The purpose of the Gaudí Programme is to offer lecturers at UIC Barcelona the training they need to learn more about what it means to be a university professor. Led by the University's Institute for Culture and Thought, the new programme is broader and revolves around three modules: university and institutional culture, the intellectual and human development of university professors, and innovation and communication.
The Gaudí Programme is not only intended for new professors, but also for those who have been teaching for years, who should keep in mind what Alfonso Méndiz told them: “The people who graduate from UIC Barcelona today are the people who take decisions in the business world of tomorrow. Therefore, the close nature of the teacher-student relationship must seek to leave a mark on the people of the future.”
In the first module on the programme, former UIC Barcelona rector Josep Argemí gave a talk entitled, “The university institution". Later, philosopher and professor emeritus at the University of Navarra Jaume Nubiola gave a talk on “Universities inspired by Christianity”.
In his talk, the UIC Barcelona rector, cited Saint Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, and spoke of the transformative role played by teachers. “By studying problems with scientific depth”, explained Méndiz, “the teacher also stirs hearts, rejects passivity, awakens dormant strength and educates citizens who are willing to build a more just society”. Along the same lines, the rector made reference to Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of universities, who said, “It is better to illuminate than merely to shine”.
The Gaudí Programme is designed to help, enrich and guide the university's teaching staff, both in the institutional aspects unique to UIC Barcelona, and in aspects related to having the knowledge necessary for educational work. The programme is named after great Catalan architect, and is inspired by the broken tile mosaics that can be found throughout his artistic legacy. Each individual session in the training modules represents a piece in the mosaic of knowledge required to become a university professor.
Intellectual dialogue is a fundamental characteristic of the people who make up a university. As a result, the Gaudí Programme aims to encourage relationships between professors from different disciplines and contains a range of activities, including seminars, conferences, lectures, videos, case studies and discussions. The training will be taught by professors who are experts in the subject matter from both UIC Barcelona and outside the university.
The Institute for Culture and Thought—known until recently as Interdisciplinary Centre for Thought—, is a humanistic training platform that aims to contribute to reflections on the big questions of human existence. The Institute acts via a framework that integrates content from different university disciplines, developing a new cultural and intellectual paradigm at UIC Barcelona.
