ICTA-UAB research inspires the new edition of the CCCB’s ALIA educational program
ICTA-UAB will be the scientific partner of the new edition of ALIA, the educational program of the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), aimed at students in the fourth year of secondary education and the first year of upper secondary education. The program brings together scientific research, the humanities and artistic creation to address some of today’s major challenges.
During the 2026–2027 academic year, ALIA will focus on the energy transition, coinciding with the CCCB exhibition The Atomic Age. The project invites high school students to reflect on the causes and the social, economic, political and environmental implications of the shift to a new energy model, as well as on the conflicts and differing perspectives that this process generates.
ICTA-UAB’s contribution has been key to shaping the program’s content. In this regard, researcher Raúl Velasco-Fernández has worked closely with the CCCB’s education team and the theatre company Serrucho in developing the educational guide that will support participating schools throughout the academic year. His expertise in the field of energy transition has helped bring current debates on the limits of energy systems, resource extraction, sustainability and environmental justice into the educational setting.
Each edition of ALIA is built on the collaboration between a research centre and artistic professionals to offer an interdisciplinary approach to a contemporary issue. Over the course of seven months, students develop a research and creative project based on an educational guide, visits to CCCB exhibitions, workshops with artists, and meetings with researchers specializing in the topic being explored. The program concludes with the presentation of the final projects at the CCCB.
This edition will involve six secondary schools from the Barcelona metropolitan area: Institut Angeleta Ferrer (Barcelona), Institut Doctor Puigvert (Barcelona), Institut El Martinet (Ripollet), Institut Torrent de les Bruixes (Santa Coloma de Gramenet), Institut La Llauna (Badalona) and Institut Matadepera (Terrassa). All of them will work with the support of the CCCB education team and ICTA-UAB researchers.
In addition, several ICTA-UAB researchers will participate directly in the program through meetings with students. Cristina Pérez, Marcel Llavero, Arnim Scheidel, Paula Ugarte, Berta Roset and Pablo Núñez will share their research and provide different perspectives on the energy transition. These sessions will allow students to gain first-hand insight into the research currently being carried out at the university and to explore some of the environmental and social challenges associated with the future of energy.
The collaboration with the CCCB reinforces ICTA-UAB’s commitment to science communication and knowledge transfer, while helping bring research closer to schools. Through initiatives such as ALIA, science enters the classroom to foster critical reflection and informed debate on issues that will shape the future of society.