The event, promoted by the Vice-Rectorate for International Relations, began with institutional speeches by Alfonso Méndiz, rector of UIC Barcelona; Víctor Echarri, director of the School of Architecture; Noor Alchikh, director of International Relations; and Consul General Sandra Gătejeanu-Gheorghe herself, who emphasised “the importance of building cultural bridges between the Romanian community and the Catalan university community.”

Following this, renowned Romanian architect Miklos Kollo, a specialist in historical urbanism and heritage, gave a lecture on the coexistence of tradition and innovation in Romanian architecture. During the session, he discussed concepts such as ecoregional architecture and agriculture, and how these intersect with local knowledge.

Next, there was a presentation on Romanian culture by Maria Pop, director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Madrid, accompanied by Consul Sandra Gătejeanu-Gheorghe. Both representatives highlighted the cultural, artistic, and architectural richness of Romania.

The day concluded with the opening of the exhibition “The Woman I Am: 10 Romanian Architects and Their Innovations,” presented by Maria Pop and Monica Adrian. The exhibition is dedicated to ten women architects who have made a significant impact on the history of Romanian architecture. Monica Adrian is the niece of Margarita Brender Rubira, the first woman to be officially recognized as an architect by the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC), a pioneer in her field and a reference for innovation in mid-20th-century European architecture.

This new series, Global Encounters, was created with the aim of enhancing UIC Barcelona’s international presence by promoting intercultural dialogue and creating spaces for global knowledge exchange among students, faculty, and international institutions. UIC Barcelona, which has a large Romanian community, currently hosts 63 students from Romania. In total, more than 100 nationalities are represented across both campuses of UIC Barcelona.