Microvillages and Science Project: connecting communities in situ

Science reaches microvillages: a project by the IBB-UAB and the Microvillages Association, selected in the AGAUR IMPACTE 2025 call

Reducing the territorial gap in access to science and promoting well-being, education and equality in rural areas. This is the central objective of the new project promoted by the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine of the UAB (IBB) and the Association of Micropobles of Catalonia (MdC), recently funded in the AGAUR IMPACTE 2025 call.

The indicators of the rural world continue to show significant inequalities with respect to urban environments. Aware of this reality, the new project proposes a scientific dissemination plan adapted to the territory, co-created between the IBB and the MdC Association and with the involvement of the City Councils and the Rural Schooling Zones.

A Science Morning in 9 micro-towns in Catalonia

The proposal will deploy a Science Morning in 9 micro-towns from various regions (Lleida, Girona, Tarragona and Central Catalonia), selected by criteria of geographical diversity, poor territorial access, presence of ZER and capacity to function as agglutinating nodes for neighboring municipalities.

Project execution

This project is led by Dr. Tamara Fernández, Beatriu de Pinós postdoctoral researcher at IBB-UAB and counts with the Association of Microtowns of Catalonia as a collaborating entity that will have a facilitating role with the Town Councils affiliated to its association and support in the management of expectations and decision-making. The project began its execution last September and is currently in the selection phase of these 9 microtowns that will host the Matinals, by the Association of Microtowns of Catalonia, based on the selected indicators. These Matinals will take place between April and July 2026.

In addition, the project has a management and advisory team that will ensure its correct execution as well as the support of IBB researchers who will be area coordinators (cancer, nanomedicine, neurodegenerative diseases and immunity/infection) to prepare the materials and organize the action teams, in coordination with the management team.