UIC Barcelona has held a new edition of its Global Encounters, a series promoted by the Vice-Rectorate for International Relations to foster cultural exchange and broaden international knowledge across the university community. This edition focused on China, coinciding with the celebration of the Chinese New Year, and combined diplomacy, business and tradition on the Barcelona Campus.
The opening ceremony was attended by 15 consuls from different countries and was presided over by the rector, Dr Alfonso Méndiz, who emphasised that “education and knowledge flourish when cultures engage in dialogue”. The Rector underlined that events of this kind demonstrate UIC Barcelona’s commitment to an educational approach that brings together academic excellence and an international outlook, preparing students for a global environment.
The institutional lecture was delivered by Meng Yuhong, consul general of the People’s Republic of China in Barcelona, entitled “Together for a Shared Future”. In her address, she outlined China’s key historical and social milestones, reflected on the kind of world we seek to build and explored how cooperation can help achieve it. She also highlighted the strengthening of relations between Spain and China, particularly in the higher education sector, the growing number of Chinese students studying Spanish and improvements in connectivity, industrial collaboration and research and development.
Olga Fuentes, representing Huawei, subsequently reviewed the company’s international trajectory and its active partnerships with universities across Spain. She highlighted the company’s investment in research and development in fields such as communications, bioengineering, robotics and renewable energies, as well as its role in creating innovation ecosystems in key sectors including education and healthcare, especially in Catalonia.
The event concluded with a lion dance performance and two practical workshops on Chinese characters and qigong, promoting intercultural dialogue among students, academic staff and professional and administrative services.
This edition of Global Encounters is part of UIC Barcelona’s internationalisation strategy, one of its core priorities. The university offers 52 double degrees, has 31% international students and maintains a broad network of academic partnerships, including collaborations with Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Xi’an Jiaotong–Liverpool University. Furthermore, a university delegation will take part this month in the APAIE conference in Hong Kong to continue expanding international opportunities for the university community.
