Interview with Dr Alfonso Méndiz, Rector, International University of Catalonia (UIC)

22 May Interview with Dr Alfonso Méndiz, Rector, International University of Catalonia (UIC)

Can you discuss the history and mission of the International University of Catalonia (UIC) and how it aligns with Catalonia’s broader educational goals?

Our university was founded in October 1997 so now we are 27 years old and during this time, we have gained international prestige and we have students from over 100 different nationalities. In fact, 30% of our students are international. We are the Catalan university with the highest number of foreign students.

Our mission goes beyond just training good leaders. We aim to transform society by transforming our students and we have a unique approach to achieving this mission through the care of the individual. Our mission is to humanize the transformation of society. We want to form students capable of transforming society through academic excellence. We ask them to give their maximum intellectual capacity, to have intellectual rigor and to pursue personal excellence. We want them to develop soft skills such as leadership, communication, teamwork, problem-solving and a vocation for service. We want them to commit to improving society.

We do this by instilling four foundational values from the creation of the university: person, excellence, truth and social commitment. ‘Person’ because the person is the center of everything. A student is not just a number; they are a person with projects and needs who requires support. Excellence is pursued both in academics and personal development. For this, we assign each student a tutor to facilitate their intellectual development and help solve problems when they encounter obstacles. We also support them in their personal growth, especially when they face challenges with communication, leadership and other personal issues. We have developed a program with 42 competencies so that by the time they graduate, they will have achieved personal and academic excellence.

The third value is the search for truth, something extremely important in the era of Fake News. We encourage them to seek the truth and get involved with it. Finally, social commitment, which involves a commitment to the sustainability of the planet and society. Sustainability is not only environmental but also social. We seek respect for the planet, but also a healthy social environment and a commitment to the sustainability of the educational model.

What key milestones has the university achieved under this plan and how will its future trajectory pan out?

Our strategic plan is a large project that we aim to develop from 2023 to 2028. Having reached 25 years in October 2022, we believe we are at a good moment to focus on our development for the next 25-50 years. We are in a moment where the university is very well positioned in international rankings. Among the milestones we have achieved is the recognition of some of our faculties. Our Faculty of Medicine was the first university in Spain, together with Girona, to be accredited by the World Federation for Medical Education which certifies that students are prepared to work in the international job market, such as in the US. Nearly 100% of students pass the MIR exam in Spain, meaning they have a place to become a resident in the public healthcare system. According to the Shanghai ranking, our dental faculty is number three in Spain and according to the QS ranking it is number two. Ultimately, UIC Barcelona is among the best universities in the world in the fields of dentistry, clinical practice, health and social sciences, according to various international rankings.   In addition, UIC Barcelona has been the first Spanish university to obtain international accreditation from the American Dental Association.

The strategic plan has four main pillars. First of all, we want to be a global university and aim to improve our international presence. Along with our 30% international students, 14% of our professors are international, which is higher than the Spanish average. In second place, we are a humanist university and we want to continue fostering a balance between science and humanism. We have a core curriculum institute that encourages students from different parts of the world to interact and collaborate.

In third place, we are a sustainability university. At UIC Barcelona, we address all aspects of sustainability and our work is coordinated with the Sustainability and Social Commitment Commission in the areas of sustainability policies, social commitment, environmental management, teaching and research. And finally, we are an innovative university. We are a sustainable and innovative university, establishing a digital curriculum. We are currently working on including artificial intelligence (AI) courses in all our programs, each applied to its respective field, all online.

What are the key factors in establishing and maintaining strong partnerships that provide both academic value and financial support and how does UIC Barcelona plan to expand these partnerships?

We have a very important relationship with the business world. We have chairs where companies finance research projects in different sectors. We also have five institutes that conduct research with external funding aimed at developing social improvements. Additionally, we have three university clinics that provide services to people with limited resources and, at the same time, are used for practical training. We have the University Dental Clinic, where students in their final year or master’s programs can carry out practical work with people who have low purchasing power and the same applies to the SUPPORT Clinic — University Psychology and Psychiatry Clinic. The third, Cuides UIC Barcelona, focuses on palliative care and provides assistance to people in critical conditions.

We also have a very active technology transfer office. Currently, we have 14 patent families under development and we have created a foundation for the development of spin-offs and patents. One patent I’d like to mention is in the cosmetics sector, which is one of the most polluting industries. We are working with polymers to ensure that the capsule of makeup and any beauty product dissolves with the makeup and leaves no residue.

How do you assess the impact of emerging technologies on the future of education at UIC Barcelona and how do these advancements help prepare students for the evolving global labor market?

It is evident that AI is redefining higher education worldwide and we have had to rethink the evaluation process, especially with tools like ChatGPT. The submission of work is now accompanied by discussions and public debate. We are also developing methods to use AI in the classroom, which means reinventing the teaching profession. We have developed a project called ALFA, ‘AI Learning for All,’ for both students and professors. This is driven by the Observatory of AI and New Technologies (OIANT), a monthly AI awareness program with activities in image processing, science, etc. We are exploring how we can integrate AI into all programs, for example, in communications (news writing), medicine (diagnostics), law (jurisprudence) and any other field related to AI. At UIC Barcelona, simulation-based learning is very important.

Apart from the clinics that allow for real case treatments, we also have a simulation center with mannequins where students perform medical practices with nurses. Cardiological practices, for example, are assisted by professors, allowing students to tackle real-life heart problems or neck issues. This experience ensures that they can enter their residency with hands-on experience dealing with real cases.

In law, we have a space where students wear robes and simulate real cases to defend. In communication, there is a newsroom simulation where students create media and learn by working on real cases. For us, simulation is a critical element. Another important aspect is the core curriculum, which is an innovation because it ensures a humanistic approach and creates forums for students to discuss real-world issues, encouraging critical thinking.

UIC Barcelona was recently named the most sustainable private university in Spain. What specific initiatives and practices does the university implement to raise awareness and encourage sustainable behaviors among students and faculty?

One of the four core values of our university is social commitment and sustainability is one of the key pillars of our strategic plan. On one hand, there is the development of actions aimed at improving environmental sustainability. There is a unit that presents proposals to the board of directors on practical policies, such as eliminating plastic bottles at the university and policies to reduce consumption, such as air conditioning during the summer and heating in the winter. We are also addressing lighting issues. A few months ago, we installed solar panels to take advantage of Spain’s sunlight and reduce energy consumption. The idea is to expand this initiative to our health campus as well.

In addition to this, there is a sustainability workshop where students from all degree programs participate. Every year, they present a project and the most impactful project receives an award. This year’s focus is on reducing water consumption. Students present their projects and through this they raise awareness.

We have an international cooperation program, endowed with funding for travel expenses and materials. It enables students, together with professors from different degrees, to collaborate in aid actions in developing countries, such as Guatemala, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Lebanon, Congo, or Palestine. Where students carry out development actions in the educational and health fields with vulnerable children and refugees; help in the construction and repair of schools and health centers; or care for orphanages and handicapped children. In addition to these actions, in Architecture they have created a network of housing for the homeless and literacy projects in Latin America; in Communication they have helped NGOs in the developing world; or in Dentistry they maintain an annual program of dental care in neglected areas in countries such as Africa or Madagascar, along with many other actions.

What strategies does UIC Barcelona use to attract global talent and strengthen international partnerships?

We are an international university and we seek global talent. In the last three years, we have incorporated nearly 30 professors from all over the world who have brought new teaching methodologies. Our relationship with other universities has led to the creation of 49 international double degree programs, where students start here and finish in another country, or vice versa. Collaboration is very important because, as a private university, we do not receive public funding. The public subsidies received are associated with financing competitive research projects. All of our income comes from tuition or from entities that want to collaborate with us. We have a Corporate Development Department that seeks alliances with companies and international organizations. We are developing an agreement with the Organization of Ibero-American States to enhance the possibility for countries in Ibero-America to study here. We have almost 5,000 agreements across various fields such as health, business, law or architecture

We also have the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program, where we partner with other universities to teach the same subject at the same time, with students from UIC Barcelona and another university. We also have agreements with other countries that help with minimal costs for international students, as the workgroups are international.

How do you plan to further strengthen UIC Barcelona’s position as a leader in research, innovation and societal impact?

Achievements are part of a team effort and I am very proud of the team that meets here. Now that we are implementing the strategic plan, we want to highlight the excellence of our research. We have high indicators in this area, in resource capture and in the training of individuals who earn prestigious scholarships, such as Marie Curie and Ramon y Cajal scholarships, for those who have stood out and can develop programs.

We also want to develop the social transfer line. That’s why we’ve created the INNOUIC Foundation for the development and exploitation of knowledge transfer, because we see that the research being done can lead to patents that improve aspects of health, society and industry. Additionally, we want to reaffirm our model of personalized attention. Every student has a tutor who helps them with the training process, soft skills and the development of that program. We want students to be evaluated at the end of their university degree in soft skills as well because our goal is for them to graduate with both an academic and a personal curriculum — one that reflects their leadership, social commitment and other academic achievements. This is a very beautiful project and one of the hallmarks of UIC Barcelona’s identity: the formation of professionals in all their aspects.

What are your concluding remarks and final message to the readers of USA TODAY?

We want to be a cutting-edge university because we are observing how AI is being integrated into curricula and how students are concerned about what is happening in society and how their knowledge can contribute to current problems, all while focusing on humanism and care for people, not just technology. We are a university with an open mind, welcoming all ideas. We have over 100 nationalities, all ethnicities and religions and they all coexist harmoniously. We are a university that tackles issues with a global vision, preparing students to engage in dialogue.

I would highlight that we are in a wonderful city, Barcelona, which blends tradition with modernity. Barcelona is the gateway to Europe for many people because we are in Spain, close to France. We have many students from France, Great Britain, Italy and other European countries and I invite young Americans to study here, whether for a degree or an intensive continuing education program. They will benefit from an environment full of warmth and openness.