Barcelona proudly becomes world capital of higher education

Between May 16 and 20, various national and international institutions will organise a series of events throughout Barcelona to discuss the future of higher education and university policy.

Barcelona will host the third UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education (WHEC2022), a world-renowned event that will welcome around 2,000 people in person and around 8,000 people virtually. This means the city of Barcelona will become the capital of higher education for a week.

During the press conference, Jordi Marti, Deputy Mayor for Culture, Education, Science and Community of the Barcelona City Council, remarked how “the choice of Barcelona to host the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education for the first time shows the potential of the city as a global benchmark for a university city”.

The representative of the council has highlighted the importance of the events of World Week, which “transfers the debate and reflection on the future of our universities to all citizens.”

The president of the ACUP-GUNi and Rector of the University of Lleida, Jaume Puy, has reflected on the importance of this event for the university sector: “After a few years of forced and sudden changes, it is a good time to rethink education. The world conference, organised by UNESCO, in Barcelona next week is a great opportunity to reflect and debate how higher education should be and what it should do.”

“The work of the universities for the creation of knowledge and its transfer unites institutions that have to lead a more sustainable, open, inclusive society, concerned about the well-being of people.”

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