On 1 March, UIC Barcelona hosted a new edition of the Student Academic Conference (SAC) under the theme "Caring for society in times of conflict". Organised by a scientific committee composed of Dr Mònica Argemí, director of the Department of Personal Mentoring and Personal Development; Dr Marc Grau, vice-dean of the Faculty of Education; and Dr Dolors Gil, lecturer in the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, the conference brought together students from a variety of disciplines and universities across Catalonia to explore how to promote social wellbeing and resilience in a context shaped by global crises and tensions.

This year, 28 groups comprising a total of 66 students presented their research projects in 12-minute blocks before a panel of judges, tutors, parents, and fellow students.  Following the presentations, attendees participated in the keynote lecture "Building peace in times of conflict", delivered by political scientist and journalist Jordi Armadans.
During his talk, Armadans reflected on the complexity of peace, emphasising that it is not merely the absence of conflict but a process involving justice, freedom, and human rights. He highlighted the need for a collective and structural approach to building a culture of peace and stressed that, although we are living through a tumultuous historical moment, conflicts can also become a source of learning and collective growth.    

Awards for the best works

The SAC 2025 concluded with the presentation of awards for the best research projects, recognising academic excellence and student commitment. This year, exceptionally, two awards were granted due to the high quality of the submitted projects.

One award went to the study "Adapting to adversity: understanding the aftermath of the DANA", conducted by Anna Rodríguez (Biomedical Sciences), Oliver Tohidi (Medicine), and Eimy Restituyo (Bioengineering), for its scientific approach.

The other award was given to the work "Cultural renewal through art for a culture of peace", by Alexandre Buñesch and Enrique Muñoz Macià (Humanities and Cultural Studies), for its humanistic perspective on peacebuilding.

This edition of the conference was notable for the high quality of the research presented, thanks to the support of academic tutors who guided the students throughout the research process.

UIC Barcelona has been organising this university congress since 2010. Through this initiative, the university reaffirms its commitment to research, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the training of students capable of addressing global challenges with a human and transformative perspective.