1  

Annual Report of the Fundació Politècnica de

Catalunya

2007-2008 academic year

February 2009

  

2  

1. Organisation

1. 1. Governing bodies

1. 2. Organisational structure

2. Activities

2.1. Lifelong learning 2.2. New programmes 2.3. Company training 2.4. National presence 2.5. The Image Processing and Multimedia Technology Centre (CITM)

3. Key events 4. Support resources and services

4.1. New technologies in training activities 4.2. Communication and promotion. Fairs and forums

  

3  

Organisation The Fundació Politècnica de Catalunya (FPC) was set up in 1994 by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) to provide lifelong learning programmes to university graduates. The master's degrees, postgraduate programmes and refresher courses offered by the FPC cover all of the areas of specialisation in which the university works and are designed to meet the growing need for lifelong learning and knowledge transfer. Since opening its doors, the FPC has provided tuition and training to 78,000 students looking to improve their professional skills. Students from around the world are attracted by its reputation for quality and the expertise of its 2300 lecturers, who are drawn from academic and professional communities. The FPC has steadily increased its range of academic and vocational courses and consolidated its links with the business community in an effort to achieve one of its key objectives: to serve as a meeting point for the university and business communities to promote the transfer of knowledge and its application in society. The FPC currently offers the following types of academic and training services: Lifelong learning programmes

• Master’s degrees • Postgraduate programmes • Specialisation courses • Seminars and conferences • Refresher courses for professionals

Company training Tailor-made training and consultancy services

• In-company training • Collaboration in the creation of corporate universities • Validation and accreditation of professional skills

Technological training services

• Creation of virtual campuses • Distance learning consultancy • Corporate website design • Integrated systems for training management

Degree courses

• Degree in Photography and Digital Media • Degree in Multimedia Studies

  

4  

1.1. Governing bodies

The FPC’s relationship with different areas of society is reflected in the composition of its governing bodies. The Board of Trustees is formed by representatives from the UPC and from national business and institutional sectors. It reflects the philosophy upon which the FPC is based: to be a meeting point for government bodies, companies, the university community and the knowledge society in general. The Presidency is the institutional representative body of the FPC and is occupied by the president of the UPC. The Advisory Council is formed by representatives of leading companies and institutions in a range of economic and social sectors. Its function is to transmit the concerns of these sectors to the FPC, to ensure that the lifelong training options on offer meet current requirements. The Management of the FPC is its executive branch and is appointed by the Board of Trustees.

  

5  

Composition of the Board of Trustees President: Antoni Giró Roca Secretary: Enrique Alcántara-García Irazoqui Members: Josep M. Álvarez Suárez, UGT Josefina Auladell Baulenas, UPC Joaquim Boixareu Antolí, UPC (as of June 2008) Esteve Borrell Marco, El Consorcio de la Zona Franca de Barcelona Pere Brunet Crosa, UPC Ángel Cardama Aznar, UPC César Díaz Gómez, UPC Kim Faura Batlle, Telefónica de España Ramon Folch Guillen, UPC (until June 2008) Sergi Gomila Valls, CCOO Eulàlia Griful Ponsati, UPC Xavier Llobet Colom Francisco Javier Llovera Sáez, UPC Joaquim Olivé Duran, FPC Elisabet Peña Morón, FPC Sara Piqueras Muñoz, UPC Pedro Rodríguez Mondelo, UPC Joan Manel Salvadó Tenessa, DEPURAUSA Agustín Sánchez-Arcilla Conejo, UPC Ana Maria Sastre Requena, UPC Ramon Sastre Sastre, UPC Àngel Simon Grimaldos, Agbar Ernest Teniente López, UPC Francisco Triginer Boixeda, Metalogenia Jordi Valls Riera, Puerto de Barcelona Josep M. Vilà Solanes, INDRA  

Composition of the Advisory Council

President: Ramon Folch Guillen (until June 2008) Joaquim Boixareu Antolí (as of June 2008) President of the Board of Trustees: Antoni Giró Roca Vice-President of the Board of Trustees: Ana Maria Sastre Requena Director of the FPC: Joaquim Olivé Duran Members: 22@bcn Abertis Agbar Área 5 ASEPEYO Caixa Manresa CCOO Círculo de Economía Consejo Intertextil Español Dragados Editorial Planeta El Consorcio de la Zona Franca de Barcelona El Periódico Fira 2000 Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Fundació Enciclopèdia Catalana Fundación BBVA Fundación Orange Fundación Vodafone Grupo Lasem Gestión IBM INDRA la Caixa Metalogenia Miquel y Costas & Miquel Puerto de Barcelona SEAT Telefónica de España UGT Unión Fenosa Xavier Llobet Colom  

Management Joaquim Olivé Duran

Presidency Antoni Giró Roca

  

6  

1. 2. Organisational structure The people During the 2007-2008 academic year, the central office of the FPC was based in the Vèrtex building on the UPC's North Campus. The 114 employees of the FPC are distributed across its different centres, to provide a more immediate and personal service to its users. Eighty-three members of staff worked in the central office.

The FPC is also responsible for managing the Image Processing and Multimedia Technology Centre (CITM), which is located on the UPC's Terrassa Campus. Two degree courses and various lifelong training programmes are taught at the CITM. Sixteen permanent members of staff provide support to the students and users of the centre.

The remainder of the FPC staff are based in the faculties and departments of the UPC, where they coordinate and provide administrative support for a range of lifelong training programmes.

The FPC has a growing international presence. Thanks to the collaboration of the many overseas students who enrol each year, it has been able to open centres in Chile and Mexico. Organisational areas The basic organisational structure of the FPC is divided into two areas:

• Training Programmes • Finance and Services

The Training Programmes area is responsible for managing all training activities carried out by the FPC. The nature and content of these activities is determined each academic year by a team of experts on the basis of key social and professional requirements and the areas of knowledge covered by the UPC. Finance and Services provides the FPC with the technological, financial and human resources it needs to ensure efficiency, quality and innovation in the management of its activities. The Image Processing and Multimedia Technology Centre (CITM) reflects the FPC's commitment to new developments in audiovisual communication and image technologies. The CITM offers two degree-level qualifications adapted to the requirements of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA): the Degree in Multimedia Studies and the Degree in Photography and Digital Media. The teaching community The teaching community is a fundamental component of any organisation whose aim is to transfer knowledge for the good of society. At the FPC, this collective is formed by leading academics and experts in professional fields who are committed to sharing their experiences with students taking part in the variety of master’s degrees and postgraduate programmes on offer. During the 2007-2008 academic year, a total of 2,266 people were involved in some capacity in teaching activities at the FPC. Of these, 76% were university lecturers and 24% were professionals who work in managerial, administrative and technical roles in a range of sectors.

  

7  

The diversity of the teaching community is reflected in the classroom, where the wealth of experience possessed by each teacher is transmitted to students through the presentation of strictly academic and theoretical material or the study of more vocational topics. This global vision greatly enhances the learning experience for participants in all programmes and courses at the FPC. Although most of the academic teaching staff are affiliated to the UPC, there is a strong presence of lecturers and experts from other universities in Catalonia and the rest of Spain. 2007-2008 2006-2007 2005-2006 2004-2005 Teaching staff 2,113 2,112 2,220 2,370 Programme directors 153 142 131 151

Activities The FPC was set up to meet the lifelong training requirements of professionals throughout their careers, but the range of activities and services it provides has gradually diversified to meet the changing needs of society. The FPC offers master’s degrees, postgraduate programmes, specialisation and refresher courses, seminars and workshops. It also provides tailor-made training and consultancy services adapted to the specific needs of each of its corporate clients. 2.1. Lifelong learning The FPC aims to meet the needs of professionals seeking to develop their skills and knowledge on a continuous basis and graduates looking to obtain more specialised training to broaden their career options. Its underlying priority is to meet the professional demands of key business sectors, which it achieves thanks to the efforts of a team of analysts that works closely with the business community and professional associations to examine current trends and determine specific training requirements. This expertise puts the FPC ahead of its competitors in configuring a quality range of training courses and programmes. The training programmes offered by the FPC are designed to focus on the general areas of specialisation covered by the UPC:

• Architecture, Building Construction and Urban Planning • Civil Engineering • Industrial Engineering • Information and Communication Technologies • Business Management and Organisation • Sustainability and the Environment

A range of programmes and courses of different durations is available for each area of knowledge:

  

8  

• Master's degrees: minimum 450 hours • Postgraduate programmes: between 150 and 450 hours • Postgraduate courses: between 80 and 150 hours • Specialisation and refresher courses for professionals: maximum 80 hours

306

288293

298

331

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

2003‐04 2004‐05 2005‐06 2006‐07 2007‐08

Number of activities offered

8,867

8,696

8,043

8,579

9,062

7.400

7.600

7.800

8.000

8.200

8.400

8.600

8.800

9.000

9.200

2003‐04 2004‐05 2005‐06 2006‐07 2007‐08

Student enrolment

 

 

2.2. New The Exh This advinterestecourse ioffering applicati This couStudentsexhibitiocharacte

w programm

hibition Spa

vanced coued in the relas designeda contempon of altern

urse is inters acquire a ns in conte

erise moder

BusinManage

anOrganis

40%

Informaand

Communn Techno

5%

Stud

Specialiscours

21%

Courses, seminars and

workshops36%

Stud

mes

ace in Crea

rse in exhibationship be

d to revitalisporary viewnative strate

disciplinarytheoretical

emporary arn society. S

ness ement d sation%

ation d nicatiologies

ent enrolm

sation ses%

d

dent enrolm

 

ative Museo

bition desigetween exhse the prof

w of the imegies.

y and taugh and practicrt, particula

Students ga

Sustainabilitand the

Environmen3%

ment by a

ment by ty

ography (Se

gn in the fiehibits and thfessional fie

mportance o

t by a teamcal understarly in the cain first-hand

ArchitectureConstructio

and Urban Planning

21%

InEn

ty

t

rea of kno

Mastedegre

25%

Postgraducourses

4%

ype of act

eville)

eld of musehe spaces ineld of exhibof critical a

m of specialtanding of tcomplex sod experienc

e, n

Civil Engineering

8%

ndustrial ngineering

17%

owledge (%

er's ees%

Postgraduate programmes

12%

uate s

ivity (%)

eography is n which theybition designd creative

ists in a ranhe potentiaocial and cce of all the

g

%)

addressedy are displa

gn and assee capabilitie

nge of relatal of the lanultural cont

e disciplines

9 

to those ayed. The embly by es in the

ed fields. nguage of texts that s involved

  

10  

in the design and assembly of exhibitions, and carry out practical work with the Fundación El Monte, the Centro de Formación de El Monte, and other public institutions and private exhibitions. The course trains students to work as specialists in exhibition design and assembly, and provides experience of the contexts in which exhibitions are designed, configured and assembled. Master’s Degree in Infrastructure Management

The private sector has a growing role in the funding and management of national infrastructures, due largely to the limited resources of the government bodies that traditionally coordinated this sector. While the injection of private funds has created a new focus on the profitability of national infrastructures, it is also intended to safeguard their primary functions, which are to provide an effective public service, connect all areas of the country, and respect principles of sustainability.

The new public-private relationship is a complex association affecting various areas of national and international activity, particularly within the European Union.

The master’s degree provides specific training in the area of infrastructure management, with a view to creating skilled professionals whose profiles meet current market requirements and the needs of companies operating in this sector.

Postgraduate Programme in Experiencing Urban Renewal: Piacenza Futura This postgraduate programme introduces a new interdisciplinary methodology for rethinking urban design, focusing on the Piacenza. Located in the Po Valley and at the centre of the communication and logistics networks of northern Italy, Piacenza is one of the few modern cities to have conserved its compact structure and maintained a relationship with its agrarian past and the surrounding area without resorting to excessive and destructive expansion. Experiencing Urban Renewal: Piacenza Futura encourages students to consider new processes and tools for analysing and redesigning urban areas and to apply a range of interdisciplinary research and interpretation techniques. One of the key activities students carry out is to film a documentary that covers the different stages in an urban renewal project, from the initial ideas and studies to the end results. The documentary begins by introducing the experiences of the Piacenza’s inhabitants and charts the progress made by students as they become more familiar with the city. The programme was conceived as a real-time 'laboratory’ analysis of urban transformation in a real city, giving students the chance to draw their own conclusions on the advantages and disadvantages of the processes they witness. 2.3. Company training As part of its mission to bring the university closer to the business community, the FPC offers companies the chance to benefit from the experience of its academic and professional experts. It offers a range of services to companies and organisations that are designed to increase the professional skills of their employees, and has become a leading provider of consultancy services, tailor-made training and technological training solutions.

  

11  

Projects carried out during the 2007-2008 academic year Agbar Agbar is the leading water supply management company serving Barcelona and its metropolitan area, and has a longstanding agreement with the FPC to carry out joint corporate programmes such as the Master’s Degree in Water Management, the fourth edition of which was held during the 2007-2008 academic year. Two new postgraduate programmes were added this year: * Postgraduate programme in Water Distribution * Postgraduate programme in Water Purification Both the master’s degree and the postgraduate programmes combine face-to-face and distance learning to make them more accessible to students from other autonomous communities and from outside Spain. Cadbury Corporate University Since 2006, the FPC has worked with Cadbury Iberia to coordinate a business management programme aimed at three different employee profiles within the company, each of which is assigned a specific training pathway. In the 2007-2008 academic year, students completed the third and final course in the programme, thus bringing the first edition to a close. The topics covered in this final course included: * Management – leadership and labour law * Senior management – time management, stress management, conflict resolution and leadership * Progress – emotional intelligence Nissan: Master’s Degree in Automotive Manufacturing & Engineering Business In November 2007, José Vicente de los Mozos, CEO and managing director of Nissan Motor Ibérica, gave the first class in the inaugural edition of the Master’s Degree in Automotive Manufacturing & Engineering Business, which is organised by the company in conjunction with the FPC. Students carry out paid internships in different areas of the automobile industry. The teaching staff includes industry professionals, management and technical staff from Nissan, and lecturers from the UPC, and classes are held at the Nissan factory in Zona Franca in Barcelona. The first edition, with 16 students, is now being run alongside the second edition, which has 24 students. Since Nissan is exposed to a range of conjunctural effects, the programme is adapted to the general situation of the company each academic year. Pirelli: Management Development Programme The multinational tyre manufacturer entrusted the FPC with the task of increasing the professional capacities of its management staff. Participants attend monthly training sessions, which began in April 2008 and are scheduled to finish in November 2009. Al-Pi Telecommunications Al-Pi provides voice and video-conferencing services to the Generalitat de Catalunya (government of Catalonia). In July 2007, following a public call for tenders from

  

12  

training organisations, the FPC was awarded the contract to develop a training plan to coincide with the introduction of new voice and video-conferencing technologies in the Generalitat. The approved plan outlined a combination of in-situ and distance training for approximately 60,000 technical and administration staff, to be carried out between September 2007 and September 2010. “la Caixa” Foundation Information Technology and Communication Programme Since the beginning of 2002, the FPC has worked with the “la Caixa” Foundation to support its Information Technology and Communication Programme, which forms part of its range of social initiatives and aims to familiarise elderly people with information and communication technologies (ICTs). The FPC coordinates all of the ICT training activities in Catalonia and has also managed the activities in the Balearic Islands since April 2008.

New technologies have greatly improved the quality of life of elderly people by providing access to new information and vital services.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, 24,698 hours of training were given to 14,805 participants across 1155 courses held in 135 centres.

The courses and workshops offered during the year covered the following areas:

• Introduction to information technology • Internet • Editing • Digital photography • Presentation tools • Management tools: spreadsheets • Management tools: databases • Digital video editing

During the first two weeks of July, 31 intergenerational workshops were attended by volunteers interested in planning and organising a summer activity programme for children focusing on responsible consumption and sustainability. Since April 2008, the FPC has increased its involvement in the “la Caixa” Foundation’s Information Technology and Communication Programme, and is now responsible for determining the scientific content of the workshops and making it available as online study material. The FPC is developing an application for monitoring the development of the programme across Spain, which will also incorporate an e-learning platform for trainer training. 2.4. National presence During the 2007-2008 academic year, the FPC continued to work with universities and professional associations throughout Spain to share its expertise and the quality of its training programmes.

The Official Association of Architects of the Balearic Islands and the FPC organised the highly successful training course in technical building inspection, which was attended by one hundred professionals working in related areas.

  

13  

The FPC maintained its strong links with the city of Seville by inaugurating a new edition of the Master’s degree in Interior Design in conjunction with the Fundación El Monte and with the support of the Official Association of Architects of Seville.

The FPC conducts regular initiatives in conjunction with the Navarra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and has set up a range of training courses in Pamplona designed to benefit the local community. During the 2007-2008 academic year, the first edition of the postgraduate course in Production Engineering and Industrial Plant Management was offered.

The IKERLAN Technology Research Centre in Mondragón is another key partner outside Catalonia. The FPC has an ongoing corporate project with the centre and offered its staff a course on Web 2.0 during the last academic year.

A more international FPC The FPC opened its first office in Mexico during the 2005-2006 academic year. Since then, it has developed a closer and more productive working relationship with the country, and the UPC Higher Training Centre in Mexico City now offers an extensive range of programmes and training activities:

• Master’s Degree in Creative Management and Urban Transformation • Master’s Degree in Integrated Management, Occupational Risk Prevention and Quality • Master’s Degree in Administration and Management of Higher Education • Master’s Degree in Animation and Digital Art • Master’s Degree in Tourism Management and New Territories • Diploma in Characterisation and Remediation of Soils and Aquifers Contaminated by

Hydrocarbons • Specialisation course in Trainer Training • Specialisation course in Didactic Communication • Specialisation course in Advanced Didactic Communication Skills • Seminar on Urban Hydrology

The UPC Higher Training Centre in Chile also offered a wide range of training programmes during the 2007-2008 academic year:

• Master’s Degree in Ergonomics • International MBA • Master’s Degree in Business Quality Management: Improvement, Six Sigma, Models

and Systems • Executive Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management. International Logistics. E-

logistics. • Master’s Degree in Shipping Business, Maritime Law and Port Management • Master’s Degree in Engineering and Environment Management • Postgraduate course in NLP Methodology and Techniques for Effective Coaching and

Change Management • Postgraduate Diploma in Implementation of Six Sigma Improvement Programmes.

Green Belt • Specialisation course: CE Head Auditor of Occupational Risk Prevention Management

System In Greece, the FPC has maintained its relationship with the Technological Educational Institution of Western Macedonia (TEI), where the third edition of the Master’s Degree in Mechatronics was

  

14  

held during the last academic year. The programme is taught by lecturers from the TEI and the UPC. 2.5. Image Processing and Multimedia Technology Centre (CITM) The CITM was set up to meet the training requirements of new professional profiles in the fields of new audiovisual technologies and image processing. The CITM issues two UPC-specific degree qualifications adapted to the requirements of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA): the Degree in Multimedia Studies and the Degree in Photography and Digital Media. In addition to its teaching activities, the CITM provides business incubation and consultancy services, oversees research and development activities in a range of fields (including virtual communities, image memory, usability laboratory and photography) and organises art exhibitions. Balance of the 2007-2008 academic year

During 2007-2008, the CITM provided tuition to 176 students enrolled in the Degree in Multimedia Studies and the Degree in Photography and Digital Media.

Under a series of mobility agreements, the CITM welcomed 14 exchange students from universities in Europe and Latin America, and six CITM students spent periods of study at these host universities to prepare their final theses.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, the Rafael Cáliz hall of the CITM was used for the following multimedia and photography exhibitions:

• “Taller de l’Institut del Teatre. Primavera 2007”, by Maria Eugenia Benedetti and Miquel Bigas. From 26/09/07 to 26/10/07.

• “S.O.S: Espais Naturals!”, Science Week 2007, with work by Maria Eugenia Benedetti, Sara Arumí, Miquel Payà, Pablo Baqué, Montserrat Gisbert, Maiol Giralt, Julen Martin and Gerard Toledano.

• “Grangel Studio”, by Jordi Grangel. From 10/12/07 to 7/01/07. • “Veure Terrassa”, with work by Sara Arumí, Pablo Baqué, Maria Eugenia Benedetti,

Maria Jesús Boil, Ramon Cardús, Núria Casal, Mathieu Fiol, Eva Freixa, Maiol Giralt, Montserrat Gisbert, Sandra Götz, Petra Haslinger, Harry Larkins, Laura Lobera, Julen Martin, Anna Mirabet, Marina Moliné, Mariona Oriola, Miquel Payà, Ignacio Piñol, Francesc Rabat and Gerard Toledano. From 8/01/08 to 7/02/08.

• “Producción de realidad”, by Albert Pérez Rabella. From 8/02/08 to 14/03/08. • “Portugal Jazz. Festival Itinerant de Jazz”, by Hèlio Gomes. From 20/02/08 to 14/03/08. • “Taller de la imatge 2007-2008”, with work by Dani Amor, Sara Arumí, Edgar Baró,

Enric Bisbe, Oriol Cabau, Ramon Cardús, Núria Casal, Jordi de Paco, Raül Drechsel, Pau Franch, Eva Freixa, Montserrat Gisbert, Laura Lobera, Anna Mirabet, Mariona Oriola and Marc Redondo. From 14/03/08 to 10/04/08.

• “Gran Teatre del Liceu. Temporada d’Òpera 2006-2007”, by Miquel Bigas. From 11/04/08 to 26/05/08.

• “CITM Foto”, with work by Anna Mirabet, Berta Villanueva, David Cabrera, Francesc Rabat, Gerard Toledano, Guifré de Peray, Juan Batle, Julen Martin, Laura Lobera, Mariona Oriola, Maria Eugenia Benedetti, Mathieu Fiol, Miquel Bigas, Núria Casal, Pablo Baqué, Rubèn Ferrer. From 27/05/08 to 17/09/08.

  

15  

The CITM was represented at the following training and technology events:

• ‘Salón Estudia’ educational resources exhibition. The CITM had its own stand, and a group of CITM students designed and ran the exhibition’s animation stand, where visitors could take part in a range of multimedia, virtual reality, photography and digital imaging activities.

• ‘Salón del Estudiante’ education fair. Logroño. • ‘Fira Sonimag’. The CITM, in collaboration with Adobe, set up an interactive ‘digital

classroom’ at this multimedia images and technology fair. The CITM also contributed to the following joint research projects:

• ‘e-Tona’, carried out with the Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Barcelona.

• ‘Study of the motivation for change in relation to excess weight and obesity’, carried out with the Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Barcelona.

Researchers from the CITM’s Image Quality Laboratory presented and published the following papers: - MARTÍNEZ, Bea and MITJÀ, Carles (2008). Digitalització de Material Fotogràfic Imprès. 10th Antoni Varés Conference, Girona. Spoken presentation. - MARTÍNEZ, Bea and MITJÀ, Carles (2008). Reproducció del Color en Digitalització d’Originals. 10th Antoni Varés Conference, Girona. Spoken presentation. - MITJÀ, Carles and ESCOFET, Jaume (2008). Image Improvement in pinhole digital photography by means of inverse and Wienner filtering. Topical Meeting on Optoinformatics. Universidad de San Petersburgo (Rusia). Spoken presentation. - MITJÀ, Carles and REVUELTA, Raquel (2008). Resolució de Digitalització de Col·leccions d’Originals Fotogràfics. 10th Antoni Varés Conference, Girona. Teaching staff from the CITM co-tutored two research projects carried out by students at upper secondary school level in the field of photography, and three projects in the field of audiovisual multimedia. Grants were awarded to two of the students involved in these research projects, enabling them to carry out a period of study at the CITM. The CITM organized a series of workshops for students and other interested parties (company representatives, etc.), during which experts from the multimedia and technology sectors explained their work and the latest advances in 2D and 3D animation, videogames and photography. One of the most important academic activities of the CITM during the 2007-2008 academic year was the successful introduction of two new optional course units for the Degree in Multimedia Studies.

The centre also organised a pilot e-learning programme for secondary school students, which was carried out jointly with the Centre Educatiu Jacint Verdaguer, a school in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. The programme forms part of an ongoing study conducted by CITM researchers to determine strategies for optimising the efficiency of the learning process.

  

16  

The CITM established successful partnerships with companies in various sectors to give its students first-hand experience of professional practices and environments. CITM students completed a total of 29,000 hours of work placement under different education cooperation agreements.

Key events 22000077

September. The FPC was awarded a public contract by the telecommunications company Al-Pi to provide training to technical and administration staff of the Generalitat. Al-Pi provides voice and video-conferencing services to the Generalitat and chose the FPC to develop a training plan to coincide with the introduction of new voice and video-conferencing technologies throughout government offices in Catalonia. The approved plan outlined a combination of in-situ and distance training for approximately 60,000 technical and administration staff, to be carried out between September 2007 and September 2010.

October. Agora, the FPC’s virtual campus, was made available via Internet-enabled phones and PDAs, providing access to a greater number of students enrolled in master’s degrees, postgraduate programmes and specialisation courses.

3 October. Miguel Ángel González, dean and president of the Official Association of Technical Aeronautical Engineers of Spain (COITAE), and Joaquim Olivé, manager of the FPC, signed a cooperation agreement for the coordination, teaching and promotion of lifelong learning in aeronautics.

26 November. José Vicente de los Mozos, CEO and managing director of Nissan Motor Ibérica, gave the first class in the inaugural edition of the Master’s Degree in Automotive Manufacturing & Engineering Business, which is organised by the company in conjunction with the FPC. Students carry out paid internships in different areas of the automobile industry. The teaching staff includes industry professionals, management and technical staff from Nissan, and lecturers from the UPC, and classes are held at the Nissan factory in Zona Franca, Barcelona.

28 November. Polioptro F. Martínez Austria, director of the Mexican Institute of Water Technology (IMTA), and Antoni Giró, president of the FPC and of the UPC, signed a cooperation agreement under which the FPC will organise lifelong learning programmes and training events in the field of river dynamics and hydrological engineering. The two institutions will work together to configure the syllabuses, determine the course units to be taught, recruit teaching staff and monitor the academic management of the programmes.

28 November. Important figures from the business community, human resources and training managers, and representatives of government bodies and Mexican universities met at the UPC Higher Training Centre in Mexico to discuss key issues in higher education and training in Mexico and to share knowledge and experiences. The meeting was attended by Antoni Giró, president of the UPC, and Joaquim Olivé,

  

17  

manager of the FPC, who explained the projects currently promoted by the two institutions.

28 November. Adrián Gerardo de Garay, rector of the Unidad Azcapotzalco at the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) of Mexico, and Antoni Giró, president of the FPC and of the UPC, drafted a new cooperation agreement for the joint teaching of the International Diploma in Business Management in Mexico City. The programme has a global study load of 150 hours and is taught in part by UPC lecturers.

15 December. The postgraduate programme in Mobility Management, organised by the FPC and directed by Manuel Villalante, won the Barcelona City Council mobility award Premi Pacte per la Mobilitat, and was described by judges as a pioneering mobility initiative in Catalonia. The programme is in its tenth year and is now taught as part of the new Master’s Degree in Mobility Planning and Management.

22000088

January. The FPC, the Official Association of Architects of Catalonia and the company mOntanyanes inaugurated the first edition of the postgraduate programme in Urban Planning and Mountain Engineering, which provides the training required by prospective architects and urban planners intending to work in the Pyrenees region. The programme is directed by the architect and town planner Carles Llop, and was created in response to the growing demand for professionals with the skills to work in the design and construction of urban areas in mountainous regions.

23 January. The FPC presented its postgraduate programme in Integral Business Management with Microsoft Dynamics, organised jointly with Microsoft, to representatives of twenty companies. Some of the companies that attended the session showed an interest in the programme and signed cooperation agreements to offer work placement to FPC students.

1 February. Inauguration of the specialisation course in Building Inspection and Diagnosis Techniques, organised by the Official Association of Architects of the Balearic Islands (COAIB) and the FPC. The course provides participants with the basic knowledge and skills to carry out accurate inspections and diagnoses of the materials used in existing constructions.

11-14 February. The FPC welcomed 21 students from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, who travelled to Barcelona to complete a period of specific training on corporate finance as part of the Master of Advanced Studies in Management, Tech-nology and Economics course taught in Zurich.

26 February. The first edition of the round table “Internet a la butxaca” was held in the auditorium of the Vèrtex building. The debate was held between five professionals from different areas of information technology and telecommunications, and chaired by Josep Casanovas, Vice-President of University Policy at the UPC. In their conclusions, the group members highlighted the role of the university in creating a culture of

  

18  

experimentation and research and promoting the use of creative thinking to develop new uses of the Internet.

6 March. The FPC inaugurated a new edition of training programmes for the Barcelona Architecture Center (BAC), which was opened in the 2001-2002 academic year and regularly attracts architecture students and graduates from higher education institutions around the world, including the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Tecnológico de Monterrey. The FPC provides visiting students with training in architecture, landscaping and urban planning, in line with the curricula and credit award systems of their home institutions.

10-18 May. Students on the Master’s Degree in Interior Design took part in the 53rd edition of the flower show “Girona, Temps de Flors”, presenting a project designed in class and supervised by a group of lecturers led by Arnaldo Basadonna, Coque Claret and Cristina Masferrer. A total of 140 projects were presented at 90 sites spread throughout Girona's old town (Barri Vell).

30 June. The first edition of the Master’s Degree in Animation and Digital Art began at the Guadalajara campus of the Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico. The programme, which is adapted from the Master’s Degree in Videogame Design and Creation taught at the UPC since 2003, will be taught by UPC lecturers to 28 members of the Tecnológico de Monterrey teaching staff.

3 July. The FPC announced plans to transfer its central office at the beginning of the 2008-2009 academic year, from the Vèrtex building on the UPC’s North Campus to 22@Barcelona, a district in the city offering modern spaces for the strategic concentration of intensive knowledge-based activities. The new location (Calle de Badajoz, 73) puts the FPC in closer touch with a range of technologically advanced companies, universities, lifelong learning centres, and research and technology transfer organisations.

4 July. The FPC joined the 22@Network, which is formed by a group of companies and institutions based in the 22@Barcelona district of Barcelona. The organisation was founded in 2004 with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness and international outreach of its members. The 78 companies that make up the network include Indra, Microsoft, Infonomia, Yahoo and Unión Fenosa.

10 July. Joaquim Boixareu was appointed president of the FPC's Advisory Council and a member of the Board of Trustees, replacing Ramon Folch. Joaquim Boixareu holds a degree in Business Sciences and an MBA from ESADE (Barcelona), the École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Paris and New York University, and is currently the managing director of the Irestal Group, which works in the stainless steel processing and distribution sector.

  

19  

Support resources and services 4.1. New technologies in training activities The FPC understands the importance of new technologies and their application to training activities. This is reflected in the range of online courses it offers and the variety of materials available to its students via the Internet. Several technology-related projects were carried out during the 2007-2008 academic year: Training management system for the “la Caixa” Foundation’s Social Action Programme for the Elderly The FPC continued to support the “la Caixa” Foundation’s Social Action Programme for the Elderly. It has worked with this organisation since 2002 and contributes to its Information Technology and Communication Programme by coordinating all of the lifelong learning courses in information and communication technologies for the elderly. During the 2007-2008 academic year, the FPC developed an application for monitoring all of the courses run by the “la Caixa” Foundation across Spain, which can be used to compile statistics for the whole country, to manage the student enrolment process, and as an e-learning platform to provide further training to the teachers involved in the programme. New Agbar postgraduate programmes Three postgraduate programmes were added to the Agbar Corporate Master’s Degree in Water Management during the 2007-2008 academic year, two of which are organised by the FPC: the postgraduate programme in Water Distribution, and the programme in Water Purification. The FPC produces all of the online material for these programmes, which combine face-to-face and distance learning. The FPC also worked with the Trias Quod design studio to adapt the Agbar virtual campus to its new configuration. Virtual campus for communication training, developed for the CTTI in association with Al-Pi Telecommunications The FPC developed a virtual campus to be integrated into the intranet of the Telecommunications and Information Technologies Centre (CTTI) of the Generalitat, which provides online training materials on the latest communication devices (IP phones, video-conferencing, etc.). 4.2. Communication and promotion. Fairs and forums The FPC is committed to keeping abreast of the latest advances in education and training and to publicising the work of the teaching staff and students involved in the courses and programmes it offers. As in previous years, the FPC worked hard to maintain a presence at key events for the presentation of new trends in education and training and debate on the most effective strategies for graduates and professionals seeking to consolidate their professional skills and improve their career prospects. It encouraged students and teaching staff to present their own experiences at fairs and forums in sectors related to the courses in which they were involved.

A scale model of a new lorry design developed by students of the Master’s Degree in Automotive Engineering and Industrial Management was exhibited by the Association of

  

20  

Industrial Engineers of Catalonia from 3 September to 8 October. On 26 September, students of the Master’s Degree in Videogame Design and Creation presented four videogames developed as part of their training at the FPC.

The 18th Forum of Telecommunications and Electronics was held on 26-29 September at the School of Telecommunications Engineering of Barcelona (ETSEB) on the UPC’s North Campus. The forum gave students and recent graduates the chance to meet representatives of companies in the sector, view exhibitions and stands, attend workshops and take part in round table discussions. The FPC used the event to publicise its range of training courses, particularly those focusing on information and communication technologies. Also in this area, the sixth edition of the Catalan Telecommunications Day was held in the Palau de Congressos of the Fira de Barcelona on 27 September. The event was attended by 92 speakers, and 17 round table discussions were held.

The CITM was present at the Salón Sonimagfoto 2007, a fair held at the Fira de Barcelona from 3-7 October for the presentation of new consumer and professional image technologies. The CITM organized a ‘digital classroom’ which offered sessions on the theoretical and practical aspects of new image capture and processing technologies. Representatives of the CITM also travelled to Madrid to attend the Software Factories International Congress (SFIC 2007). The congress, organised by the website www.calidaddelsoftware.com in collaboration with the FPC and held on 8-11 October, was designed to promote more competitive software production processes.

The Fira de Barcelona was also the venue for the human resources fair Personal España, which offered visitors an overview of the latest advances in the HR sector. The FPC promoted its range of services in tailor-made training, corporate universities, e-learning technology, consultancy and accreditation of professional skills.

The first edition of the INMAS Forum on integrated management systems was held on 23-25 October. The event was based around discussion on how to simplify the integration and adoption of standardised management systems for transport and occupational health and safety. The programme for the event was supervised and coordinated by the UPC and divided into six areas.

Intelligent Coast is a centre for coastal and tourism research and the name of a master’s degree course coordinated by the FPC. During the 2007-2008 academic year, a series of discussions was held to obtain the views of social commentators and experts in a range of fields on the development of new qualitative coastal management systems. Participants included representatives of the architecture and leisure projects firm Global Estudios and the architects Nadim Karam, Winy Maas, Fernando Menis and Big Bjarke Ingels. The discussions were also attended by Jordi Portabella, councillor and president of the Economic Promotion Committee of the Ajuntament de Barcelona (Barcelona City Council), and holder of a degree in environmental engineering.

As part of its efforts to promote the achievements of its students, the FPC presented the project “Conception, design and manufacturing of a lorry for transporting goods and passengers”, which was developed for the European market by students of the Master’s Degree in Automotive Engineering and Industrial Management.

The first edition of the Saló Plataforma de Feina was held on 23 January 2008. This employment fair is organised by the logistics employment portal Jobtransport, and serves as a meeting point for human resources managers from companies looking to employ specialists in logistics and transport. The FPC used the event to publicise its range of courses in these areas.

  

21  

The 18th ETSEIB Forum, held on 11-13 March, brought together industrial engineering students, company representatives and FPC staff to facilitate the creation of new professional partnerships and employment agreements.

The fifth edition of the Salón Futura was held in the Fira de Barcelona as part of the national Higher Education and Employment Week. Representatives of the FPC attended the exhibition to present the master’s and postgraduate programmes and professional specialisation courses on offer. The FPC also showcased its company training and professional specialisation courses at the International Postgraduate Studies Fair (FIEP), held in Barcelona on 8 May.