University Research Institute for Sustainability Science And Technology

What we do

Research, education and dissemination for a fair and sustainable transition.

The University Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology of the UPC - BarcelonaTech is an academic unit that promotes, coordinates and carries out transdisciplinary education, research and dissemination. It focuses on interaction between society and the environment and analyses alternative models and technologies with which to tackle today’s main environmental challenges and foster a fair and sustainable transition. Our activities are carried out by an interdisciplinary team of teaching and research staff, postdoctoral staff, students and research support staff.

    

Vision, mission and activities

To tackle sustainable human development challenges an interdisciplinary academic space within the UPC community must be consolidated if scientific progress and technological innovation are to prosper. With this vision, the Institute’s research focus is distinguished by integrating economic, environmental and social aspects in the fields of technology, architecture and engineering, as well as reference frameworks on the principle of closing cycles and systemic thinking. Academic excellence, international and local strategic networks and a transdisciplinary focus for creating and disseminating knowledge are the Institute’s key characteristics.  

Thus, the Institute’s mission is to generate technical and conceptual tools to create a more sustainable model for production and development and to participate in the UPC’s efforts to lend scientific and technical support to human, social, cultural and economic progress.

The Institute’s activities focus on the following:

Opening up sustainability research to the UPC’s research groups and staff, and coordinating and promoting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.

Organising and promoting specific postgraduate courses and degrees, including master’s degrees, doctoral programmes and other specialised teaching activities that are directly related to UPC research in sustainability sciences and sustainable technologies. Integrating sustainability in other educational programmes at the UPC.

Transferring technology and promoting a culture of sustainability. Disseminating the results of the research that is carried out at the Institute, both to the university community and to society in general. Fostering the UPC’s engagement and interaction with society and its support for citizens’ demands for progress towards more sustainable development models.