November 15th 2006

The launch of the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics (Barcelona GSE) was announced today, by its founder and President, Professor Andreu Mas-Colell. The institution will be a centre of excellence in advanced economics studies, offering postgraduate courses in Economics and Social Sciences - all taught in English. Academic activities are due to begin in September 2007, under the supervision of the school's Scientific Council. This is composed of twenty-eight leading Economics and Social Science academics and includes ten Nobel Laureate Economists.

Joaquín Almunia, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, will head the schools board as President of Honour. Hugo Sonnenschein, former President of the University of Chicago, has been appointed as President of the Scientific Council and the Political Scientist, Eduard Vallory, will serve as Managing Director.

Andreu Mas-Colell, President of the Barcelona GSE and Professor of Economics at the Pompeu Fabra University, feels the initiative is great news for Barcelona: "the city has found its place within in the highest tier of Economics education. The Barcelona GSE is set to be a world class institution of the highest esteem".

Mas-Colell stresses: "Barcelona GSE will embody four key values: academic excellence, a favourable environment, competitive costs - in comparison with other similar programmes in Europe - and finally, the innovative dynamism of a young institution with optimum potential for growth".

At the outset Barcelona GSE will offer five Masters Programmes, aimed at international graduates preparing for a career in management, or wishing to pursue a career in academic research. The Masters Programmes will be taught full time over the course of a year.

The Masters course programmes for 2007/08 will be announced this December. It is hoped that over the next five years a further fifteen Masters Programmes, focused around Economics and Social Sciences, will be established at Barcelona GSE.

The establishment of Barcelona GSE was feasible only with the support of a number of public and private bodies. The board will be composed of representatives from these organisations. They include: The Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), The Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), The Superior Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), The International Economics Research Centre (CREI), The Agbar Group, Banc Sabadell, Caixa Catalunya, "La Caixa" and the FemCAT Foundation.