OPompeu Fabra University was founded in 1990 by the Autonomous Government of Catalonia. Its headquarters are in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, and the UPF is a committed and responsible university that sets its sights on consolidating the values of a high-quality public institution open to the world. The essential aims of this institution are based on training good professionals and contributing to conducting research.

Since its foundation, the University has consolidated its teaching and research project and has achieved a high return from resources society has placed at its disposal. On-going educational and technological innovation and improvement, high academic performance of its students, a high level of employability of its graduates and a high rate of internationalisation and good positioning of the University within the scope of research are only some of the aspects that have contributed to the high prestige the institution has managed to achieve. Therefore, its activity indicators are at present a benchmark for the Catalan university system.

The UPF offers all-round training by applying a strict teaching model of high-quality and excellence. The UPF teaching work is focussed on the fields of social sciences and humanities, health and life sciences and communication and information technology. This became a reality in the 2008-2009 academic year with an offer of 20 graduate degrees, 24 official master degrees, 9 doctorate programs and 379 further education programs.

The UPF university community consist of 1.129 teachers and researchers, 635 administration and services personnel, 10.294 graduate and post-graduate students and 9.925 further education students.

The planned horizon for its future growth is to consolidate the university’s fields of knowledge by means of offering a graduate course in medicine, which will mean the existing studies in human biology can be completed. The greatest expansion of the UPF will take place in the field of official post-graduate courses, which in the medium term is hoped to include 30% of all the students, a large number of which will be foreigners. Therefore, the offer for third cycle studies and post-graduate programs will be renewed and constantly adapted to the needs of the professional and productive sectors. By implementing the new teaching model in order to have adopted the European Higher Education Area model (EHEA) by 2010, the UPF intends to offer complete, exclusive and highly competitive post-graduate training on an international level; therefore students can specialize after their general education obtained from the new graduate courses. The 2008-2009 course UPF started six new degrees fully adapted to EHEA.

The research work conducted at the university is of a high level and is competitive from an international standpoint in the following fields: social sciences; health and life sciences; information and communication technologies and humanities. The UPF provides companies and institutions with a multidisciplinary team composed of almost eight hundred highly qualified researchers whose normal work involves efficient and innovative solutions offered to the production and service fields and the authorities. This close cooperation with companies and institutions is achieved by performing various types of work: basic research and development projects, conducting technical studies, technology transfer through using patents and know-how, consulting services and technical assistance, exchange of researchers and information on the available aid to finance the university-company partnership, etc. In addition, the UPF promotes interactive business/university collaboration ("càtedres" in Catalan) being set up and other stable partnership structures (for example, observatories) to determine working lines for research, development and innovation depending on the priorities and needs of both the company and the university.

Within the scope of important scientific infrastructures, the UPF is a leader in three important projects: The Biomedical Research Area in Barcelona, opened in 2006, where more than one thousand scientists from all over the world are working, and the Barcelona Media Area, a large training, research and production infrastructure in the fields of communication and technology, currently in the construction stage. There is also a plan in process at the moment for a UPF Research-Social Sciences and Humanities Area.

Improvement in quality through new technologies is one of the main goals of the University. The UPF is currently one of the leading universities in Spain for development and application of new information and communication technologies in education and research. In this respect, the solid position held by the UPF stands out as far as external studies are concerned, e.g. a study at the University of Oviedo and another for the AUNA Foundation, for which the UPF holds, jointly with the UPC, the first place in university ranking for the quality and offer of internet resources: on-line information, virtual management options, virtual classroom and campus development, etc. In addition, according to the Atlas Digital de la España Universitaria-2007 (The Spanish Digital University Atlas), published by the Cantabria University, the UPF library holds first place in the rankings for Spanish university libraries.

With deep identification with the Catalan culture and its territory, the UPF can also be defined by its international aims. The generalised mobility of students to universities around the world, promoting enrolment of foreign students, recruitment of top level foreign lecturers and researchers and its active participation in international projects, networks and associations have made UPF an innovative university according to its internationalisation indicators and profound commitment to an open world. A clear example of this aim towards internationalisation is that the UPF is currently the leading university in Spain for student mobility.

The UPF campus is urban and strategically located in the centre of the city of Barcelona, in an area that starts in the lower part of the Rambla as far as the new innovation area of Barcelona, the 22@ district. Since the time of its foundation the UPF has always contributed to urban planning, architectural refurbishment and reactivation of certain districts in the city of Barcelona. The five buildings currently used for the University –Rambla, Ciutadella, França, Mar and Ca l’Aranyó– are perfectly communicated with each other by the city’s public transport system.

The building called Pompeu Fabra University, in honour of the person that structured modern Catalan grammar, was created with the intention of becoming a benchmark for its excellence, quality and strictness in its operations. However, it was also formed as a framework with the aim of contributing to the prestige of the Catalan public university system and promoting its regeneration and modernization. Since it was founded, the UPF has aimed at two goals when designing its new teaching project, practically two demands: to provide high quality teaching and achieve high academic performance as evidence of efficient and effective use of the public funds society makes available to it.

From the perspective obtained over the years, it has been shown that these initial goals have been fully achieved. Therefore, the UPF model is efficient and effective and has a direct and beneficial impact on society. The institutional indicators have proven this: both for academic performance, degrees obtained within the stipulated time or one additional year and student mobility rates are the highest of all the Catalan public universities.
- Academic performance: Students obtained 83% of their enrolled credits (2007-2008 academic year), compared with 71% in all the universities in the Catalan public system. 86.1% of the graduates find a job within a year after obtaining their degree.
- The graduation rate within the time set or in one additional year for the 4-year degrees was 56%, whereas this figure was 29% for all the universities in the Catalan public system (2005-2006 academic year).
- Mobility rate: 31.9% of the graduates in the 2007-2008 academic year spent a gap year abroad.

The fact that the UPF is located right in the centre of the city of Barcelona was also one of the essential factors taken into account when determining the university model to be designed and the progressive territorial implementation of the university has helped to reactivate the historic districts of the city that were at such time in a serious state of decline, such as Ciutat Vella, and promote the newly created central areas, such as the Olympic Village or the 22@ district.

Main claims to international academic or non-academic excellence

The main characteristics of undergraduate degrees at University Pompeu Fabra are the following ones:

1- A teaching model fully adapted to EHEA the year 2009-2010
2- A high and increasing demand of UPF degrees.
3- Performance and graduation rates are high and failure rates low.
4- Satisfaction with teaching is high among students, and it is even higher among graduates.
5- Job placement of graduates takes place in a short period and in qualified jobs.

Some indicators show the quality of teaching at University Pompeu Fabra

1. Adaptation to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)

- On 2004 UPF launched the institutional program of adaptation of teaching to Bologna standards. The course 2006-07, 10 out of 19 degrees offered that course by UPF took part on the institutional program
- The course 2007-08 70 per cent of subjects offered to first-year students were adapted to Bologna model
- The course 2008-09, the University started six degrees fully adapted to EHEA requirements and the Bologna model of teaching.
- The course 2009-10 UPF will complete its adaptation to EHEA with the start of 19 new degrees.

2. Enrolment (course 2008-09)

- UPF shows the biggest increase in enrolment of students in their most preferred options at the level of Catalan public universities (11.8%)
- The course 2008-09, there are 1.55 applications per seat in average.
- 5 out the 11 most preferred destinations (degree-university) are offered by UPF.

3. Performance (course 2007-08)
- The graduation rate (percentage of students who acquired their degree in the standard period of study or in an additional year) is 57,1%. It is the highest at the level of Catalan public universities, which have 31,7% in average.
- 42,6% of students got their degrees in the standard period of study the couse 2007-2008
- The performance rate (passed credits over enrolled ones) is 83% at the University level the course 2007-2008. The previous year, this rate was 82%, while the average at the level of Catalan public universities was 70%.
- The failure rate (percentage of those who do not get the degree over those enrolled in a cohort) is the lowest among Catalan public universities (9,7% the course 2004-2005, the average at the level of Catalan public universities was 10,87%)

4. Satisfaction
- Overall satisfaction with teaching is, for the whole University, 7 points in a 0-10 scale ( the concrete question is : Are you satisfied with the teaching? The survey covers all the teaching at the University trimestrally
- Graduate students show a general satisfaction with UPF of 7.32 in average ( in a scale from 1 to 9). The information comes from the survey on the insertion into labour market of university graduates, year 2006.
5. Insertion into labour market (2006 survey)
- 86,1% of graduate students find an employment within 6 months since they finished the degree.
- 75% of those graduate students who have found an employment work in jobs related to what they studied.

Range of Fees

900-1,603 EUR per year

Basic TOEFL/IELTS requirements

None.
The languages required for undergraduated studies are Spanish and Catalan, both oficial languages.

Accommodation

UPF has four university residences located just a few minutes from the campus.
www.resa.es
www.residenciaonix.com
www.bcn-housing.students.com

Accommodation Range

400 EUR Accomodation
200 EUR Food
40 EUR Transport
200 EUR Expenses
Total 840 EUR

Finance and Scholarships

http://www.upf.edu/estudiants/es/beques/

Entry Requirements

http://www.upf.edu/estudiants/es/acces/estrangers.html

Language Support

www.upf.edu/pei

Non-English Language Requirements

The languages required for undergraduted studies are Spanish and Catalan, both oficial languages

• Audiovisual University Institute
• Department of Communication
  • Journalism
• Department of Economics and Business
  • Business Management and Administration
• Department of Experimental and Health Sciences
• Department of Humanities
• Department of Information and Communications Technologies
• Department of Law
• Department of Political and Social Sciences
  • Labour Sciences
• Department of Translation and Language Sciences
• Studies, Planning and Evaluation Unit
• The Jaume Vicens i Vives University Institute of History
• University Institute for Applied Linguistics
• University Institute of Culture

• Administration
  • Business Management and Administration - Full Time
  • Political Science and Administration - Full Time
• Biological Sciences
  • Biology - Full Time
• Business/Management
  • Business Management and Administration - Full Time
  • Labour Relations - Full Time
• Communications/Media
  • Audiovisual Communication - Full Time
  • Journalism - Full Time
• Computing/Information Technology
  • Computer Engineering - Full Time
  • Technical Engineering in Information Systems - Full Time
• Economics
  • Economics - Full Time
• Ethnicity, Gender and Diversity
  • Eastern Asia Studies - Full Time
• General Engineering/Other Engineering
  • Technical Engineering in Telecommunication - Full Time
  • Technical Engineering in Information Systems - Full Time
• Humanities
  • Humanities - Full Time
• Languages
  • Linguistics - Full Time
  • Translation and Interpretation - Full Time
• Law/Legal Studies
  • Law - Full Time
• Politics
  • Political Science and Administration - Full Time
• Sociology/Social Studies
  • Labour Sciences - Full Time

Scholarships and grants for universities and research centres for the training and recruitment o . 99999 available @ EUR 12,000

This programme comprises two clearly different stages:
- The first stage consists of a researcher training stage, in which the main goal is that the postgraduates, by means of the PhD programme or postgraduate master, can acquire the necessary knowledge and quality training to become future research personnel. This stage, lasting one year, will be awarded as a scholarship. (Application Modality A)
- The main goal of the second stage is to acquire the specific skills of experienced research personnel through a research project. This three-year stage takes the form of a contract, and is subject to a yearly evaluation. (Application Modality B)
Renewal
Beneficiaries of an FI contract during 2008 pursuant to the resolutions EDU/3600/2006 of 24 October (DOGC no. 4762 of 16.11.06) or IUE/2658/2007 of 30 July (DOGC no. 4959 of 31.08.07)

Amount:
This call is cofunded by the European Social Fund
Modality A (Researcher Training)
12,000.00 gross euros p.a.
Modality B (New Researchers)
1st year 13,800.00 gross euros p.a

2nd and 3rd year 15,000.00 gross euros p.a

These amounts will be paid in 12 monthly instalments

International co-operation and development scholarships . 99999 available @ EUR 1,000

Object:
The object of this call for applications for grants is to facilitate postgraduate and master¿s training at different levels by means of the award of grants either to applicants from developing countries that may subsequently bring added value to their country of origin and thus facilitate a socio-economic development of their territory, or to graduates of Catalan universities to bring another necessary dimension to the development of these countries and of Catalonia.

Type of grants:

Modality A: grants for foreign students to attend Catalan universities to begin postgraduate and master courses in the area of development co-operation and development (more than 120 hours).
Modality B: grants for graduates at Catalan universities who wish to train professionally in development and development co-operation to start postgraduate and master studies outside Catalonia (more than 120 hours).

Duration:
Modality A: Grants for full-course training programmes in Catalan universities, beginning within the 2008-2009 academic year and for a maximum period of 12 months, which may be extended to the 2009-2010 academic year.

Modality B: Grants for full-course training programmes for the academic year 2008/2009 and for a maximum period of 12 months, outside Catalonia, which on no account are renewable. Under exceptional conditions they may be started during the first quarter of 2009.

For modalities A and B, the duration of the end-of-course work may be financed for a maximum of three months within a maximum yearly period of 12 months of course/project.

Amount:

Modality A: 1,000.00 (one thousand) euros gross monthly.
Aid will be provided for tuition fees to a maximum of 2,500.00 (two thousand five hundred) euros per applicant.

Modality B: The monthly amount of the grant will be determined in accordance with the table given in part V of this Resolution, depending on the destination country.
Grants will be awarded for tuition fees, to a maximum of 3,500.00 (three thousand five hundred) euros per applicant.

Additional aid will also be given for travelling expenses.

Programme of UPF scholarships for non-EU students taking official Master's degrees . 40 available @ EUR 0

tuition fee waiver of the non-EU students tuition fee. 15 scholarships grant a 75% waiver of the non-EU tuition fee level for non-EU students 25 scholarships grant 50% waiver of the non-EU tution fee level for non-EU students In order to be able to apply for these scholarships, students will first have to be admitted to one of the Bologna Master's programmes and have academic excellence.
equirements for the scholarship award:

* Be a student outside the EU area and have the obligation to pay the non-EU tuition fee
* Be admitted to a Bologna Master's taught at the UPF
* Be in the top 50% in academic excellence within the selected students in each master's programme
* Have registered to all the credits of the Master's programme according to the academic curriculum on a full-time basis

Research staff training scholarships (FPI) . 14 available @ EUR 0

Department of Science and Innovation, Spanish Government.
4-year Scholarships for research staff training, linked to specific research projects.
14 scholarships have been awarded to projects of UPF researcher's the year 2009.

Scholarships for students taking official Master's degrees for the academic year 2008-09 . 99999 available @ EUR 0

Awarded by the Department of Education and Science of the Spanish Government.
The scholarship can include the following concepts, so the value is variable:
- Tuition fees
- Urban transporation
- Housing
- Books
- Compensatory aid

University teaching staff training scholarships (FPU) . 950 available @ EUR 1,142

Department of Education and Science. Spanish Government.
4-year scholarship. 950 available at state level.

UPF scholarships for official Master's degree and PhD students . 0 available @ EUR 918

The amounts to be received for each type of scholarship as of 1 October 2007 are:
a) master's degree scholarship:
- type 1 attending student: 918€ per month.
- type 2 attending student: 416€ per month.
b) doctoral scholarship:
- scholarship period: 918 € per month.
- period contracted as Training Research Staff: 1,133€ per month.