On 28 January, the UIC Barcelona Office for Cooperation and Sustainable Development Office held the awards ceremony of the III edition of the Awards for the final bachelor’s degree projects (TFG) and final master’s degree projects (TFM) on human rights, sustainability and social action. The event, organised as part of the Saint Thomas Aquinas celebration, the patron saint of students, recognised two innovative proposals this year in support of sustainability:

The project “Ecological Footprint Calculator for Primary Students” by Oriol Uroz Rubio, a student of the Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education, was awarded the best TFG. The project, supervised by Dr Mónica Fernández Morilla, the project introduces an ecological footprint calculator specifically designed for primary school students. It is an innovative and accessible tool (available for download online) to encourage sustainable habits from an early age.

The best TFM award went to “Wingy bones. A metaphysical journey in Biodigital Architecture” by Konstantina Melachropoulou and supervised by Dr Alberto Estévez and Dr Yomna K. Abdalah. The student of the Master’s Degree in Biodigital Architecture at UIC Barcelona School of Architecture explores the intersection of metaphysics, biodigital architecture and sustainability, proposing a contemporary approach to architecture that responds to the physical needs, but also to the metaphysical experiences of users, with a strong commitment to sustainability and the SDGs.

The ceremony was attended by the vice-rector for the University Community, Dr Esther Jiménez, who praised the work of the University’s Office for Cooperation and Sustainable Development and the importance of supporting initiatives like this that encourage the development of innovative, sustainable ideas. At UIC Barcelona, we focus on academic excellence, with a strong commitment to society, always at its service and striving to make a real impact,” said the vice-rector.

Dr Silvia Albareda, director of the Office for Cooperation and Sustainable Development, emphasised the high level of competition for the awards, noting the exceptional quality of all the submitted projects, all of which received grades above 8. “Every year the University receives outstanding proposals for these awards. The social impact is evident, and reflects our students’ commitment to tackling global challenges,” said Dr Albareda.

The call for submissions in the 4th edition of the TFG/TFM Awards on human rights, sustainability and social action is now open.