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For yet another year, UIC Barcelona organised welcome sessions for new undergraduate students. Held on 8 and 9 September on the Barcelona Campus, these events brought together students grouped by degree programme to introduce them to both their classmates and how the University works, with information on the broad selection of services and extracurricular activities available.

The rector, Dr Alfonso Méndiz, opened the event by sharing a few words of welcome with the students. During his speech, he stressed the fact that the University now has 9,000 students, of which half are undergraduate students and 31% are from abroad, representing more than 100 nationalities. “Today is a day you will remember. When you graduate in 4- or 5-years’ time, here in the Aula Magna, you will remember this day. It is important, which is why I urge you to pay attention,” he asserted. The rector also highlighted the close ties between the University and the business world and reminded attendees that “university life is much richer than just your academic education.”

Dr Méndiz also discussed the five main pillars of UIC Barcelona’s mission: internationality, individual attention, simulation as an educational strategy, humanist foundations and a digital curriculum that integrates innovative methods, all geared towards “transforming society through higher education.”

In addition, the vice-rector for Students and Sustainability, Dr Esther Jiménez, also offered a few words to the new students, whose arrival, insisted the vice-rector, is the result of their hard work and enthusiasm: “We’ve been expecting you. If you're here it's because of your hard work. We’re proud that you chose us.” Dr Jiménez stressed the importance of supplementing their academic education with soft skills such as teamwork, communication and stress management, and issued the students five challenges, including peaceful coexistence, personal development and critical thinking.

The welcome event also included talks by Carmen Ruiz, from the Culture Service; Daniel Bonsfills, from the Solidarity Service; Carlos Serra, from Sports; and Father Marc Teixidor y Father Enric Bonet, from the Chaplaincy Service. Together they presented the wide range of cultural, solidarity and sports activities available at the University, along with practical information necessary for the first months on campus.

The sessions were led by Carla Vidal, an alumnus and member of the teaching staff at the University, and Xavi Casajuana, a Business Administration and Law student, who shared their experiences with the new students and offered tips on how to best navigate this new stage of life.

With these sessions, UIC Barcelona raises the curtain on the new academic year and offers support to new students in their initial forays into university life, providing a welcoming environment and individual guidance for a key period in their educational and personal development.