The event, organized by the UPC and the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering (ETSECCPB), paid homage to the figure and innovative legacy of engineer and urban planner Ildefons Cerdà, as part of the Ildefons Cerdà Year 2026. The work, by composer Albert Guinovart and writer Esteve Miralles, was performed by Guinovart himself on piano, along with baritone Guillem Batllori, actor Armand Villén as narrator, the Orfeó Gracienc choir conducted by Pablo Larraz, and various instrumentalists.
The inauguration was attended by political and academic representatives. Speakers included the Secretary General of Research and Universities of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Oriol Escardíbul; UPC Rector Francesc Torres; President of the Social Council, Montserrat Guàrdia; University Secretary General, Neus Cónsul; and ETSECCPB Director, Esther Real. Student representatives Pau Argiz and Ivan Hidalgo also addressed the audience.
Rector Francesc Torres highlighted the relevance of Cerdà's thinking, stating that "technology makes particular sense when it serves to solve society's major problems." He emphasized UPC's ambition to be a driver of reindustrialization and its success in attracting European funds, aiming to "transform these capabilities into a well-structured innovation and transfer system" that creates wealth and social well-being. Torres asserted that UPC aims to be "at the forefront" in knowledge creation and talent development to make Catalonia one of Europe's most innovative regions.
For his part, Oriol Escardíbul described UPC as a "very powerful, consolidated, and territorially rooted" university, proclaiming that "this is the century of UPC" due to its expertise in fields like AI, cybersecurity, and semiconductors. Montserrat Guàrdia underscored the importance of joint innovation and the Social Council's commitment. ETSECCPB Director Esther Real advocated for placing people at the center of projects, recalling the figures of Gaudí and Cerdà, and encouraged students to "take advantage of this period to learn, form your own judgment, and dare to think for yourselves."
Student representatives Pau Argiz and Ivan Hidalgo championed UPC as a "Catalan, feminist, public university that defends equity, quality in teaching, and fosters critical thinking, essential in the age of AI."
The School of Civil Engineering, with over 50 years of history, is an internationally recognized center. It currently educates over 1,800 students across three undergraduate degrees, 12 specialization master's programs, and 8 doctoral programs.
