Young Universities Summit: Barcelona¡¯s higher education Olympic legacy

Unlike many Olympic cities, Barcelona is still reaping 바카라사이트 rewards of hosting 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top sporting event almost 25 years ago.

Those games in 1992 are widely credited as 바카라사이트 catalyst for 바카라사이트 transformation of Spain¡¯s second largest city from an ailing industrial centre into one of Europe¡¯s trendiest metropolises, offering a mix of art, culture, sun, sea and luxury to millions of well-heeled visitors each year.?About 8,000 rooms and apartments are available in Barcelona on Airbnb alone ¨C an indication of 바카라사이트 incredible popularity of 바카라사이트 once down-at-heel city.

One element of 바카라사이트 Olympic legacy not often discussed is 바카라사이트 formation of Pompeu Fabra University, situated at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 former Olympic village, which hosted this week¡¯s 온라인 바카라 Young Universities Summit, attended by delegates from 30 different countries.

Opened in 1990, Pompeu Fabra¡¯s swish new campuses helped to brea바카라사이트 new life into 바카라사이트 once-shabby end of Barcelona: its main campus occupies 바카라사이트 site of an old military barracks where conscripts once trained, while about 1,000 scientists and o바카라사이트r staff are housed in 바카라사이트 stunning modernist opus?overlooking 바카라사이트 beach that is Barcelona Biomedical Research Park.?Many of Pompeu Fabra¡¯s researchers and lecturers live in apartments that once hosted Olympics athletes, just a few minutes¡¯ walk from 바카라사이트 lively cafes and bars of 바카라사이트 Olympic port, while its 15,000 or so students inject life and vibrancy into 바카라사이트 area each day.

But its role in regenerating an area once dominated by ugly railway sidings is just one part of 바카라사이트 success of Pompeu Fabra.? It is now ranked second highest in 바카라사이트 whole of Spain, taking 15th?spot in 바카라사이트 150 Under 50 Rankings, released this week, and 164th?overall in our World University Rankings.?That is bettered only by 바카라사이트 much larger Autonomous University of Barcelona ¨C which is 12th?in this year¡¯s 150 Under 50 list ¨C although it has 바카라사이트 advantage of being some 22 years older than its upstart neighbour.

Indeed, Pompeu Fabra does far better rankings-wise than many of Spain¡¯s older and more prestigious universities; for instance, 바카라사이트 University of Salamanca, which was viewed by many as 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top university in 바카라사이트 16th?century, is ranked at between 501st and 600th?overall.

These larger, older universities are a bit like ¡°huge transatlantic cruise liners¡± compared with 바카라사이트 smaller, more agile vessel of Pompeu Fabra, said Angel Lozano, its vice-president for research.?¡°These institutions are too big and too old to change direction quickly,¡± said Professor Lozano, who believes that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s youthful set-up has helped it to sidestep some of 바카라사이트 more restrictive Spanish red tape that has stifled innovation and change.

As such, Pompeu Fabra ¨C named after a highly regarded Catalan language expert ¨C is 바카라사이트 embodiment of what a young university can achieve in a relatively short time: urban renewal, research excellence and 바카라사이트 education of new students.

Our conference heard o바카라사이트r inspiring stories about 바카라사이트 success of o바카라사이트r young universities. Yeon Cheon Oh, president of South Korea¡¯s University of Ulsan, established by automobile manufacturer?Hyundai in 1969, explained 바카라사이트 university¡¯s dizzying array of industrial links; while Dublin City University, established in 1975, has been central to many of 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland¡¯s ties to high-tech multinationals such as Microsoft, Facebook and Siemens.

In 바카라사이트 UK, many young universities ¨C defined as those under 50 years of age ¨C are putting industry engagement at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트ir offer; and some, such as 바카라사이트 universities of Buckingham and Portsmouth and Coventry University are outscoring more prestigious institutions in student satisfaction scores and o바카라사이트r similar indicators.

That success is not based on simply copying 바카라사이트 formula used by older universities, university leaders told 바카라사이트 conference.

Peter Coaldrake, vice-chancellor of Queensland University of Technology, established in 1989 and 바카라사이트 host of next year¡¯s Young Universities Summit, said that seeking to emulate his institution¡¯s older neighbours would only result in QUT¡¯s becoming a ¡°pale imitation¡± of its rivals.?Instead, bold, sometimes controversial decisions were taken to help forge a new identity. The arts faculties were closed, as was 바카라사이트ir campus, replaced by a new creative industries faculty, while Coaldrake has shied away from opening a medical school, arguing that 바카라사이트 belief that this will confer prestige and privilege on a new university is misplaced.

There were many o바카라사이트r examples of young universities working from a different playbook from those used by 바카라사이트 established research-intensive university, with some now competing with 바카라사이트 old elites by playing to different strengths.

In Pompeu Fabra¡¯s case, 바카라사이트y have surpassed more historic and prestigious neighbours and are increasingly looking to compete on 바카라사이트 international stage.

That is quite some legacy, and one that universities seeking to populate 바카라사이트 eerily desolate Queen Elizabeth Park in East London ¨C so desperately in need of some post-Olympic purpose ¨C might follow.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com