student satisfaction surveys on teaching In terms of teacher training in the 2016- performance and subjects in the 2016- 2017 academic year 63 training activities In the area of teaching quality, a project 2017 academic year were programmed were organised for new and permanent was launched to support teaching quality and managed each semester. Over 6,000 teaching staff with almost 1,200 in university centres and to facilitate the students responded each semester to participants. Another 39 tailor-made institutional accreditation process and evaluate teaching performance and more activities were also organised. aims to improve quality control in the than 3,000 subjects were evaluated each courses on offer. The first phase of the semester by over 7,000 students. There The UAB in the rankings by subject project consisted in establishing quality were also satisfaction surveys for the management positions in the centres • 9th in the world for Veterinary Bachelor’s and Master’s degree graduates initiating the certification process for Medicine (ARWU by Subject 2018). and the new PhDs. The university has transversal teaching quality systems also collaborated in the design, at the UAB. management and analysis of surveys on In the application of the Internal Quality entry into the labour market, coordinated Guarantee System we have continued by AQU corresponding to Bachelor’s and to carry out processes of creation, Master’s degrees and PhD. • Among the top 100 in the world modification and monitoring of our in 16 disciplines (QS WUR by For the 2017-2018 academic year 95% courses. With regard to the accreditation subject 2018): Veterinary Medicine of the course guides for Bachelor’s of qualifications, twelve Bachelor’s (in 31st place), Archaeology, Art and degree subjects and 86% of the Master’s degrees and ten Master’s degrees Design, Modern Languages, degree modules were published. It should received favourable accreditation in 2017, Physics, Agriculture, Environmental be highlighted that half the guides were of which one Bachelor’s degree and three Science, Geography, Anatomy, also published in English. Master’s degree received the seal of Anthropology, Communication, excellence. Currently the UAB has 100% To facilitate the evaluation of teaching Sociology, Political Science, favourable accreditation for its own activity the documentation has been Economics, Education and Sports degree courses, with 13% of them digitised. This measure has been greatly Science. Bachelor’s degrees and 41% Master’s successful and 98% of participants chose receiving accreditation with the seal of to apply for teaching premiums online. excellence. It should also be highlighted Teacher training and innovation that three of the qualifications received Initiatives for teaching innovation have an additional seal of quality for the continued through calls for application • Among the top 100 in the world interaction between research and for innovation projects and working in Economics and Business and teaching. This year the procedure for groups for improvements in teaching, in Arts and Humanities (THE accrediting PhD programmes was also with 58 projects receiving recognition. Subject Ranking 2018). designed and presented and six PhD There have also been continued programmes have already obtained incentives for good practice through accreditation. support for teaching innovation groups and the improvement of teaching syllabuses.

16 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Support for teaching in English at the UAB The lecturers of these subjects receive Highlight Over the last year, three more faculties of training in English focussed specifically the UAB have joined the AIDA programme, on teaching activity and assessment in which began last year: the School of line with the specific needs of the subject Engineering, the Faculty of Biosciences and they are teaching. the Faculty of Education. The AIDA Courses offered in English programme (which stands for grants for the intensification of teaching in English) • 6 Bachelor’s degrees and 200 subjects facilitates training of teaching staff so that • 40 Master’s degrees their faculties can increase the number of • 9 Erasmus Mundus subjects being taught in English in a • 22 postgraduate courses progressive and planned manner. • 6 MOOC Promotion and guidance activities Almost 91,000 students and 700 secondary schools took part in the university orientation activities Online Campus Language Service in 2017-2018: Open Days, Family Days, Campus visits, visits to town During the 2017-2018 academic year the During the 2017-2018 academic year, councils and secondary schools, Online Campus, based on the Moodle 6,589 students registered in the courses trade fairs in Catalonia, Spain platform, has become the key tool for of UAB Idiomes. UAB Idiomes also and around the world, especially teaching and learning activity at the UAB. worked with different faculties and centres in Latin America, Europe and The university has also maintained active on the language component of Bachelor’s south-east Asia. Added to this is the MOOC course in the use of the degrees. For the courses organised for a long list of activities carried out Moodle, given that this year it aims to be Administration and Services staff and by the individual centres, over based on a bi-modal training model - Teaching and Research staff it should be 105,000 requests for information with classroom and online session - which highlighted that the first year of the AIDA about Bachelor’s degrees, can in the future be extended to programme took in 57 teaching and Master’s degrees and PhDs, and 45,00 PDF guides integrated training and allow progress research staff members from four downloaded from the web. towards an e-learning ecosystem. faculties. This year the university has This is the tenth year of the Moodle The Linguistic Advisory and Translation undertaken a double-edged platform for the Online Campus and 2,870 Unit continued to work on the extension promotional campaign. On the Bachelor’s degree subjects and 663 of the Nomenclature for University one hand, the celebration of Official Master’s degree subjects were Management, together with the its 50th anniversary under the activated. This has meant a substantial Nomenclature and Terminology Working slogan” “The Adventure of increase in the use of all the tools available Group of the Vives Network, coordinated Learning”. And on the other the on the platform. In order to cope with by the UAB. This resulted in the inclusion promotional campaign: «Choose this increase, several improvements have of more than a hundred new terms in the a future. Choose UAB». Future been made towards a new version of area of e-administration. Also, as a students have seen this double campaign through a wide range Moodle with a larger infrastructure and commission for the Observatory for of channels. The university has the adaptation of design to mobile Equality of the UAB the document Ten also opted for green as its devices, as well as the possibility of using tips for the use of non-sexist language corporate colour, which has a native app. The support material for was produced. The translation teams enabled the campus to be Moodle has also been revised and also carried more than 900 text present in education fairs such extended on the Online Campus. translations and revisions over the year. as the Saló de l’Ensenyament This year a system of online applications In the area of language promotion, the and Futura, and also on the t- has offered access to more application Language Service has continued to shirts of the UABer team and the new folders and diaries for from any of the computer classrooms, organise a series of activities to 2018-2019. and the computers using the MS encourage linguistic and cultural support Windows operating system have all been for mobility students and staff. The UAB website has generated migrated to Windows 10. more than 76,000 requests for This year the Language Service offered information through the pages 75 study grants to students of the UAB. for Bachelor’s degrees, official Also, as part of the current Plan for Master’s degrees, UAB Master’s Languages of the UAB, there have been degrees and postgraduate several calls for grant applications for the courses and PhD programmes improvement of third languages among as well as almost 30,000 the university community and the use of consultations attended by the English as a working language. Information Point.

17 Research and transfer of knowledge and technology

The incorporation of new research centres in the UAB Sphere reinforces the multidisciplinary focus and collaborative strategies to provide a response to the challenges and social demands.

The impact of the activity of the research UAB Sphere available to society. In terms International Research Projects groups of the UAB and the centres and of the valorisation of the research results, This year three new European institutes linked to the UAB Sphere has the UAB has become the leading Research Council Grants were been decisive in attracting funding for institution in Spain in applications to secured - two Starting Grants and one international research and consolidating the European Patents Office. Consolidator Grant, meaning that the the UAB as the top generalist university This year the UAB has also made great UAB and the centres of the UAB in terms of the number of projects progress in the creation of a network of Sphere have now obtained ten ERC financed within the European Horizon ‘fab living labs’ on the campus with the grants altogether, directed at the 2020 programme. With the aim of aim of turning it into a space for funding of project of scientific strengthening the internationalisation of experimentation, innovation and excellence during the last European research, this year a specific programme demonstration of new technologies Framework programme. has been launched to support European and methodologies, both by the research As part of the FET Flagship Graphene project applications coordinated by the community and for its production and programme, Xavier Navarro, a UAB. In addition, the strategy of capturing social environment. researcher in the Department of Cell talent has benefited from a new call for Biology, Physiology and Immunology grant applications from the Talent In terms of support for research groups of the UAB Institute of Neurosciences, Programme for the contracting of at the university and research has managed to coordinate an ERA- postdoctoral research staff. management, this year the distribution of research support technicians and the work NET FLAG-ERA network: Graphene- The strengthening of its relationship with they carry out has been reviewed in order based Flexible Neural Interfaces for the health institutions has facilitated the the Control of Neuroprosthetic to endure adequate support for the incorporation in the UAB Sphere of the Vall Devices. Also, David Jiménez of the recognised research groups (SGRs). There d’Hebron Institute of Oncology and the Department of Electronic Engineering has also been an evaluation of the centres AIDS Research Institute, IRSI Caixa, two of the UAB, which has participated in for study and research and a top international research institutions. The this iconic initiative since the beginning, reorganisation of the support services for addition of new organisations in the UAB obtained the Graphene Core 2 project. research to improve coordination through Sphere encourages a more multidisciplinary a single platform. Under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie and innovative focus in terms of strategic programme, the UAB has obtained Despite the effort made to capture challenges and facilitates new collaborative five individual fellowships and seven resources, the economic data has revealed initiatives. For example, this year the UAB network projects (three RISE and four a fall in income for research projects which and the Parc Taulí Institute for Research ITN). and innovation have created a mixed unit form part of the National Plan as a result Also, in 2017 the UAB took part in in Translational Neuroscience. of the delay in the decision from the 2017 call for applications. However, we should securing nine more projects from the In the area of transfer, the UAB Research also point out the consolidation of an Horizon 2020 programme led by other Park has offered support to innovative annual figure of over 15 million Euros in institutions and research centres projects and to the creation of spin-off funding received from international calls, attached to the UAB (one Euratom, companies and has been actively involved and an increase of 15% in the resources five Leadership in Enabling and in the creation of the B30 Hub - a platform obtained through agreements with Industrial Technologies, one Research which makes the technological capacities, companies and institutions compared Infrastructures, one Science with and scientific knowledge and training of the with 2016. for Society and one Social Challenge 4: Transport).

18 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 05 Highlight

29 million Euros in agreements Silvia de Bianchi obtains a and service provision (2017) Starting Grant from the ERC Silvia de Bianchi, a Ramón y Cajal researcher from the Department Research funding by main sources, 2017 of Philosophy has received a Starting Grant from the European Agreements and provision of services 41% Research Council. The researcher will carry out the project International funding 22% PROTEUS “Paradoxes and Projects, groups and networks 16% Metaphors of Time in Early Grants 11% Universe(s)”, through which he will examine the main strategies Incorporation of new staff 4% from Western philosophy in the Specific financing 3% representation of time in Other funding 1% cosmology with the aim of modifying current metaphysics Mobility 1% and its relationship with Total: 70,167,050 euros. cosmology. Victoria Reyes García receives a Consolidator Grant from the ERC

Research funding by type of organisation, 2017 Victoria Reyes García, an ICREA researcher at the Institute of Companies 36% Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), has European administration 21% been awarded a Consolidator Spanish administration 20% Grant from the ERC for the Local and autonomous region administration 16% project “Local indicators of the impact of climate change. The Provision of services 6% contribution of local knowledge Higher education/universities 1% to research into climate change Total: 70,167,050 euros. (LICCI)”. Carme Font Paz obtains a Starting Grant from the ERC Lecturer in the Department of English and German Studies, Carme Font has been awarded a Starting Grant by the ERC. She will use this grant for her project WINK “Women’s Invisible Ink: Trans-Genre Writing and the Gendering of Intellectual Value in Early Modernity”, in which she will examine the textual recovery of works written by women in the first period of European Modernity and labelled generically as “Women’s writing”. 19 Six RecerCaixa grants for the UAB prevention of bullying in schools; Six projects involving researchers from the effect of pollution on the cognitive the UAB have been awarded funding function of adolescents and the from the 2017 RecerCaixa programme. prevention of gender violence. In accordance with the aim of the call, RecerCaixa is a grant programme for the selected projects must have the high quality research projects promoted objective to generate new scientific by the “la Caixa” Social Programme with knowledge and a clear desire to the collaboration of the Association of contribute solutions to different social Catalan Public Universities (ACUP). problems. Some of the UAB projects which have received funding are: ethics in robotics; virtual reality applied to the

Research and study centres

During the 2017-2018 academic year, The Centre for Studies and Research the Research Committee delegated by on Women and Rights is a space for the Governing Council of the UAB carried academic reflection, interdisciplinary work out an evaluation of the centres for and debate on different areas of research and study at the university to knowledge, mainly legal. Its base and ensure that they were complying with the objective is to study and research the established criteria for this kind of support subjects in different legal disciplines structure for research and, where from the perspective of gender and its necessary, to propose any necessary incorporation in the different courses changes. Among the results of this taught in the Faculty of Law. On 7 June the UAB organised meeting of researchers from evaluation, the History of Science The Centre for Studies and Research a Centre obtained special recognition for Studies and Research into an the P-Sphere of the university and as one of the UAB’s own research Inclusive Society (CERSIN) aims to attached centres with the aim of centres for the magnitude and its research become a reference for the study of reaching out and facilitating future activity and the training it offers. inclusion processes to improve the quality collaborations among these researchers. Financed by the Marie This year the consolidation of new lines of life of people through their lifelong Sklodowska-Curie programme with of research has also led to the creation learning process. It will therefore respond the participation of some of the of three new centres for study and to the social, labour,cultural and centres of the UAB Sphere, the research: the Centre for Artic Studies, educational needs of society through P-Sphere programme currently has the Centre for Studies and Research on the generation of synergies between the 49 international postdoc researchers Women and Rights, and the Centre for social fabric and competitive research from different fields and is in line with Studies and Research into an Inclusive and will centre on processes of exclusion- the strategic challenges of the Society (CERSIN). inclusion to make progress in the compliance of principles of equality, non- Horizon 2020 programme. The Centre for Arctic Studies (CER discrimination, equity and social justice. ARCTIC) of the UAB is a pioneer in Spain in this subject and will produce advanced research and scientific advice with the aim of contributing to the quality of life of the Arctic populations as well as the sustainability of their environment. With a multidisciplinary focus, the centre will study topics related to rights and social justice and the use of resources and will promote sustainability and governance for human development and wellbeing in the region.

20 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Gabriela Montiel, doctoral student from the Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Highlight Engineering has won first prize in the 4-minute Thesis competition at the UAB. Montiel, whose thesis is on the production of a bioplastic using bacteria, also came second place in the interuniversity final organised by the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation. New mixed research unit in 994 Translational Neuroscience On 25 the rector of the UAB, doctoral theses presented (2016-2017) Margarita Arboix, and Joan Martí i López, director general of the Parc Taulí Health Corporation and PhD programmes director of the Parc Taulí Foundation, signed a With almost 1,000 doctoral theses collaboration agreement in recognition of the Area of presented in the 2016-2017 academic Neurosciences and Mental Health year, 20% of which with an international of the Parc Taulí Institute for research component, PhD programmes Research and innovation (I3PT) at the UAB have demonstrated their great as an associated research unit of capacity to attract students from all areas the UAB. Through this agreement of knowledge. the mixed research Unit of Translational Neuroscience was In order to promote both specific and created, thanks to which transferable research training in each collaboration between the On 24 November 2017 the auditorium programme area, this year the UAB Institute of Neurosciences of the has approved the new model of budget of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities UAB (INc) and the Area of distribution for PhD studies, which held the first presentation ceremony Neurosciences and Mental Health guarantees that the School for Doctoral of PhD certificates and special PhD of the Parc Taulí Institute for Studies and the departments have part awards for the year. The ceremony Research and innovation (I3PT) in carrying out research projects of the budget available for training was hosted by Assumpció Malgosa, professor of Physical Anthropology has been strengthened. This will activities. During the 2017-2018 the also promote joint activities in at the UAB. She gave the lecture School for Doctoral Studies has launched teaching and pre- and “What is a doctor like you doing a programme aimed at PhD students postdoctoral training for staff dealing with questions related to scientific in a world like this?”. In the second attached to these two institutions. communication, management of ceremony of this kind held at the information sources, intellectual property, Hotel Campus, Joan Carbonell, dean open publications and entrepreneurship. of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities acted as host with the lecture In terms of the participation of the UAB “Psyche in the continual research in the industrial PhD programme, during into immortality”. 2016-2017 two of the theses registered in this programme were presented. Also, on 20 June 2017 the new PhD CYBERCAT is created programme in Bioinformatics was presented at the Faculty of Biosciences On 8 May the Research Centre for Cybersecurity in Catalonia of the UAB. Promoted by Bioinformatics (CYBERCAT) was presented. Barcelona, this interuniversity programme, This interuniversity research offered by the UAB, UPC, UdG, UdL, centre is promoted by six UOC and the UVic-UCC, has the objective universities (URV, UOC, UdL, of this is to train researchers who are able UPC, UPF and UAB) and to contribute new methods, knowledge coordinated by the URV. It is the and tools for the computational analysis first Catalan research centre to bring together all the research of data or the development of new models groups in the area of security for life sciences. and privacy and its ambition is to form a reference centre on a national and international scale.

21 On 18 and 19 April the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the UAB held the first meetings of the Digital Humanities Network, organised jointly with the CORE in Cultural Heritage of the UAB, with the aim of debating the challenges that the digital era brings in the field of humanities and social sciences. Over a hundred students and researchers attended the event.

Strategic research communities

Strategic research communities at UAB Labs Network the UAB are research networks which This year the COREs of the UAB, generate knowledge and are made up of together with the Research Park, have research groups and centres of the UAB carried out a process of cocreation and the UAB Sphere. The creation of to involve the entire university these networks is a response to a community in the launching of a strategic challenge identified on an network of ‘fab living labs’ on the international, European and regional UAB campus. Through a number of scale. As a result of this strategic ‘design thinking’ sessions the conception, the UAB has three active structure, uses and management COREs related to three great social model of these spaces has been challenges: Smart and Sustainable Cities, defined and two committees have Cultural Heritage and Mental Health. been set up to deal with the practical aspects: online platform, preparation In addition, this year, progress has been of spaces, regulations and made in the process of forming a CORE governance, among others. in Education and Employability. The UAB Labs have been set up Among the most important activities, as a new instrument for transfer for through the Smart and Sustainable Cities valorising of products, bringing to CORE and with the support of the maturity technologies and carrying Sabadell City Council and the County out experimentation activities which Council of Vallès Occidental, the UAB enable the potential of the technology has organised an event this year to share generated and its potential transfer experiences of ‘makerspaces’ - of research by the university, environments where people meet to collaborative research, and research exchange resources and knowledge, by the agents of production to be work on collaborative projects, produce evaluated. With this in mind the UAB ideas and products or work in networks. Labs will be open and accessible For its part the Mental Health CORE has spaces where researcher, other users been working with the UAB Research and businesses can work together through the use of digital technologies Park to organise a Generation of Ideas to co-create knowledge and provide Programme focussed on improving the solutions to meet social needs. diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and to promote better As a result of this conception, over emotional wellbeing. Finally, in line with the year the UAB has launched the the theme of the UAB Annual Party in first two UAB Labs: one at the School 2017, “Mental health, visible and without of Engineering with the aim of stigma” a ‘living lab’ in Mental Health has promoting digital and advanced also been set up this year. manufacturing and prototyping, and the other at the Humanities Library in the field of digital humanities.

22 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona UAB Libraries are among the most efficient in Spain Highlight This year the UAB libraries took first place in the Spanish University Library Ranking (SECABA-Rank 2016), which evaluated the efficiency of Spanish university libraries in terms of budget and loans.

The UAB is awarded five Interreg projects with FEDER funding

Five UAB projects have received Support services funding from the Interreg regional cooperation programmes. Four of for research the projects form part of the POCTEFA regional cooperation This year the process of analysis and of the UAB now enables the storage of programme to promote regional review of the scientific and technical research data from UAB projects. sustainable development between services of the UAB came to an end with Finally, in the year of the 50th anniversary Spain, France and Andorra the production of a new catalogue of of the university, on 8 march there was (Programa Interreg V-A Espanya- scientific and technical services and the a day event organised by the UAB and França-Andorra), and one which approval of an integrated management the CSUC under the title “The Future of offers support for development unit to coordinate and optimise the University Libraries”. The invited experts and regional cooperation in south- operation of services and their projection. spoke about the different challenges west Europe (Programa de In parallel this year the UAB has carried faced by universities in the near future Cooperació Interreg V-B Europa out a survey to find out how these such as support services for the university Sud-occidental). services are rated by the teaching community. and research staff and the administration and services staff of the university. The Government of Catalonia has authorised the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee of the UAB to carry out an evaluation a retrospective evaluation of projects of animal experimentation. This authorisation will The TV3 Marathon finances facilitate the process of evaluation and seven projects with the the permissions of research projects both From 23 to 29 October the Libraries participation of the UAB by the UAB and external agencies. Service of the UAB organised a series of The 2016 TV3 Marathon for Coinciding with the beginning of the 2017- activities within the International Open strokes and traumatic medullary 2018academic year, one of the most widely Access Week, which is held worldwide and brain injury will finance seven visited pages of the UAB website has been to promote open access to scientific research projects involving updated - the Libraries Service website. knowledge. Among the activities were a researchers from the UAB. As well as a new design and making it conference on 2.0 tools to communicate Specifically, the TV3 Marathon will adaptable to mobile devices, the page scientific activity and the launch of an finance two projects from the offers greater visibility to its archive and open research thermometer in the DDD Institute of Neurosciences of the special collections. In addition, the of the UAB. The DDD of the UAB, which UAB and five projects from health implementation of Sierra, the new computer compiles and manages the scientific institutes attached to the UAB system for libraries, and the launch of the production of the UAB is the main involving researchers from the new browser have meant an improved user repository of this kind among Spanish university. experience when searching for information universities. in the documentary resources available at the UAB. With the aim of making greater progress towards open access to research data, the Digital Document Repository (DDD)

23 an event open to businesses, research at the UAB, and Gabriel Masfurroll, and innovation agencies, government president of the UAB Board of Trustees. agencies and the public. Speakers were The presentation included a round table Javier Lafuente, vice-rector of Innovation with representatives of the quadruple and Strategic projects of the UAB and helix such as Sílvia Trabalón, director of the director of the UAB Research Park; Sant Cugat Empresarial; Caterina Biscari, Josep Monràs, mayor of Mollet and director of the Alba Sincrotron; Iolanda president of the B30 Area Association; Repullo, head of Business and Activities Ramon Alberich, vice president of the Promotion of Sabadell City Council and Presentation of the B30 Hub business sector of the B30 Area; Xavier Jordi Ventura, a paediatric On 12 April the UAB, the UAB Research López, corporate director general and physiotherapist. Park, Eurecat and the B30 Area director of operation of Eurecat; Iván Association presented the B30 Hub in Martínez, deputy manager for Research

UAB Research Park

The mission of the UAB Research Park In terms of innovation projects, the UAB This year the UAB Research Park and is to facilitate and promote the transfer Research Park participated in the five the Sant Cugat City Council joined forces of knowledge generated by the research projects funded by the European Union, to present the Explorer Space Sant Cugat groups of the UAB Sphere as well as two of which with funding by Interreg programme PRUAB, within the Explorer their R&D capacity in order to meet the Europe and LIFE, it coordinated. programme “Young people with ideas” innovation needs of the social and The university also coordinated an promoted by the Banco Santander. economic environment. international cooperation project and The programme involved 23 young This year, the UAB Research Park has participated actively in the design of entrepreneurs who worked together to launched a series of activities to identify different regional innovation projects. develop ideas over five months and needs in society and detect the The Research Park managed seven received personalised support and opportunities and future trends in different innovation projects for business with training from experts in innovation and sectors. In that way they aim to promote funding from the European Horizon 2020 business models. new innovative projects among research programme. This year also saw the third year of the groups and centres and businesses. With In the areas of entrepreneurship the UAB Engega! Programme which aims to help that aim in mind, this year the UAB Research Park organised three new researchers to find new technological Research Park has led the creation projects of the Generation of Ideas applications in the energy efficiency of the B30 Hub to promote innovation Programme to help researchers to model sector. 21 researchers and students took and competition in the region’s SMEs. their ideas and generate solutions for the part and produced six projects. In terms of activities for support for market through research. The sixth year In terms of business creation the Park business the UAB Research Park has of the programme was dedicated to the helped to create three new companies launched a laboratory for ideas in the sector of industrial biotechnology and from research carried out by UAB dairy sector with the aim of activating biomedicine and was co-organised researchers and two companies from the innovation. The initiative involved three by the Network of Reference in CSIC located on the campus. It also ‘design thinking’ workshops in which Biotechnology (XRB), with the offered support to five start-up companies over a hundred participants and forty sponsorship of Roche Diagnostics, which have joined the business network companies participated along with five Air Liquide, the Barcelona Synchrotron of the Park. Catalan universities. Park and the Sant Cugat City Council, with the collaboration of Biocat and Also this year the first Open Innovation CataloniaBio. In all forty researchers were Forum took place, organised jointly involved in the development of nine between the UAB, UB, UPC, IQS Tech projects. The seventh year of the Factory, ACCIÓ and Expoquimia. This programme organised jointly with the event, which took place at the Barcelona CORE for Mental Health focussed on Trade Fair site as part of Barcelona mental health and emotional wellbeing. Industry Week, allowed researchers to 39 researchers took part to develop new offer innovative solutions to the business innovative projects. The eighth event was challenges in the health, food, chemical organised with the Department of Territory and energy sectors. and Sustainability of the Government of Catalonia and was focussed on the circular economy.

24 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona The “Industrial Vallès” project receives 1.5m Euros from European funding Highlight The plan for the “Industrial Vallès: innovation and design for an industrial Europe” project is included in the FEDER Catalunya 2014- 2020 Operative Plan and in RIS3CAT. This project is an initiative of the city councils of Sabadell, Barberà del Vallès, Sant Quirze del Vallès and Castellar del Vallès, la Fundació de Disseny Tèxtil (FUNDIT), the Parc Taulí Foundation and the UAB, to create The UAB hosts a meeting the Observatory for Competitive Intelligence: Technologies and Social of RedEmprendia Trends. On 21 and 22 November meeting was held of the Valorisation of research technical committee of and patents RedEmprendia at the UAB Casa Convalescència. RedEmprendia This year, the UAB, the UAB Research In 2017 the Office of Valorisation and is an IberoAmerican network of Park, Eurecat and the B30 Area Patents of the UAB received 48 new entrepreneurship and innovation Association have launched the B30 Hub, inventions from UAB research groups. in universities. The meeting was a platform to give access to society to This figure represents a significant organised jointly by the UAB, the technological capacities, scientific increase compared with the previous UB and UPC (the three Catalan knowledge, talent and training offered by year, when 27 inventions were received. member universities in the the UAB Sphere and Eurecat to meet the It should be stressed that the annual network) and was represented needs and innovative challenges of average of inventions from the UAB is by 27 universities from eight companies and institutions. This platform substantially higher than the Spanish and countries, who analysed the has the support of the UAB Board of European mean. programmes currently running and defined new strategies for Trustees. By sectors, most of the inventions belong the future to promote During the first semester of 2018 the B30 to the field of human health (50%) and entrepreneurship in universities. Hub organised four Innovation Brunches ICT and electronics (10%); the rest of the with the aim of informing of the most main sectors are animal health and disruptive technologies and explaining wellbeing and physics and materials the impact they have on the social and science. Also in 2017 the UAB applied business fabric. These events, which for 18 new unique priority patents and, were excellently received by businesses, taking into account the total number of have enabled the most innovative trends patent applications (priority and national in the smart mobility sector, sensory extensions), the number increases to 64. technologies for medical diagnosis, smart It is important to highlight that in 2017 Steps to create a community waste management and new solutions the UAB maintained its leadership of in industrial bioeconomics for food packaging to become known. Spanish universities in the number of applications to the European Patents On 31 January a project was Office being the top university in Spain presented at the Eureka building in the number of applications and the of the UAB Research Park to third organisation in Spain, just after the create the RIS3CAT community CSIC and the Tecnalia Foundation to promote the industrial (and equal with the Esteve Laboratories biotechnology and and Telefonica). bioeconomics sectors. The proposal presented which falls within the strategy for research and innovation designed by the Government of Catalonia (RIS3CAT) aims to create a group of companies and agents from 10 0 the Catalan R&D sector to carry The UAB among the top hundred most out innovative projects to innovative universities in Europe increase the efficiency, according to Reuters News competitivity and sustainability of bioproduction processes. 25 Discovery of a new genetic syndrome the two copies of the FANCM gene (billelic which predisposes cancer mutations). The results, published in the An investigation led by Jordi Surrallés, official journal of the American College of professor of the Department of Genetics Medical Genetics, Genetics in Medicine, and Microbiology of the UAB, director of which is part of the Nature group, suggest the Genetics Service of the Hospital de la that these mutations predispose the early Santa Creu i Sant Pau and head of the appearance of tumours and toxicity in Centre for Biomedical Research into Rare chemotherapy. Diseases (CIBERER) has identified a new genetic syndrome caused by mutations in

Research dissemination

During the 2017-2018 academic year neuroprotection drug and accelerator health; the ICTA and CREAF projects 160 campaigns were carried out to of nerve regeneration. which are researching the contribution disseminate the work of researchers and The environment and the impact of of forests to people’s health; the creation research groups at the UAB, which climate change have been at the head of the research centre on the Arctic CER- resulted in 1,562 media reports, of which of a number of campaigns, such as the ARCTIC, the first symposium on Manuel 1,401 were in news media, 109 on radio risk of the effects of carbon for the loss de Pedrolo and the launch and 52 on television. of marine meadows, a new invasive of a project to install a pilot plant for the treatment of organic waste generated In terms of international dissemination, plague of Asian beetle in Catalonia which by the restaurants on the campus. 36 press releases were send to kills mulberry trees and the changes international agencies. The press releases suffered by forests in the Iberian peninsula published by AlphaGalileo obtained over the last 25 years. 15,251 visits by scientific journals and Two tools for improving European air those published by EurekAlert 57,620. traffic flow, an online environment for In total the number of visit by specialist teaching driving of driverless cars, a new science journals to different international material to minimise energy consumption media was 72,871. During the year 93 by computers and an experimental articles were also published in the method for measuring quantum electronic journal UABDivulga, which coherence are all items of outstanding received 125,429 visits. research in the area of experimental The first opera composed by a Among the research which received most sciences and engineering. woman in Spain comes to light dissemination was the discovery of a In terms of social sciences and The original score of Schiava e Regina new gene which influences hereditary humanities, among the research which by Maria Lluïsa Casagemas (1873- breast cancer, the serious demographic obtained most media attention and 1942), which was considered to be problem affecting more than 4,000 recognition was a study centred on the lost, has been discovered by municipalities, the discovery of the first change which is being produced in the researcher Maria Teresa Garrigosa, opera score composed by a woman in current model of the father, the incidence during the course of her doctoral Spain and the application of Planttes - a of pedestrians in urban commercial thesis on Catalan women composers citizens’ science project which provides activity, the first exhibition of the treasures in the nineteenth century, under the warnings of allergies in different cities. from the Neolithic village, La Draga, the supervision of Francesc Cortés, of There was also dissemination of research introduction of beaker culture in Europe the Department of Art and Musicology on the negative effect of caffeine in from the Iberian peninsula 4,500 years of the UAB. The opera was composed neuropsychiatric disorders associated ago or the renewed excavation work in when Casagemas was just 17 years with Alzheimer’s disease and the first La Bastida archaeological site. old. It is the first opera to have been photomedicine for treating Parkinson’s Other initiative disseminated were the composed by a woman in Catalonia disease. Three more research projects participation in the international Small and Spain and was programmed to into bioscience also resulted in the World Initiative, to promote scientific be performed in a large European creation of spin-off companies: a gene vocation through research into new opera house, but the assassination therapy against cognitive deficit antibiotics; the agreement with the Parc at the Liceu in 1893 meant that the associated with ageing, a nanomedicine Taulí to improve research into mental performance never premiered. for the treatment of cancer and a

26 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Demographic survival of more than 4,000 Spanish municipalities hanging by a thread Highlight A study by Joaquín Recaño, of the Department of Geography of the UAB and researcher in the Centre for Demographic Studies at the UAB, has warned of a serious demographic problem affecting 4,200 municipalities as a result of underpopulation and need to take urgent measures to enable their survival. 1,840 of these municipalities were identified as rural areas in risk of UABDivulga, National irreversible depopulation. Research Prize in the category of Scientific Communication

The online publication UABDivulga The UAB in the university has been awarded the National Research Prize 2017 by the rankings Government of Catalonia and the Catalan Foundation for Research The impact of the results of research and innovation in the category of activity by the research groups of the scientific communication. Created UAB has been decisive in consolidating in 2003 to bring scientific the position of the UAB among the 200 production by researchers and best universities in the world. In the 2017- research groups of the UAB closer 2018 edition of the Times Higher to society, UABDivulga has Education World University Ranking published more than 2,000 articles the UAB went up 16 places to finish in in all areas of knowledge and more 147th position in the world. The UAB also than 150 video reports on research The Planttesapp warns of the risk improved its position this year in the QS projects. The publication is of allergy in different city streets Ranking where it is in 194th position. available in Catalan, Spanish and The Aerobiological Information Point English. together with the Centre for Computer In terms of the best university rankings Vision of the UAB has launched the for young universities, the UAB went up Third Night of Science Planttes mobile app as a tool for five positions in the Times Higher in Sabadell citizens’ science. The Planttes Education Young University Ranking, On 12 April the main activity of the application shows users images of the to reach 13th position in the world. Night of Science in Sabadell took most important allergenic plants and In terms of classification by scientific place. It was an event to support offers information about their flowers area, the UAB is among the top 100 bringing research closer to society and fruits. The system allows the user universities in the world in 16 disciplines and on this occasion, it also had to see on a map the point where the in the QS World University Ranking the objective of fundraising to give plant can be found using a geolocalizer, by Subject and among the top 100 the Parc Taulí Health Corporation which plant they are looking at and in the world in the areas of economics the infrastructure necessary for whether it is in bud, flower or fruit. The the creation of an organoid and business and arts and humanities researchers were awarded the 2017 laboratory which will allow in the Times Higher Education Subject Environment Prize of the Government research into minority diseases Ranking. This year the UAB has also of Catalonia for the project. and other pathologies. The Night attained 9th position in veterinary of Science in Sabadell is an medicine in the Shanghai Ranking’s initiative of the Bosch and Global Ranking of Academic Cardellach Foundation, the Subjects 2018. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Sabadell City Council, the Parc Taulí Foundation, the Olga Torres Foundation and the ESDI Higher School for Design. 57% 147 th articles published in the highest in the Times Higher Education Ranking impact journals

27 International projection

The strategy for internationalisation at the UAB involved working closely with teaching centres and research groups as well as intensifying participation in the university 41 networks. new international agreements

Institutional visits International contracts Strategic lines and trips and agreements

International relations, internationalisation Every year the UAB hosts universities and The Area of International Relations, in and international projection are strategic institutions from abroad who are visiting addition to the Erasmus+ agreements, aspects for the UAB. The activities in this to see the campus and the teaching and has managed around a hundred general area allow progress towards the research activity that takes place here. and specific collaboration agreements, consolidation of a network of universities A group of students and teaching staff student exchanges on the UAB Exchange and institutions with which it can work from the Georgia Institute of Technology Programme, and double and joint in areas such as courses (double degrees, (USA) came to take and give classes for degrees. As a result of this, in 2017-2018 specialisations, faculty-led programmes, three months at the Faculty of Biosciences a total of 41 agreements were signed. mobility agreement and exchanges), through a faculty-led programme. The Of these 41 agreements those signed research (networks and joint projects), UAB also received a visit from the rector with the Confucius Institute of transfer and cooperation. This strategy of the University of Sonora (Mexico), with Barcelona and the King Sejong Institute involved working closely with the teaching which a general collaboration and student Foundation of the Republic of Korea centres and research teams, on the one exchange agreement was signed with the are particularly important as they help hand, and intensifying an active presence Faculty of Biosciences as well as visits to promote the position of the UAB in and participation in the networks on from the vice-rector for research of the these two Asian countries as well as the other. University of Havana (Cuba) and contributing to the promotion of Chinese At the same time the efforts made to representatives from the Business School and Korean culture in Catalonia. increase the offer of courses in English, of Washington State University (USA). Relations with the USA and Canada have such as the AIDA programme, should In the areas of Asian studies the UAB also strengthened in recent years. This also be highlighted since it has enabled received a visit from a delegation of the year two student exchange agreements seven faculties to receive support to Korean King Sejong Institute Foundation were signed with two of the best Canadian universities: McGill University increase their offer of courses taught to evaluate the UAB as an institute to and the University of Alberta. in English, and the development and house the Foundation in Barcelona. consolidation of the complementary Agreements with French institutions have In terms of activities for the promotion training such as the UAB Barcelona also been maintained with the renewal of strategic collaboration with the main Summer School, which attracts of the double degree in Global marketing consulates in Barcelona, this year the international students while allowing and Negotiation with the Burgundy UAB also received a visit from the new students of the UAB to have experiences School of Business in Dijon and a new French consul. of internationalisation at home. specific collaboration agreement To optimise these strategies, we have In terms of institutional visits, this year a between the Liceu Francès de continued to work on internal information delegation from the UAB spent a period Barcelona and the Faculty of Translation and training to guarantee access to and in Beijing (China) to visit the main Chinese and Interpreting of the UAB. universities and institutions (see the use of knowledge in the area of Finally, the signing of a framework “Highlight”). In May a delegation visited international relations and agreement between the Faculty of internationalisation that is required Quebec to see some of the best Veterinary Medicine and the University McGill by the three groups of the UAB: universities there such as of Ghana should be highlighted, as well University University of Quebec in Administration and Services staff, , the as different agreements with Iranian Montreal Laval University Teaching and Research staff and and , and talk universities, especially in the Faculties Students. about existing mobility arrangements and of Translation and Interpreting and the new collaboration projects. Political Science and Sociology.

28 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 06 Highlight Celebration of UAB Partner’s Day On 18 September the university celebrated UAB Partner’s Day, an event dedicated to the staff of collaborating universities in which they get the opportunity to visit the campus. Representatives came from universities in North Korea, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, Brazil and Erasmus KA107 Staff Week for the USA. Lecturers and PhD students of the universities of India, other nationalities working or studying at Indonesia and Iran the UAB also took part. On 12 December the UAB welcomed representatives of Participation in networks thirteen universities in India, and consortia Indonesia and Iran as part of the Erasmus+ KA107 project The UAB plays a very active part in the The UAB has taken part in the general conceded to the universities of networks and consortia of universities as assemblies of the YERUN (Young the A4U. The projects of the a means of broadening and strengthening European Research Universities) network, Erasmus+ KA107 programme relationships of collaboration with other which were held in Ulm and Bremen enable student and staff mobility universities, especially in the international (Germany) and in the working parties between European and ambit. which were held in parallel to discuss worldwide associated For example, the UAB has participated joint degrees, research mobility funding, universities. in all the activities of the European higher education policy in the EU Consortium of Innovative Universities and employability of graduates. Institutional visit to Beijing (ECIU). It took part in the rectors’ meeting From 7 to 11 March a delegation which was held in Brussels in September from the UAB led by the rector, to define strategies and agree the main Margarita Arboix, and the vice actions of the network. It also attended rector for International Relations, the two Executive Board Meetings held Màrius Martínez, visited the this year and the occasional meeting of As part of the internationalisation strategy Chinese capital to meet subject-specific committees. Also, two of the Aliança 4 Universitats (A4U), the representatives of four partner representative of the UAB attended the UAB took part in a series of meetings universities: the University of Leadership Development Programme. and in the joint application for places Beijing, the top university in In terms of the relations with universities in the Erasmus+ KA107 programme for China and one of the best forty of the ECIU, an agreement for a Minor student, administration staff and teaching in the world; the Beijing Foreign in Primary Education was signed, staff exchanges with associated Studies University (BFSU), with coordinated by the UAB with the countries. Currently the A4U has mobility which the UAB shares the participation of the University of places in Russia, South Africa, India, Iran, Confucius Institute of Barcelona; Stavanger, Dublin City University and Indonesia and Malaysia. Renim University of China, with the Monterrey Institute of Technology which the UAB offers a double (Mexico). It should be pointed out the degree in Law; and the Chinese vice rector for International Relations, Foreign Affairs University (CFAU). Màrius Martínez, also forms part of the Meetings were also held with presidential committee of the ECIU and the China Scholarship Council, this year has been appointed treasurer. the Chinese government organisation which since The UAB has also taken part in the 2010.2011 has offered grants to workshops and activities on 134 Chinese students to take internationalisation organised by the PhDs at the UAB, and with CRUE Spanish Universities and the Hanban, the world headquarters Association of Catalan Public of the Confucius Institute. Universities (ACUP).

29 On 25 June the UAB welcomed students to the first Barcelona Summer School in 2018.

Welcome and support Mobility programmes for international students

in 2017-2018 participation by the UAB UAB Barcelona Summer The International Support Service in the Erasmus+ programme, which has School 2018 (previously known as the International Welcome Point) has offered different enabled 594 students from the UAB to The UAB Barcelona Summer services to support and provide study at European universities and 872 School (previously called information for the international students European students to study at the UAB. International Summer Term), was and staff at the UAB, both before and Within the same programme, 88 consolidated this year with a total of during their stay. In total 7,991 acts of members of the teaching and research 15 subjects, all taught in English on support were offered to international staff of the UAB and 18 members of the the Bellaterra Campus by eight visitors over the year. Of those 2,633 administration and services staff spent teaching centres of the UAB. Over were related to obtaining or renewing periods in other European universities two hundred students from 28 legal permits to be in Spain, 2,919 to the and 132 student did internships countries around the world registered different exchange programmes and 564 in companies. for this year’s school - double the to support in obtaining a work permit. Spain’s SICUE programme facilitated number of the previous year. The Equally important were the number of mobility for 153 students, of which 99 school is divided into two three-week services offered to the 373 international were welcomed by the UAB and 54 periods between the end of June and post-graduate grant holders (MAEC- were UAB students spending periods the beginning of August. This is the AECID, IFP/FORD, CONICYT, Erasmus in universities in Spain. first year that the UAB Barcelona Mundus, etc.). Summer School has also opened its The UAB Exchange Programme for doors to UAB students to allow them The UAB also offers a service to foreign mobility for student from non-European to study in an international students to welcome them and facilitate countries saw the departure of 205 environment in their own university. their stay and their integration in the students while it received 402. Also, university and the country. The 144 UAB students did internships in The participants this year included International Welcome Days, are held companies and institutions around 52 students from the University of at the beginning of each semester and the world thanks to the employment California, 44 of which came through aim to help new students find their way professional practice module on the the exchange agreement between around the campus and find out about programme. the two universities. The other the services and associations of the students registered directly on the On the Specific Programmes for university. The university Mentor programme. All students obtain International Students - Study Abroad programmes, offer peer support, between 6 and 12 ECTS credits, 3,237 students registered this year. In and the Tandem programme, is an depending whether they take one or the Pre-Established mode which offers opportunity for language exchange two subjects. training in Barcelona, there were four and speaking practice. The Buddy programmes and an increase of 14% in Like last year, once again the UAB Programme, welcomes the students the number of students registered. In the Barcelona Summer School offered of the UAB Barcelona Summer School. Selected Courses mode, 81 students the Buddy Programme, where UAB All of these facilitate the integration of took courses on the campus, especially students who have done or want to students into the university community in the areas of economics and business, do an exchange hook up with one of and the region. communication, tourism and law. Finally, the international students on the the Tailor-made courses programme grew Summer School and encourage them as much in the courses offered as in the to take part in a range of activities. origin of the students registered.

30 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Participants in mobility programmes, 2017-2018

Incoming Outgoing Highlight ERASMUS STUDY 875 594

ERASMUS INTERNSHIPS 132

UAB Exchange Programme 402 205

UAB Exchange Programme Internships 144

SICUE 99 55

STUDY ABROAD 3,237

Total 4,613 1,130 The UAB receives administration and services staff from 14 countries From 23 to 27 April the UAB once again organised the Erasmus Staff Week. Seventeen Country of origin of international Erasmus students at the UAB, 2017-2018 people from universities in Italy 24% fourteen countries took part and were able to see the campus Germany 19% and services that the university France 10% offers, especially with regard to United Kingdom 7% the support offered to students

Netherland 7% and staff who take part in the Erasmus+ programme. Other (23 countries) 5%

Country of origin of students on the UAB Exchange Programme, 2017-2018 A group of Chinese lecturers take a course in inclusive China 14% education at the UAB Republic of Korea 9% From 2 to 6 October a group of Chile 9% forty lecturers from different Argentina 8% Chinese universities spent a Japan 7% period at the UAB campus to learn about inclusive education Mexico 6% and the practices of different Brazil 5% schools in Catalonia. The activity Australia 5% forms part of the European

Russia 5% INCLUTE project (Promoting inclusive education through Other (14 countries) 32% curriculum development and teacher education in China), in which the UAB is a participant through the SIdis research group of the Department of Applied Teaching.

31 Social and environmental commitment

As part of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, on 5 December there was a dance performance on the campus by the group Liant la Troca and a reading of the manifesto on functional disability by a UAB alumnus Cristian Lago.

The UAB, 50 years of University-Society commitment to the Equality and student support programme of the board

community and the region The Finestreta Programme which offers of Trustees support in emergency situations is one As a public university the UAB has a The University-Society programme of the main programmes of the UAB responsibility to serve the community steered by the Board of Trustees as to promote equity and equality of and the region and a firm commitment a body for the university’s participation opportunity in access and continuation to a socially and environmentally in society promotes strategic activities of university studies. These grants are responsible management model. which contribute to strengthening the aimed at students with low incomes who links between the university and society. This year it has offered resources aimed are experiencing serious economic at preserving equal opportunities in difficulties which may affect their access to higher education and a number academic careers. During the 2017-2018 of socio-educational programmes with academic year there were two calls for the collaboration of local schools, within applications with a budget of 270,000 the framework of a number of previously Euros in total. For the first year this year established policies for equality. New the UAB has secured a new line of actions in this area include the approval funding for curricular internships with the of the Second Action Plan on Disability objective of compensating situation in and Inclusion of the UAB, the which for economic reasons students’ encouragement of Final Degree Projects obligatory activities mean that they cannot in the area of social commitment as an come to the campus. area for research, the start of a new set The activities included in the programme 21 new salary grants from the Ítaca- of financial grants for curricular are aimed at people who have had, have Santander were also awarded for high- internships, the refugee welcome or may have a relationship with the performing secondary school student programme, which has focussed more university in the future. This especially in situations of social or economic on education and training this year, includes students who are both pre- difficulties. The Fundació Autònoma and the launch of a grants programme university (through programmes such Solidària, with the support of the Board for African women. as Argó and projects for young people of Trustees has also awarded ‘Impuls’ at risk of social exclusion such as Unix As part of its commitment to the grants to students with disabilities to and Let’s Go), or those who are currently environment, the results of the Healthy facilitate their attendance at the university studying at the UAB (Impuls grants and Campus and Sustainable Campus and their ability to complete their higher the programme for people with special programmes have been published and education. anew programme approved for the period needs) and those who have completed There are also collaboration grants 2018-2022. their studies (the Alumni network of the available to students. These are grants UAB and the UAB Impuls programme for which aim to help students to complete entry into the labour market). The Board their studies in different areas of the of Trustees has also set up a number of university. In the 2017-2018 academic actions in strategic areas of the university, year 68 grants were awarded. such as innovation, entrepreneurship, knowledge transfer and regional connections.

32 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 07 Highlight

The UAB is part of the Small World Initiative The Small World Initiative is an international project with more than a dozen countries taking part, which is aimed at university students to encourage them to participate in activities to promote the scientific vocation of secondary school children and to communicate to them the importance of finding new antibiotics which are efficient 15th Ítaca Campus for the treatment of infectious diseases. From 25 June to 13 July, the 15th year of the Ítaca Campus took place. This year the Socio-educational programme, which is managed by the Fundació Autònoma programmes 2.0 Programme, the Let’s Go Solidària, enabled 395 lower With the aim of bringing the university programme, UniX programme and secondary students from 79 closer to society the UAB has a series the Shere Rom project, which organise Catalan schools to spend two of socio-educational programmes which participative activities on the UAB weeks at the UAB and take part aim to strengthen the link between campus or in local schools. in activities related to knowledge and the university with the aim secondary schools in Catalonia and the All together this year more than 2,500 of encouraging them to continue university. Through these programmes people were able to benefit from the studying after compulsory the university aims to show students the socio-educational programmes at the education. different aspects of the world of UAB. knowledge and research, allowing them to take part in the university experience and the world of research before actually arriving at university as an incentive for them to decide to continue studying after compulsory education. Among these programmes is the Campus Ítaca. In its fifteenth year, this programme has enabled 395 students Argó Prize Awards from the third year of obligatory education from 79 Catalan schools to spend two The CROMA 2.0 had as one of its On 18 October the 14th Argó weeks at the university to discover the objectives to bring scientific Prizes were awarded at the UAB campus and take part in a programme knowledge and research closer to to CFGS projects. Later, on 20 of training and research activities. The the primary school students in the June for the 15th Argó Prize Argó Programme has also offered Vallès Occidental area with new ceremony 42 awards were made support to pre-university students in their workshops offered by different for higher secondary school path towards university studies through research teams from the UAB. projects out of 373 projects the assessment of their projects, training presented in six areas of session and internships in companies, knowledge. as well as the Argó Prize for outstanding projects. In terms of commitment to the region and in particular with the more punished areas of society, the UAB has also offered a series of programmes aimed at reducing school dropout rates, risks of social exclusion and to motivate infants and young people to continue to study once they have completed their obligatory education. Examples are the CROMA

33 Within the collaboration framework agreement signed with the Women for Africa Foundation and the UAB, the student Sylvia Nana Ohenewah, from Ghana, was the first to receive a grant to study for a Master’s degree in Political Science at the UAB in 2017-2018. The Women for Africa Foundation promotes annual grants for African women in different Spanish universities.

Social and volunteer programmes Support for disabilities

Through its Fundació Autònoma Solidària, people requesting international protection, PIUNE, the service for students with the UAB has been working to strengthen the university has offered 28 refugees disabilities or special educational needs, its commitment to society through social accommodation and full access to a series has attended 230 students this year. This action and the promotion of the participation of services and resources on the university service is aimed at future students of the of the university community in volunteer campus. In parallel volunteers from the UAB and promotes measures which can projects. As a result, this year 421 people, programme have carried out activities of support students with disabilities or including students, teaching and research linguistic, support, academic assessment special educational needs during their staff and administration and services staff and awareness-raising. Since 2016 the studies here. The programme also experienced the rewards of volunteering at UAB has received 95 refugees. manages the adapted transport service on the Bellaterra campus and the service the university. The Solidarity Fund this year has enabled for accompanying people who have Social volunteer programmes, such as the funding of twelve university difficulty in finding their way around. the Justice Programme (in prison or youth cooperation projects for development detention centres), socio-educational and promoted by academic and research staff This year saw the ninth call for application social health programmes have attended in different areas of knowledge, and has for Impuls grants with the support of a total of 4,300 people at risk of social given support to ten projects for the Board of Trustees, and eight grants exclusion or at a difficult moment in their postgraduate, Master’s and PhD were awarded to students in situations personal lives or health. Also, groups students. The projects will be carried out of dependence with the aim of allowing of students have been promoting in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, them access to the university. awareness-raising activities for the Ethiopia, Gambia, Guatemala, Mauritius, environment and healthy habits. Kenya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, The UAB Impuls Programme which Palestine, Peru, Senegal, South Africa, facilitates entry into the labour market Cooperation for development Uganda and Cataloni for UAB students and graduates with As part of the Programa Acollida of the disabilities or in situations of risk of social UAB, which is aimed at the integration of exclusion has attended 106 people and visited 55 companies resulting in the offer of 33 jobs and 26 employment contracts. The UAB approves the 2nd Action is made up of 32 measures grouped This programme is offered jointly by Plan for Disabilities and Inclusion into 4 main areas of action: visibility PIUNE and the Employability Service The 2nd Action Plan for Disabilities and awareness-raising; accessibility of the UAB. and Inclusion of the UAB (II PAD) has and mobility; activities; and university been drawn up by the UAB policy and organisational framework. Observatory for Equality following a For each of the measures the bodies process of diagnosis in which people responsible, instruments and with disabilities participated along with objectives to be attained are a committee of experts in different identified as well as the calendar for perspectives of disability and inclusion. their application. The plan is the instrument which has allowed the policies for inclusion at the university to be put into action and

34 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona On 19 April the university community was able to enjoy a walk through some of the most beautiful and iconic sites Highlight of the Bellaterra campus. The walk took place as part of the Health and Sustainability Week and formed part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the UAB.

The UAB hosts the Meeting of Healthy Universities of the Vives University Network

On 3 May the UAB hosted the Environmental Meeting of Healthy Universities of the Vives University Network management the framework of this new plan and with the aim of facilitating a The UAB has approved the Plan for a there were plans for future events such space to understand and share Sustainable and Safe Mobility Healthy and Sustainable Campus for as the strategies for the management Week 2018-2022. This plan is an extension of , from 23 to 27 October including of healthy projects in the Bicycle Day Health and previous plans and the new aspects lie , and university, offer specific training Sustainability Week in the fact that it has integrated the two were held from for those responsible and agree parts (health and sustainability) in a single 16 to 20 April. There was also a renewed a working plan for the period Middays on the Campus plan to include initiatives focussed on interest in the 2018-2019. improving the health of people using the programme which offers walks of 3 to campus and the sustainability of the 4 km to discover and enjoy the local campus itself. The new plan is made up environment. of four main areas and 12 strategic lines In order to promote energy saving the of action and consists of 79 actions UAB also introduced awareness-raising planned up to the year 2022 as follows: measures proposed by energy improvement groups (see chapter 08 • The community (physical activity, healthy eating, emotional wellbeing and values “Resource Management”). of responsibility and solidarity), with 24 planned activities. The UAB installs a pilot plant for Final Degree Project Award the treatment of organic waste • Building (energy and water, and waste) for Sustainable Development generated by the campus with 17 planned activities. and Global Justice restaurants • Region (regional planning, mobility and On 2 February the first Final As part of the DECISIVE project, the agroforestry spaces) with 24 planned Degree Project Award for Research Group for Composting activities. Sustainable Development (GICOM) of the Department of and Global Justice was made, • Transversal (communication, participation, Chemical, Biological and organised by the Fundació environment), with 14 planned activities. Environmental Engineering of the Autònoma Solidària. 18 final One of the most important aspects of UAB and the Agency for Waste of degree projects were awarded the Plan for a Healthy and Sustainable Catalonia have come to an the prize from eleven faculties Campus is that the strategic lines are agreement to put in place a pilot and 20 different degree courses. integrated in the Objectives for project for the decentralised The aim of the prize is to Sustainable Development (OSD) of the management of biological waste in promote interest in research United Nations, in line with the Catalonia. A pilot plant containing into the area of sustainable institutional declaration of the Association an anaerobic microdigestor will be development and global justice of Catalan Public Universities (ACUP) installed to treat organic waste as part of the UAB contribution signed by the UAB, which places the generated by the restaurants on the to the 2030 Agenda and the 2030 Agenda at the centre of university campus. The process will produce objectives for sustainable activity. biogas to generate energy and development of the United digested waste from which Activities of dissemination and Nations. bioproducts with added value can awareness-raising are contained within be extracted.

35 University community

On 17 May the Observatory for Equality and Community Action organised a collective painting on the steps of part of the Plaça Cívica in the colours of the LGTBI flag as part of the International Day against LGBTI-phobia. Following the action the Sin Vergüenza group read a manifesto.

Observatory Student participation for Equality

The active participation of the university The activity of the Observatory for New regulations for the UAB community, especially students, in the Equality in 2017-2018 concentrated on Student Council organisational structures of the UAB and different aspects of increased visibility, in social and cultural activities on the This year the Governing Council of training, research and participation with campus is one of the distinguishing the UAB has approved the new regard to the different types of inequality characteristics of the UAB. A series of regulations for the Student Council and discrimination which exist on the resources and facilities are therefore with the aim of updating and adapting campus and in society. Among the tasks available to strengthen the different it to the new situations for student carried out the 2nd Action Plan on groups of the university such as representation at the university. The Disability and Inclusion of the UAB association, the delegate network and proposal was drawn up by the merits a special mention (see chapter 07 the student councils. Standing Committee of the CEUAB “Social and Environmental The student representation bodies have as a result of a participative process Commitment”). by students through working gained greater strength through the From the institutional point of view, on committees and a series of decision approval of the new regulations for 6 March the 13th International Women’s taken in consensus and was the UAB Student Council (CEUAB) and Day Celebration was organised. This year approved by a majority in the meeting the promotion of student participation it paid homage to Montserrat Solsona, of the UAB Student Council. in delegate and technical committees. a lecturer in the Department of Geography In addition, the figure of the academic The new regulations aim to and researcher in the CED. Also this year delegate is now completely consolidated encourage the participation of new saw the celebration of the International in the UAB, with a network of 587 students and ensure representation Day against Violence on 21 November delegates in the Delegate Census and in the different teaching centres. and the International Day of Women and Academic Group Delegates, who have Girls in Science on 15 February. received training in sessions to facilitate As part of the “UAB Free of Gender their task. From 27 April to 4 May the Violence” project a Guide to Action in annual elections were held for the the face of Sexism and Gender Violence Executive Council of the UAB Student at the UAB was produced as well as the Council. launch of a series of training and advisory In terms of the network of university activities organised jointly with the associations, this year there were 89 Community Action group. registered groups, with a total of 2,611 Within this field this year the people involved, of which 93% ere Psychogender Unit, which offers students. These groups have had financial psychological support to victims of and logistical support to organise events violence and gender signed an agreement and have contributed to consolidating with Cerdanyola City Council and the the use of the spaces in the Resource Catalan Institute for Women to improve Centre for Student Groups and the Hotel the aftercare of victims of sexist violence. d’Entitats. In the call for applications for student group funding in 2018 there were 48 applications and 47 grants were awarded, for a total value of 12,500 Euros.

36 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 08 Highlight

This year the Opina UAB service was launched It is a new participation channel allowing members of the UAB and from outside the institution to make suggestions, complaints or congratulatory messages to the university regarding its areas of activity. Users fill in a form available on the institutional website and on the portals Cultural activity of the UAB centres and services. During the 2017-2018 academic year 175 cultural activities were programmed, with the Human resources participation of over 11,000 people.

This year the UAB has made a priority The UAB Senate approved two There were four exhibitions, 77 the stabilisation and promotion of strategic documents for the university activities in the Cinema and 36 academic and administration and this year: the Model of academic in the Theatre. Among the latter, services staff, in collaboration with social dedication of teaching staff at the there were six plays and concerts agencies. UAB and the Model of theoretical organised by the UAB Theatre Within the area of teaching and research staffing of academic staff in the itself as well as fifteen staff this year the new Model of teaching department and the hospital performances in and outside the dedication was approved and the Model teaching units. Both documents university by stable arts groups for theoretical academic staffing in were drawn up through a participative and art workshops with the departments, with the new integration of and transparent process with the aim participation of over 150 the hospital teaching units. A new model of attaining the maximum possible members of the UAB community. of criteria for the promotion of professors, consensus among the university ‘Cultura en Viu’ also supported which reviews the distribution of places community. the organisation of over eighty corresponding to each area and adapts The Model of academic dedication activities which were the it to the number of accredited lecturers. aims to provide an adequate initiatives of different services, The stabilisation or promotion of reflection of the real dedication of bodies, groups and members of temporary staff has also been one of this lecturers to teaching in relation to the university. Of these the music year’s challenges and the university has their total academic activity. The programme of the FMUAB which managed to reduce the number of model contemplates all the activities received the Autònoma Actua temporary contracts by 50%. related to teaching which must be prize was able to programme 12 live music concerts. There was In terms of the public job offers this year recognised (preparation for teaching, also support for fifty activities a total of 120 permanent lecturer positions management activities and group from the department and were approved (15 professors, 12 senior coordination, classroom teaching, teaching centres or research lecturers and 93 lecturers), to which 31 student tutoring and continual groups as well as different tenure track positions were announced evaluation activities) while proposals from organisation during the year within the Serra Húnter recognising the participation of external to the UAB such as the programme. 44 emeritus and honorary lecturers in research, transfer and International Music Competition positions were also awarded. educational innovation activities. of Capellades and the Indigenous The Model for the theoretical staffing In the area of administration and Film Exhibition of Barcelona. services staff for 2017 there was an for teaching and research staff in the agreement with the social agencies university and hospital teaching The highlights of the professional for 43 positions to be filled over the next centres enables the UAB to plan the stage performances were the three years. The 2017 RLT was also staffing of its departments according concert by Clara Peyra who approved ad progress was made in to teaching needs and research and presented the work “Oceans”, adapting it to the situation of the real staff transfer activity, define the staffing and the performance of “The Rite and defining it according to current and of the teaching units in accordance of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky, future needs. In parallel work was carried with their own specific characteristics with stage arrangement by Roger out on detecting the Staff in Chapter VI and guarantee the autonomy of the Bernat and choreography by Pina who carry out structural tasks with a view departments in organising their own Bausch. to regularising their situation in staffing.

37 On 23 May an act of recognition was held for around fifty-five students who have taken part in university sports competitions. During the event there was an exhibition of the medals and trophies obtained and the new facilities sponsored by the Board of Trustees. The UAB Physical Activity Service (SAF) facilitates participation by UAB students in sports competitions in Catalonia, Spain and Europe.

Friends of the UAB UAB Alumni

accordance with budget availability The Friends of the UAB Association, which The UAB Alumni Foundation works and regulatory framework. On 7 June brings together members and former to promote a network of graduates elections took place to choose the 21 members of the university community from the UAB, to form a dynamic people that form the UAB Administration and friends of the UAB, has offered a and interconnected community of and Services Staff Board. The votes were programme of activities this year including professionals based on employability, cast electronically. debates, conferences and cultural lifelong learning and service provision. excursions. In terms of organisation this In 2017-2018 UAB Alumni continued to Finally, on 21 September there was an year the Association has chosen Francesc promote networking activities and act of recognition for the teaching and Cayuela to be its new Chairperson, taking knowledge generation jointly with the research staff and administration and over from Albert Sòria who had occupied sector networks for the alumni of the services staff who retired during the 2016- the position since 2014. different faculties, such as the 2nd 2017 academic year. Meeting of the Alumni Community of the Faculty of Economics and Business Ombuds Office (CAFEE) which is centred on entrepreneurship. The UAB Ombuds Office is the body responsible for the rights and The internationalisation of the Foundation responsibilities of members of the has been consolidated this year with the university community before the actions opening of the second Alumni Chapter, of the different university bodies and this time in Beijing, and with the services. participation in Brussels of the alumni During the Annual Party of Friends of the from the universities of the ECIU, Throughout 2017 a total of 110 cases UAB which took place on 16 November a consortium of innovative European were registered. Students accounted for the Friend of Friends awards were given universities, and the higher education 82 of these - 75% of the total. The content to Ana Ripoll, former rector of the UAB, a fair in Singapore. of the cases was related to the following de la UAB, Josep Font, former Ombuds functions of the university: academic Officer of the UAB, and Antonio Franco, UAB Alumni also strengthened its (67%), economic (17%), campus services journalist and former chair of the Association presence on the campus with its new (10%) and employment (6%). The specific of Friends of the UAB. Also, the Centre for headquarters located in the Plaça Cívica areas in which there were most complaints Research in Forestry Applications (CREAF) and participation in fresher student were assessment (16), grant payments received the UAB Group prize. In the welcome activities, the annual party and to students and registration fees (11) and University-Company and University-Society the graduation ceremonies, among other the planning of teaching (11). Awards given by the Board of Trustees, events. Bonaventura Clotet, head of the infectious diseases service at the Trias i Pujol University Hospital and director of the AIDS IrsiCaixa Research Institute received an award alongside the women from the El Celler de Can Roca restaurant: Montserrat Fontané, Anna Payet, Alejandra Rivas and Encarna Tirado. This was also the second years of the Friends of the Libraries Awards.

38 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona On 3 December the 6th UAB Charity Run took place on the Bellaterra campus in support Highlight of the TV3 Charity Marathon, which this year was raising funds to combat infectious diseases. The route was changed this year, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary, to pass some of the most iconic parts of the UAB campus. Recognition for the Publications Service

The Aldea Global collection, co-edited by the UAB Publications Mental health: visible Service obtained the Academic Publishing Quality seal (CEA- and without stigma APQ), promoted by the Union of Spanish University Publishers Mental illnesses and the fight against Another highlight was the creation of the and recognised by the ANECA, their stigmatisation was the central theme blog Less Stigma, more visibility, which the Spanish national agency for the UAB awareness-raising campaign includes news and activities and projects for quality, assessment and this year. On 10 October, coinciding with carried out on the campus in relation to accreditation, and by the World Mental Health Day, the campaign the topic. The blog also offers resources Spanish Foundation for Science activities were announced in an event such as documents, reports and articles and Technology (FECYT). This which included a talk by Alpinist Edurne as well as means of contacting collection is edited jointly by Pasaban on her personal experience in organisation for information about mental the UAB, Jaume I University overcoming depression. health. in Castellon, Pompeu Fabra With the aim of informing the university University and the University community of mental disorders and of Valencia. making them visible in order to break the social stigma and taboos associated with them, the annual party of the UAB which took place on 9 November this year, presented a series of activities under the theme “Mental health: visible and without stigma at the UAB”.

Under this theme, different activities were On 23 May the closing ceremony for organised during the year, with the the mental health activities took First UAB Games participation of numerous organisations place, with the performance of the From 6 to 9 November the first and services. An agreement was signed play The Folly of the Birds, by the year of the UAB Games took place between the UAB and the Parc Taulí UAB theatre group La Trifulga dels on the campus, organised by the Hospital to improve research and support Fútils, made up of people with mental Physical Activity Service. These in mental health, promote the CORE for illnesses. Mental Health and the launch of the Living days of varied, inclusive and Lab in Mental Health, with the aim of supportive sports activities have improving the emotional wellbeing of the taken place under the motto university community. “Mens Sana in Corpore Sano”, and have focussed on the values The 1st Solidarity Week, organised by of respect and healthy lifestyles. the Faculty of Science and Biosciences The activities are open to the entire on the initiative of the Student Council university community and include was also dedicated to mental health. team and individual sports, From 23 to 27 April students from the electronic sports and fitness UAB were able to attend activities every activities. The registration fees day related to problems of mental health. will go towards the mental health programmes of the Fundació Autònoma Solidària.

39 Resource management

316,5 million Euro budget (2017 budget after expenditure settlement)

Implementation of the budget Income budget settlement for 2017. Rights recognised During the 2017 financial year the Current transfers 55.13% Government of Catalonia has only increased its contribution by 3.5 Fees and other incomes 34.55% million Euros compared with the previous Variation assets and financial liabilities 1.56% year. This is the equivalent to the extra Capital transfers 8.41% salary payments for 2012, 2013 and 2014 Equity revenues 0.35% and a tax increase of 1%. While public prices in 2017-2018 were frozen for Total: 314,589,645 euros. the third consecutive year, income from registrations has fallen slightly due to lower student numbers. In terms of research income there has been an income in the provision of research services.

The UAB has balanced its Expenditure budget settlement for 2017. Contractual obligations budget at the close of 2017 In terms of expenditure, it is important Personnel costs 68.16% to note that the university has not been Goods and services purchases 14.92% able to comply with the judicial decision Investments 10.82% deriving from collective bargaining Variation assets and financial liabilities 0.72% conflicts. In other words the Plan for Budget Stabilisation has not been met, Current account transfers 5.32% although the budget was balanced thanks Capital transfers 0.02% to savings and provision from Total: 316,516,776 euros. the previous year. In terms of financial operation, the new debt of €4.9M corresponds to the advance by the FEDER and FSE, which will be considered capital subvention when it is accounted for. Please note: the difference between recognised rights (€314.590m), part of Treasury requirements were similar to the which corresponds to final and/or multi-year income, and recognised liabilities previous year and decreased towards (€316.517m) does not determine the budget deficit or surplus for the year, as the end of the year. meaning that credit some of this income may have come from previous years and may be spent in availability stood at €579,345. years following the year for which the statements were drawn up.

40 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 09

Actions for energy efficiency

The UAB supports the responsible establishment of energy consumption consumption of energy resources through profiles as well as optimising the energy the promotion of responsible practices potential. This system also helps energy in the use of energy and the improvement efficiency groups to design greater of energy efficiency in its facilities. During energy-saving plans. the 2017-2018 academic year several actions have been put in place for energy The UAB will generate 13,000 tonnes saving and efficiency, among which are less of CO2 thanks to the purchase the installation of fluorescent lighting of renewable or green energies using LED technology in spaces of Together with the other members of intensive use in the buildings of the UAB, the Consortium of University Services the installation of protective solar film, of Catalonia (CSUC), for the first time the optimisation of heating installations the UAB will consume 100% of its through the use of control valves for energy from renewable or green heating and air conditioning, and the sources until January 2020 (high and improvement of interior and exterior low-tension electricity and gas) thanks insulations of pipes for radiators. Double to the purchase made by the CSUC. entrance doors have also been fitted in This new tender for energy has not This will mean that the emission of the Computing Service building and the only meant that 100% of electrical greenhouse gases from the UAB Faculty of Medicine. energy is supplied from renewable associated with electricity consumption As part of the policy for the installation sources but has also reduced the will be 0g CO2/kWh in 2018 and 2019 of more efficient air conditioning marketing margin applied by the (in 2017, CO2 emissions associated electrical supply companies to the equipment, this year two boiler rooms with electricity consumption from the UAB from 1.019 to 0.88€/MWh. In were renovated, one in the Faculty of UAB were 13,017 tonnes). Science and Biosciences and the other doing so we have been able to The green energy consumed by the in the Agora building. Three new coolers mitigate the increase in prices that UAB will therefore come from were also installed. the energy market has experienced renewable sources such as hydraulic, in recent years. In order to improve the monitoring of wind and solar among others. Until energy consumption, meters have now the energy came from the continued to be installed (there are now peninsular mix which is generated by over sixty) and the most appropriate conventional power stations (coal, programs are now available to give the combined cycle, co-generation), greatest visibility and promote maximum nuclear energy and renewable energies. awareness among the university community of the consumption of energy. It should be remembered that monitoring enables the production of consumption reports, the detection of unnecessary passive consumption and the

41

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UAB Campus University Hospitals (Faculty of Medicine teaching units) 1 Campus de Bellaterra 2 Campus de Sabadell 4 Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Barcelona) 3 Campus de Barcelona 5 Hospital Universitari de la Vall d’Hebron (UAB Casa Convalescència) (Barcelona) 6 Hospital del Mar (Barcelona) 7 Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Badalona) 8 Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí (Sabadell)

42 Annual report for the 2017-2018 academic year Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Campus de Bellaterra 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès) www.uab.cat