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Tag: award

The UPC positions Catalonia at the forefront of green hydrogen

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The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya has inaugurated its hydrogen laboratory and pilot plant for the production of green hydrogen. These state-of-the-art facilities represent a laboratory dedicated to advancing research and innovation in technologies related to hydrogen, a crucial energy component on the path to decarbonization.

The rector of the UPC, Daniel Crespo, highlights the uniqueness of this infrastructure, being unique in Spain and one of the few currently operational in the European Union.

This achievement places Catalonia at the forefront in the development of green hydrogen and in the transition towards more sustainable energy sources.

UNESCO selects Barcelona as the world capital of architecture for 2026.

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Barcelona has been officially selected as the world capital of architecture in 2026 by Unesco and the International Union of Architects (UIA). This initiative seeks to highlight the role of architecture and urbanism in culture, the identity of cities and their sustainable development.

As the World Capital of Architecture, Barcelona will host a series of events and activities throughout 2026 in collaboration with the Higher Council of Spanish Colleges of Architects (CSCAE) and the Official College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC). Barcelona City Council will facilitate an extensive program that will include exhibitions, activities and companies to highlight the value and importance of architecture and urban design in the sustainable development of the city.

With this designation, Barcelona became the first city to host the UIA World Congress twice, having hosted it in 1996, four years after the Olympic Games. This opportunity will allow the city to once again highlight its international architectural importance and its commitment to sustainable development.

The port of Barcelona accelerates to be a distribution center for vehicles from China and India.

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The Barcelona Port Authority is committed to the distribution of vehicles from the Chinese and Indian markets. In the presentation of the commercial mission that Manel Galán, head of External Relations of the enclosure, explained, it has been said that the entity has been receiving visits from companies interested in the availability of space for the distribution of automobiles.

During the presentation, some activities that will be carried out to promote the business sectors of the main traffic of the port were also broken down. The business conference will include:

  • Site visits
  • Face-to-face meetings
  • Technical seminars on different topics (digitization, innovation and logistics)

“India has the potential to generate resilient supply chains, something positive to reduce dependence on China,” said Berta Fuentes, president of the Spain-India Council, along with the opportunities highlighted by Sudhanshu Karandikar, director of BDO Spain, which represents the India due to its geography and the current development of the freight rail network that will link the two coasts of the Asian country.

Financial Times Group highlights Catalonia and Barcelona as leaders in attracting foreign investment in Europe

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According to FDi Magazine of the Financial Times group, Catalonia and Barcelona are the region and city, respectively, with the best strategy for attracting foreign investment in Europe. This ranking is highly valued by multinationals to study future business investment projects and recognises the strategy carried out by the Generalitat de Catalunya, especially that of ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, which attracted 94 foreign investment projects, an investment of 620 million euros and the creation of more than 3,400 jobs by 2022. Of particular note is the ProACCIO Green programme, which offers support and aid to business projects related to sustainability.

The project of the South Korean company Iljin Materials, which will invest 600 million euros to open its first factory in Europe in Catalonia and create 500 jobs, stands out as an example of the success of the strategy of attracting foreign investment. FDi Magazine also highlights the presence of 12 universities in Catalonia that are helping to accelerate the region’s transformation into a leader in Industry 4.0. Catalonia was ranked first, along with Ile-de-France (France), in the category of Large European Regions of the Future – FDI Strategy. 

The recognition shows that Catalonia is attractive for foreign investment and is a magnet for high added value projects, according to the Catalan Minister of Enterprise and Employment, Roger Torrent. He also commented that “a large number of foreign companies in Catalonia decide to reinvest here again, so they have confidence in the country and in our government”.

The document places the Catalan capital in first place in fDI’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023 – FDI Strategy category. The award also highlights “the city’s successful technology ecosystem, which received a boost last year with Intel’s decision to partner with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center to establish a microchip design lab”. Barcelona is ahead of European cities such as Dublin, Berlin, Munich and Milan.

Barcelona enters the top 10 of the best cities in the world

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According to this publication, Barcelona is the sixth best city in the world to live and work in. It is also one of the world’s top urban destinations. The city has climbed three positions in the ranking published by Resonance Consultancy, which, according to Bloomberg, is “a more comprehensive study”. The ranking not only takes into account tourist attractiveness, but also the city’s liveability, entertainment, cultural offerings, i.e. different economic, social and urban indicators. 

Barcelona is one of the cities most valued by the experts of Resonance Consultancy, for several reasons, such as the climate, the architecture, the colourful neighbourhoods, which they define as artistic, sophisticated and bohemian. These attributes make the city occupy the sixth position in the ranking. 

In the report created by “World Best Cities“, special mention is made of Barcelona’s commitment to a greener city and the initiatives that have been carried out to improve the tourist experience. 

Improvements in the Catalan capital

After a difficult situation for the city, the pandemic, tourism is slowly making a comeback. Visitors will encounter major changes in the city. One of them is the difficulty of accessing the city by car, as traffic has been restricted in certain areas and cycle lanes have been increased. The ranking mentions the transformation of Passeig de Sant Joan into a green corridor with cycle lanes, wide pavements, vegetation and outdoor benches. It also comments on the change that will be generated in La Rambla, with the aim of making it more accessible, without car traffic. 

Areas in which Barcelona stands out

The ranking is made on the basis of six areas in which it classifies one hundred cities in the world with more than one million inhabitants. The way it does this is by combining statistics and the opinions of citizens, both locals and tourists. 

The Catalan capital stands out in the areas of place (6th position) and product (5th position). Place refers to the quality of life enjoyed in a city. This ranges from the climate, safety, culture and attractions of the neighbourhoods, to the buildings, museums, transport and services of the city. Product refers to all the activities and services offered by the city. This includes university rankings, airport connectivity, convention centres, professional sports teams and other tourist attractions.

On the other hand, Barcelona is ranked number 7 in the area of programming, which includes the cultural and gastronomic agenda, among others; 12th in the area of promotion, which includes the number of stories, references and recommendations shared online about

a city; 53rd in people, which includes the immigration rate, diversity and educational level; and 154th in prosperity, which is determined by economic indicators that measure the labour supply and the employment rate, among others.

The 10 best cities in the world according to the “World’s best Cities” ranking:

  1.  London
  2. Paris
  3. New York
  4. Tokyo
  5. Dubai
  6. Barcelona
  7. Rome
  8. Madrid
  9. Singapore
  10. Amsterdam

Five urban innovation projects win the third edition of the “La ciudad proactiva” call for proposals

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BIT Habitat, in charge of promoting urban innovation to respond to social, economic, technological and environmental challenges, launches the third edition of “La ciudad proactiva. Innovación con impacto”.

 

The winning projects will receive half a million euros, which will be used to finance up to 80% of each project. 

 

The five winning projects present solutions to address the challenges of energy transition, climate emergency, urban transformation, housing and social cohesion. 

 

The winning projects are:

 

  • Logirepak: presented by Fundación Catalana para la Prevención de Residuos y Consumo Responsable [Recero] y Design by Intuition [Paka] Urban logistics network for the reuse of packaging for fresh food in city markets. Subsidised with 120,000 €. 
  • TEPAC: presented by the following organisations: Batec Pol Cooperatiu per la Transició Energètica, Azimut 360 y La Fabric@. Seeking to unblock the use of communal rooftops to facilitate the construction of energy communities. Subsidised with 120,000 €.
  • RAVALoritza: presented by Transfolab Bcn and Raons públiques, participatory design and co-creation of furniture for the space of the Casal dels Infants del Raval youth group, with an educational strategy. Subsidised with around €40,000. 
  • RESPIRA: project presented by the group formed by Noumena Design Research Education, el Instituto de Arquitectura Avanzada de Cataluña, la Asociación de Vecinos y Vecinas del Poblenou and Plataforma de Entidades de las Roquetes. Subsidised with nearly €100,000.
  • DaTaLoG: initiative presented by Universidad Pompeu Fabra and Ideas for Change.Data trust that will allow, in a participatory manner, the use of water, electricity and gas consumption data to make better decisions on access, savings and the impact of energy consumption. Subsidised with approximately €115,000. 

 

In addition to financial support, BIT Habitat will provide the projects with expert mentoring and facilitate access to technology in order to develop prototypes. It will also provide technical accompaniment and communication and dissemination support. 

Currently, 22 innovative projects are underway thanks to this aid initiative launched in 2022.

The port of Barcelona wins the European Sea Ports Organisation’s annual award

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The European association of ports (European Sea Ports Organisation) has awarded Barcelona. The city of Barcelona is ahead of five other European ports with the award, and is also ahead of Ceuta, the other Spanish candidate nominated for this recognition.

With the award, ESPO recognises the Port of Barcelona for its work in connectivity with the city for the maritime transport of passengers. In addition to rewarding the environmental and social sustainability of the project, which was a requirement to qualify for the award.

One of the members of the jury, Dimitrios Theologitis, emphasised that “the Catalan site has one of the largest port investment projects in Europe today”, congratulating it on its action, following the plan defined during the 1992 Olympic Games.

On the other hand, the President of the Port of Barcelona, Damià Calvet, celebrated the recognition of ESPO. A few hours after the winner of the award was announced, the highest authority of the Port of Barcelona related the award to the execution of the current strategic plan. Moreover, he commented, “if we did not have this strategic plan, it would be open to criticism, but we have it and it is being well executed”. 

Calvet admitted that, “it makes us particularly excited because it recognises the effort to think, reach a consensus and connect the port with the city, while maintaining port activity”. 

Nestlé invests 100 million euros in its Girona factory

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The Swiss multinational Nestlé will invest 100 million euros in the Girona factory over the next three years. The aim is to strengthen the production of single-dose capsules, as well as the production of soluble coffee with Spray Dry technology. The investment also involves the installation of state-of-the-art technology to accelerate the improvement of sustainability and logistics.

Jordi Jaen, director of the Nestlé factory in the Catalan city, says, “We are very proud to attract this investment to the Girona factory in recognition of the professional qualifications and skills of the team. It also represents a step forward in the consolidation of the factory as a reference plant for the Group”.

In addition, the investment will mean an increase in production capacity, which will maintain the factory’s current level of employability and create new job opportunities for years to come. Nestlé employs around 276,000 people and is present in 186 countries.

It should be noted that there will be a reorganisation of some activities, such as the closure of the decaffeinated coffee production area.

Over the last few years, the Girona factory has grown considerably to become a world reference centre for the manufacture of soluble coffee and beverages in single-dose capsules.

Successful Saló Nàutic closes with 50.000 visitors and more than 700 vessels

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This year’s event had a clear focus on sustainability, featuring electric and hybrid boats.

The 60th edition of the Saló Nàutic Internacional de Barcelona closed on 16th October with more than 50,000 visitors, 279 exhibitors, more than 700 boats and 80 novelties, according to the Fira de Barcelona.

It was held at the Moll de la Madera, the Moll de España and the Marina Port Vell in Barcelona and lasted five days. The event has increased its offer by 22% and has increased its space by 40%, according to the Fira de Barcelona.

The event aimed to promote sustainability in the sector, showcasing new electric and hybrid boats. The show was attended by 400 international buyers, who were able to see 28 catamarans and 14 boats, which are candidates for the Mejor Barco Europeo del Año.

The fair has been the setting for the presentation to visitors of the America’s Cup, which will be held in 2024 off the coast of Barcelona. For this reason, the New Zealand organising team has been present and the visit of the members of the Swiss team Alinghi, a group that is already training in the Catalan capital, has been reported.

INNOVATION

Fifteen start-ups from seven different countries have presented their projects for a digitised and less aggressive marine environment. A small-scale boat has been presented, with an aesthetic similar to that of a car, which functions as a taxi but at sea. This is the project of the company Seabubble and the difference it presented compared to similar projects from other years is that the boat is completely electric. The aim of this proposal is to save time and energy, according to statements made by Joan Company, one of the promoters of this project.

Another innovation presented during the show was a remotely operated life-saver, with the purpose of reaching the victim as quickly as possible. It is a project created by a Valencian company called Proteus. The lifeguard has a built-in microphone and loudspeaker, so that the rescuer and the victim can be in contact.

The event organisers have declared that “it has been one of the best events in recent years thanks to the large number of visitors registered, the quality of the offer and the business contacts generated”, which helps to reinforce the event as a leader and benchmark in the sector in Spain.

Barcelona is home to 3 of the best universities in the world according to the THE Ranking

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A prestigious ranking of the best universities, headed by Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge, has ranked the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra as the best Spanish educational centres.

Barcelona has three of the two hundred best universities in the world, according to The World University Ranking, published by The Times Higher Education, the most renowned magazine in university education. The ranking involved the analysis of 2,325 academic centres from a total of 104 countries. Despite the fact that only 1,799 universities competed, which are those that met the requirements for classification.

The 182nd place in the ranking of the best universities in the world is occupied by the Universitat de Barcelona, followed by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, which occupies the consecutive position, 183rd. And with very little difference is the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in the 186th position of the ranking.

The Top 200 ranking is led by ten American and British universities, but it is worth noting that the only Spanish universities on the list are from Barcelona.

INDICATORS THAT ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE RANKING PROCESS

The Times Higher Education ranking is based on thirteen indicators that measure five specific areas: teaching, research, academic appointments, internationalisation and knowledge transfer, and it should be noted that not all universities score equally well on these indicators. The three Barcelona universities have a similar score, with the Universitat de Barcelona obtaining a total score of 55.7 points, the Autónoma de Barcelona a total of 55.6 and Pompeu Fabra a total of 55.4.

The rector of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Oriol Amat, attended the celebration ceremony in which the data of the study was released, held in New York. He said, “We once again remain among the top 200 universities in the world and among the leaders in Spain. Constant improvement is one of the main pillars of UPF’s work, and the rankings help us to know what we are doing well and what we can improve”.

In the case of the UPF, it stands out for its business and law branches, its research and its international impact. The UAB is one of the best universities to study humanities and the quality of its teaching stands out in Europe. And the UB stands out as one of the most prestigious universities in the world in terms of research impact, especially in the field of medicine.