History, Affiliations and Rankings

The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain and is one of the oldest universities in Catalonia. The University of Barcelona was founded under the royal prerogative granted by King Alfonso V of Aragon, in Naples, on 3 November 1450. The University of Barcelona was the only university in Catalonia until 1971, when the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, comprising the more technical Faculties and University Schools, became an independent entity. In 1968 the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona became the first of several new universities to be set up in Catalonia. Its motto is Libertas perfundet omnia luce (Freedom bathes everything with light). It is affiliated with Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network. It is considered one of the best universities in Spain. In 2022, it is ranked at the #168 position on the QS University Rankings and #193 by Times Higher Education. 

Infrastructure, Campus and Courses

The University of Barcelona has 4 campuses. The university has a massive network of centres and covers a total area of 500,000 square metres. It houses eighteen faculties as well as a number of institutes and units. More than 90,600 students from various countries attend the university, which is also known as UB. It offers 75 undergraduate programmes, 353 graduate degrees, and 96 PhD programmes. It also maintains 30 research centres to provide research facilities in addition to these programmes. According to 2005 data, it has 100 departments grouped into 18 faculties, two university schools, one school, and eight associated schools that provide education in various academic fields. The library holds about 2,000,000 volumes and is the second-biggest university library in Spain.

Accomplishments and Alumni 

Students take part in many activities to represent the university at various levels. Students also get access to academic resources such as modern teaching and learning technology, as well as institutional subscriptions to leading publications. Several noteworthy alumni have gone on to lead important organisations after graduating from the university. It also boasts alumni from the fields of science and education who have received recognition for their accomplishments on a variety of venues. The alumni network of the University of Barcelona is very strong and provides help to students as and when they need it. Some famous alumni are- Valentí Almirall i Llozer, Julio Anguita, Ron Arias, and Bernardo Atxaga. 

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

The University provides ample opportunities for growth to students and faculty from different ethnic communities and sexual orientations. The diverse campus helps students mix with people who let them learn in a comfortable environment where they can be themselves. People with special needs are also given the opportunity to move around the campus independently with ramps and special infrastructure wherever needed. The University of Barcelona’s alumni are notably recruited at Amazon, Esade, Deloitte, Google, EAE Business School and Marlex Human Capital.