13 UPC researchers distinguished in the 2025 Academia Excellence programme

UPC research took centre stage in the latest call for the Government of Catalonia’s Academia Excellence programme (formerly ICREA Academia), securing 13 of the 50 grants awarded. The UPC thus becomes the institution with the most selected faculty members, who will be able to intensify their research for five years. Also, Claudio Cazorla Silva, a researcher at the Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering (CCEM), has been named a new ICREA Research Professor.

First tests of a subsea robot set to be integrated into the OBSEA observatory to monitor the seabed and create a digital twin

On 19 November, researchers from the UPC’s Technological Development Centre for Remote Acquisition and Data Processing Systems began the initial testing of a robot designed to monitor the seabed at the port of Vilanova i la Geltrú. They aim to develop a digital twin of the Vilanova coastline to characterise species, monitor large predator communities and understand how they interact with the rest of the marine ecosystems for the purpose of better managing and restoring these ecosystems.

Oriol Vinyals, honorary doctoral degree holder by the UPC: “AI allows us to focus on asking the right questions to advance science”

On 26 November, the UPC conferred an honorary doctoral degree on researcher Oriol Vinyals, vice-president of Research at Google DeepMind. Professor Eduard Alarcón delivered the oration in praise of Vinyals’s achievements at an event held in the Auditorium of the Vèrtex building on the North Diagonal Campus.

Algorithms for cancer diagnosis, a greenhouse gas catalyst and the spin-off Virmedex receive awards

The jury of the 15th UPC Research Valorisation Award has recognised DigiPatICS as the best technology transfer project, Permanently Polarized Hydroxyapatite as the best market-ready invention and Virmedex as the best technology-based company. A special mention has also been given to the collaboration between the CDEI and Girbau, focused on the design and simulation of industrial laundry machinery.

Using AI to decodeing the mechanisms that enable plants to adapt to climate change

An international research team led by the UPC has used advanced machine learning techniques to identify, for the first time, the key genes that enable plants to respond simultaneously to multiple forms of environmental stress. The study, published in Nature Communications, presents a new approach to analysing multifactorial stress at the genomic scale and paves the way for designing crops that are more resilient to climate change.

The UPC inaugurates the first monitored agrivoltaic plant for comprehensive horticultural crop control at the Agròpolis

On 24 October, the UPC inaugurated the first fully monitored agrivoltaic plant for comprehensive horticultural crop control at its Agròpolis facility in Viladecans. This new infrastructure is being used to study the impact of two types of photovoltaic panels on various vegetable crops, with the aim of generating clean energy for Europe’s agricultural sector.

UPC professor Antonio González receives the IEEE Computer Society B. Ramakrishna Rau Award

Antonio González, a professor at the UPC’s Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB) and a member of the Department of Computer Architecture, has been honoured with the 2025 B. Ramakrishna Rau Award from the IEEE Computer Society. This is one of the most prestigious international awards in the field of computer architecture.

The UPC, a driving force for deep tech innovation in Catalonia

According to the report The Deep Tech Spin-off Ecosystem in Spain 2025, the UPC is the third institution in Spain and the first in Catalonia for the creation of deep tech companies emerging from universities and research centres, accounting for 5.3% of the total in an ecosystem that now includes over 1,000 active spin-offs.

First light captured by the 4MOST telescope: observation begins of 77,000 stars in an international project led by the UPC

The 4MOST telescope at the European Southern Observatory in Chile captured its first light on 18 October, marking the start of new scientific programmes around the world. An international research team led by Alberto Rebassa, a researcher at the UPC and member of the IEEC, and Odette Toloza from the USM in Chile, will observe and analyse the spectra of 77,000 binary stars to shed light on how the Milky Way formed and evolved.

Patents and international mobility: the UPC’s standout indicators in the new THE WUR edition

In the 2026 edition of the THE WUR, the UPC achieved its best results in the pillars industry and international outlook, standing out for its strong performance in patents and international mobility.

A UPC delegation is taking part in the 12th Unite! Dialogue at Aalto University in Finland

From 6 to 9 October 2025, the 12th Unite! Dialogue is being held in Espoo (Finland), bringing together more than 300 participants from the nine partner universities of the Unite! alliance, including a delegation from the UPC.

UPC researchers Maria Pau Ginebra, Jezabel Curbelo and Sergi Abadal win 2025 National Research Awards

The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities has named three UPC researchers among the winners of the 2025 National Research Awards. Maria Pau Ginebra received the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Award for Engineering and Architecture, while Sergi Abadal and Jezabel Curbelo were recognised in the Youth Research category.

Ian Watson: “There is no such thing as AI. It’s a massive theft of material, scraped and then fed into programmes that consume obscene amounts of energy.”

Ian Watson, a leading British science fiction author, was the guest speaker at the Miquel Barceló UPC Science Fiction Award ceremony, held at the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB) on 17 September. In this interview, he reflects on experiences that have shaped his career, such as teaching at universities in Japan and Tanzania, and working with Stanley Kubrick on the screenplay for A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

The UPC opens the 2025–2026 academic year by invoking the power of imagination

On 25 September, the UPC inaugurated the new academic year on the Terrassa Campus. The event recreated the universe of Hogwarts, the school of magic from the Harry Potter saga, in the ESEIAAT lecture hall. The inaugural lecture was given by UPC graduate Carla Gómez, co-founder of Theker Robotics. The event featured political and academic representatives, faculty and students. Performances were given by pianist and mathematician Laura Farré, the choirs of Terrassa and the FME, and the UPC Orchestra.

The UPC issues an institutional declaration on the humanitarian situation in Gaza

The Standing Committee of the Governing Council of the UPC has adopted a declaration condemning the serious violations of international law in Gaza and expressing solidarity with those affected. The statement reaffirms the University’s commitment to peace, justice and human rights.

Ian Watson, guest speaker at the Miquel Barceló UPC Science Fiction Award ceremony

British science fiction writer Ian Watson has given the lecture 'I have no idea' on the UPC’s North Diagonal Campus on Wednesday 17 September. The event has taken place as part of the 27th Miquel Barceló UPC Science Fiction Award ceremony. This year’s prize has been awarded ‘ex aequo’ to writers Miguel Ángel López Muñoz and Raúl Gonzálvez del Águila.

Stabilising the power grid through grid-forming loads: the challenge of a European project led by CITCEA-UPC

The UPC’s Centre for Technological Innovation in Static Converters and Drives (CITCEA) is leading a European project to redesign the current energy system in order to stabilise the power grid in the face of growing renewable energy integration. The proposed solutions involve using the very devices that consume electricity to help balance the grid.

Leonardo Grants awarded to UPC researchers Inés Aquilué, Gissell Estrada and Juan Murcia

The 2025 call for BBVA Foundation’s Leonardo Grants has selected the projects of Inés Aquilué, Gissell Estrada and Juan Murcia to study, respectively, the reconstruction of cities after armed conflicts, the mathematical modelling of cell migration and the resilience of infrastructure in the face of extreme climate events.

The UPC leads a Unite! project to restore urban rivers and prevent flooding in European cities

Coordinated by a research team from the UPC’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and involving researchers from the University along with other Unite! partners, the initiative has received funding from the alliance’s seed fund.

150 years of architectural education in Barcelona on display

The Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) of the UPC is marking its 150th anniversary. Over the years, the School has trained some of the most influential names in architecture, including Domènech i Montaner, Gaudí, Puig i Cadafalch, Jujol, Sert, Bohigas, Coderch, Solà-Morales, Bofill, Tusquets, Galí, Pinós and Miralles, and has established itself as a benchmark institution on the international stage. A commemorative exhibition brings together previously unseen materials that trace the training of architects in Barcelona from the 19th century to today, including documents from the ETSAB Archive · Gaudí Chair dating back to the 18th century.

The UPC aims to improve the treatment of bone fractures with advanced biomaterials

A research team from the UPC’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering is exploring ways to transform the treatment of bone fractures using smart, advanced biomaterials that can reduce the risk of infection and implant rejection, as well as shorten recovery times. The research is part of the European project HYDROHEAL.

Antoni Tió, honorary doctoral degree holder by the UPC: “At the age of 23 I knew I wanted to make sails. What I wanted was to dress the wind.”

On 16 June, the UPC conferred an honorary doctoral degree on Antoni Tió Sauleda, a nautical industrialist renowned for his innovation in the design and manufacture of sails. Professor Agustí Martin Mallofré, dean of the Barcelona School of Nautical Studies (FNB), conducted the event, which took place at the School.

The UPC, Spain’s leading university in six classifications in the 2025–2026 Best Global Universities Rankings by ‘U.S. News’

Published by U.S. News on 17 June, the latest edition of the Best Global Universities Rankings positions the UPC as Spain’s top university in Engineering and in five subjects: Optics, Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering.

Launch of a European project for monitoring marine biodiversity using an intelligent marine digital twin

SEAMPHONI is a project led by the UPC with the participation of 24 European partners and funding of €11 million from the Horizon Europe programme. It aims to transform the monitoring of marine biodiversity through the creation of an intelligent marine digital twin that will integrate innovative tools such as environmental DNA, acoustics and underwater imaging. The project kick-off meeting was held in Vilanova i la Geltrú on 25 June.

El dinar PDI-PTGAS 2024-2025, en imatges

Àlbum d'imatges del tradicional dinar del PDI-PTGAS, que enguany ha tingut lloc dimecres 18 de juny, als jardins de Torre Girona, i ha aplegat més de 200 persones.

UPC master's degrees: Engineering, Architecture, Science and Technology

Francesc Torres took office as rector of the UPC

Professor Francesc Torres took office as rector of the UPC on 3 June in an event chaired by the minister of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia, Núria Montserrat

Have you launched a tech-based company and need funding? Sign up for Next Frontier Founders

Next Frontier Founders, the programme for start-up acceleration and investment readiness, has opened a new call—running until 15 July—aimed at all students and members of the UPC community. In addition to training and mentoring, the programme offers one-to-one meetings with investors. Participating start-ups and spin-offs also have the chance to pitch their business projects at the UPC Pitching Session during 4YFN 2026 or to have a presence at this international benchmark fair for entrepreneurship. This year, the call is supported by the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub, and registrations can be submitted through the Hub’s website:

7 tonnes of plastic waste end up along the Barcelona coastline every year, according to a UPC and UB study

A research team from the UPC and the UB has spent two and a half years monitoring the Barcelona coastline to quantify the scale of floating marine litter and to identify transport flows and accumulation zones for plastic waste. The results of the study were presented at an event held on the UPC’s North Diagonal Campus on 20 May.

Elections for rector 2025: voting takes place from 13 to 16 May

The candidates for UPC rector are professors Daniel Crespo Artiaga and Francesc Torres Torres. From today, 13 May, until 16 May, voting takes place by electronic ballot on the website eleccionesrectorat2025.upc.edu. The provisional results will be made public on 16 May. A candidate will be elected in the first round if they receive more than half of the valid votes, after applying the weightings assigned to each voting group and factoring in blank ballots. If none of the candidates reaches this threshold, a second round will be held between them. In the second round, the winner is the candidate with a simple majority, again based on the same weightings and excluding blank votes.