ACUP presents its International Projection Plan

Associació Catalana d'Universitats Públiques (ACUP)

The Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP), which includes University of Barcelona (UB), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), University of Girona (UdG), University of Lleida (UdL), Rovira i Virgili University (URV) and Open University of Catalonia(UOC), presented its International Projection Plan for the Catalan Public Universities 2010-2015 on 8 April. This plan, which was outlined in the White Paper on the University of Catalonia, reinforces the ACUP universities’ desire to become a point of reference for university systems in Europe, thanks to the unique and complementary natures of the institutions that form part of the association. The plan has been produced by ACUP, through its International Relations Committee which is made up of the Vice Rectors for International Relations, International Relations offices and ACUP’s Executive Secretary.

09/04/2010

The ACUP International Projection Plan was presented by Imma Tubella, the association’s Chair and President of UOC, and Josep Maria Vilalta, the association’s Executive Secretary, in the presence of university rectors Josep Joan Moreso (UPF), Anna Maria Geli (UdG), Francesc Xavier Grau (URV) and Carles Carreras, vice-rector for International Relations (UB), Mercè Unzeta, vice-rector for International Relations (UAB), and Helena Martínez, director for International Relations (UPC).

The aim of this project is to achieve a public university system that is solid and renowned internationally for its quality, capacity for innovation and social responsibility. The Plan is based on international projection and recognition; incorporation of an international dimension in all university areas; fostering of research and capture of global talent; projection of Catalonia and Catalan culture around the world; promotion of university collaboration with developing countries, and consolidation of interuniversity collaboration to benefit each university individually and the system as a whole.
The projects involved are broken down, in an initial phase, into the five specific programmes of the two-year operational plan 2010-2011: the communication plan and greater projection of the Catalan university system; starting up of an International Observatory; launch of a joint postgraduate platform; promotion of the Mediterranean Forum for Higher Education and Research, and development cooperation activities.
The ACUP has a number of initiatives underway within the framework of the International Projection Plan. Firstly, the OECD Reviews of Higher Education in Regional and City Development, a study programme looking at universities’ contributions to regional innovation and development. The results of the programme are to be published in the autumn in a report with recommendations from the OECD as to how to increase universities’ contributions to regional innovation and development. Secondly, the DIGU university management training and institutional development programme aims to establish stable relations with African universities, strengthen institutional capacities at African universities, share experiences and best practices, and create a network of shared knowledge.
The third initiative underway is the drafting of a joint plan for university cooperation for development that looks to reinforce the impact and quality of activities in this area. Finally, the ACUP, in collaboration with the Catalan Interuniversity Council, is working on jointly taking part in international trade fairs, such as NAFSA 2010 (USA) and EAIE 2010 (France).
The aims set by the International Projection Plan for this period (2010-2015) include:

•Achieving international recognition for the University of Catalonia brand as an area of university excellence in Europe;
•Achieving adequate levels in English throughout the university community;
•Increasing the number of European and international research projects; in particular, doubling the number of projects led or coordinated by Catalan research groups;
•Capturing and retaining internationally prestigious talent;
•Doubling Catalan university student mobility involving study abroad (reaching 8,000 a year),
•Consolidating the internationally prestigious and high quality master’s and doctoral courses on offer.

The internationalisation of higher education in Catalonia

The Catalan university system is, by far, that which attracts most postgraduate and doctoral students in Spain. Likewise, it is one of the four leading autonomous communities both in terms of Erasmus students coming to Spain and in terms of those visiting other European countries. With respect to fund-raising for research, of the top ten Spanish universities with projects and competitive funding from the EU’s 6th Framework Programme (FP) for Research and Technological Development, half were Catalan; and of the grants provided by the European Research Council (ERC) to young researchers this year, over 60% of those going to Spanish universities and research centres went to those in Catalonia.
In the latest Starting Grants call, sixteen grants went to Spain, of which eight went to universities and research centres in Catalonia. Likewise, Catalan scientific production grew by nearly 70% between 1996 and 2006, and now exceeds a quarter of all that produced in Spain (representing 2.5% of the EU total). What’s more, Catalonia is the autonomous community that has received most money from the Spanish government’s Euroingenio funding, which rewarded the improvement seen in the EU’s 7 th FP for the period 2007-2013. In 2008, Catalonia received 103 million euros from the European programme, which made it by far the leading autonomous community in Spain in terms of raising and taking advantage of these EC funds.

More information: ACUP
Internationalisation Plan