University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic – UCC) was created on May 21st 1997, as an independent university with public sector supervision. From its very beginnings, UVic-UCC has promoted academic quality and a student-centred training approach. Our teaching programmes offer academic quality and close contact with students, as required by the European Higher Education Area. The university nurtures a strong commitment to Catalonia – its education system, language and culture – as well as to its regional development, by promoting technological innovation, sustainability and strong cooperation with the world of entrepreneurship.
UVic-UCC is under the authority of the Fundació Universitària Balmes, where the majority of representatives on the Board of Governors are from Vic City Council and the Generalitat of Catalonia. This combined model of independent management and public control guarantees flexible, accountable and efficient government. Our vocation to public service, as outlined in our founding parliamentary text, is reflected in the financial support from the Generalitat and UVic-UCC’s participation in the centralised Catalan University Enrolment Scheme. Faculties and schools are structural units of organisation, management and coordination of teaching, other educational activities and research. UVic – UCC currently has 5 main teaching centres: Faculty of Business and Communication Studies; Faculty of Education, Humanities and Translation; Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences; Faculty of Sciences and Technology; Faculty of Medicine. It counts as 10.560 students of Official programs (BA, MA and PhD); 8.000 students of long live training and nearly 750 academic paid staff and 350 non-academic paid staff.
In the 2021-22 Times Higher Education World Ranking, it appears between 401-500 better universities and number 133 among the young ones (less than 50 years). Research at UVic-UCC is organised through 25 research groups in the fields of Experimental Science, Medicine, Humanities, Social Sciences and Education.
The UVIC Team:
Dr. Jordi Collet. Full professor of sociology of education and education policy UVIC-UCC. Former Vice-rector for research. Expert in participative design, implementation and evaluation of education policies and programs, especially in the municipal environment, and in education and social innovation, both in national and international projects. He leads the accredited, consolidated and financed research group on education GREUV.
Dr. Laura Farré. Lecturer in pedagogy. BA in Early Childhood Education and PhD in democracy and voices in education she is an expert on participative approaches to education.
Dr. Verónica Jiménez. Lecturer in the psychology of education and inclusion UVIC-UCC. Expert in child development and needs and in improving schools from an inclusive and participative perspective including teachers and other professionals, children, families and the community. Both in national and international projects.
Dr. Mila Naranjo. Lecturer in the psychology of education and inclusion UVIC-UCC. Expert in improving schools from a cooperative, inclusive and participative approach and skills evaluation. Both in national and international projects.
Dr. Gloria Olmos. Director of the early childhood preschools and care services in Vic (Barcelona) and assistant professor of childhood education UVIC-UCC. Expert in improving ECEC preschools and family spaces through teachers and other professional training.
Dr. Alejandro Paniagua. Lecturer in Education. Open Catalan University (UOC). Former consultant at the Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) – Organisation for Economica Cooperation and Development (OECD). Collaborator professor UVIC-UCC. Expert in international and comparative policies and approaches in Early Childhood education and care services.
Dr. Berta Vila. Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies UVIC-UCC. MA and PhD in Montessori studies. Former preschool teacher. She is the director of the UVIC Early Childhood laboratories and an expert in improving Early Childhood preschools and other services through training processes.