1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

Before entering university, I was passionate about neuromarketing and digital marketing, and had gained some experience in the field of social innovation and entrepreneurship. My close and trusted environment recommended I should start off with extensive, quality training in the world of business to broaden my horizons, and that’s what I did. Looking back, I am grateful I followed this advice, since studying ADE has opened the doors for me to learn about other realities of the economy and business, as well as to undertake innovative projects with classmates.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

Above all, the importance of surrounding myself with wonderful people and taking care of them. There is nothing more motivating and invigorating than being accompanied by classmates and friends who encourage you to be a better version of yourself, to get out of your comfort zone and to embark on adventures that will help you grow in many ways. This is the most valuable asset you can aspire to, and I feel lucky to have found it at UPF.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

Right now I am part of the team at groWZ Consultants, one of the fastest growing commercial and human resources consultants in Spain and Latin America. At groWZ, I contribute to growing companies through consulting, training people, and implementing new technologies across sectors. With a view to the future, I envision continuing to contribute to the growth of a variety of projects through innovation and people development, surrounded by an exceptional, dynamic and inspiring team of people like the one now. And, why not? I also see myself in the future driving a project of my own.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

For me, it is a recognition of my own efforts and those of all the people who have accompanied me along this exciting journey, from peers and friends on the degree to my family. For this reason, I consider it a shared prize and, of course, I am very proud.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I had always been passionate about the business world and I was sure that I wanted to study at UPF. My first experience at UPF was in high school, through the Bojos per l’Economia (Mad about Economics) programme. That’s when I fell in love with this university and being part of it for four years has been a pleasure. In addition, I have seen how UPF opens many doors for you: both academic and professional. Thanks to the Pompeu, I have fulfilled my dream of studying in Boston.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

The most important thing I learned at the Pompeu was to be aware of the things that really matter in life. In the end, studies or work are only a part of our lives and, therefore, should only take up some of our time and energy. Professionally, UPF has shown me that, at my best, I am capable of anything. There is no challenge that, with dedication, resists itself indefinitely. I would also highlight having learned to give a lot of importance to how we communicate and the art of storytelling.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

Now I’m devoting time to myself, travelling around various countries, reflecting on my next goals and what standards I want to use to measure success in my life. I think we all have a purpose in life and that by finishing our degree we have earned a few years to make mistakes and enjoy the journey. The next step is to go abroad to work and possibly specialize with a master’s degree.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

This award is a very important academic recognition. It gives value to the time, effort and sacrifices I have made over four years. The people who receive this award have prioritized their studies over and above other aspects of our lives (hobbies, friends, family, etc.), and we all had a reason for making this extra effort. It is inevitable to wonder if it has been worth it, but so is acknowledging that this award is tangible proof of my ability to overcome my limits.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

During my upper secondary studies, I found subjects like Contemporary History, Philosophy, and especially Mathematics and Economics very interesting. In addition, I have always thought that economics is a great tool to analyse the causes and consequences of and possible remedies for the challenges we face, not only as individuals throughout life, but also as a society. Therefore, the choice of degree was easy for me.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

The good quality of the teaching and teaching staff at the Faculty has allowed me to acquire extensive knowledge in economics. In addition, taking subjects from the Programme in Advanced Quantitative Methods has been very useful to me in order to take postgraduate studies. Finally, all the people I have met and who I now consider friends, without whom these four years would not have been the same.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently taking the first year of the UPF Doctoral Programme in Economics, Finance and Business. In the long term, I hope to be able to devote myself to research in the areas of economics that interest me most.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

It has been deeply gratifying to have obtained this recognition. It is a reward for my perseverance and effort during these four years. It also motivates me to continue studying what I like.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I am sure that many of you will feel identified if I say that I chose to study this degree because my economics and business teacher at upper secondary school was (and I deduce that she still is) a marvel. Having a good teacher is key for students to discover where their interests lie, and in my case it turned out to be the world of economics and business.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

I have learned a lot at university, but I think the most important lesson is to know that uni is not just about studies and grades, but about all the people you meet along the way. Believe me, future university students, once you finish your degree and look back you won’t remember the grades you got in your exams, but the friends you take with you and the experiences you will have had with them.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently working at a strategic consulting firm in Madrid, where I did a curricular internship last year. The truth is that I am very happy with the company, my workmates, and the level of learning it offers, so I plan to stay for at least another couple of years.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is a source of pride and a reward for all the efforts made throughout these four years of my studies. Thanks to UPF for the recognition and for encouraging all of us to keep giving our best!

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

During high school, I discovered that I enjoyed economics as a tool to understand the world, and since I was little, I have wanted to address injustices, so I was interested in both areas. I wasn't entirely sure whether I wanted to pursue a career in law or economics, but I thought that the Double Degree would provide me with a solid and cross-disciplinary education in the social sciences. I was certain that I wanted to study at Pompeu because of the university's academic excellence, so I listed the Double Degree as my first choice and then the two degrees separately.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

Beyond academic content, I believe I have learned to work in a team, understanding that each person can have strengths, and that by acting together, one learns more and achieves more than individually. I have also learned to organize and prioritize; sometimes, when you have many pending tasks, it is necessary to abstract and be strategic. I consider these learnings as crucial as the knowledge in tax law or macroeconomics because, in the end, they are necessary tools for professional life that a manual cannot teach.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am pursuing a master's in applied economics, specializing in public policies, at the Paris School of Economics, thanks to a DIPLOCAT scholarship. After the master's, I would like to work in the evaluation of social and fiscal policies, understanding how public policies affect inequalities and can alleviate them. I am interested in being able to assess the impact of public policies and contribute to improving their effectiveness and equity.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

It represents significant recognition for five and a half years of dedication and effort, but I consider it not just an individual award but a collective one for all the people who have accompanied and supported me during this time, without whom I could not have come this far. It allows me to be aware of the privilege and opportunities I have had during my studies, which have allowed me to dedicate time and energy, and it encourages me to persevere and continue pursuing my passions.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I have always been very interested in politics and the syllabus of this degree programme was really attractive. The national and international political scenario of the last decade also led me to choose studies that would allow me to have the tools to try to analyse it better. In addition, beyond dealing with political science and its different branches, these studies are multidisciplinary and allow you to achieve a more cross-disciplinary view, since they also train you in law, economics, history and sociology.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

Beyond the specific issues of each subject, the most important thing I have learned by doing Political and Administration Sciences is the global knowledge that the degree provides you with. It conveys a very transversal, systematic and rigorous way of thinking and working that is highly appropriate for effectively adapting to tasks or jobs of a different nature.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

In the third year of Politics I started the bachelor’s degree in Law at UPF with the Simultaneous Studies Programme and, therefore, I am now studying my third year of Law. While the range of career options that these two degrees give you is very broad, I still don’t have a clear, concrete plan for the future regarding what I want to do once I leave university. So, for the moment, I am focused on Law.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

On the one hand, it is a great satisfaction, because it rewards the work involved doing this degree, and it is a way of recognizing all this effort. On the other hand, it is the realization of my good fortune to have spent four years of my life (a year and a half virtually) with friends, who are some of the most extraordinary people I could have met, and who have allowed me to develop as a person and learn a lot from spending time with them.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

Throughout upper secondary school I hesitated between studying Philosophy alone or this degree. Knowing that I wanted to end up dedicating myself to philosophy, I thought that first I wanted to learn about more empirical issues and methodologies so as not to fall into easy abstractions when thinking about the world. The degree’s interdisciplinarity seemed to me a great advantage in this regard.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

I think the most important learning for me has been how to adapt to different academic environments and expectations. This has been possible thanks to the mobility of the degree and the large percentage of optional courses in the curriculum. As the most enriching experience, I would definitely highlight relationships with classmates and friends from the degree.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently pursuing a research-oriented master’s degree in philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. In the future, I would like to do a doctorate in political philosophy and become a university researcher and professor.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

This award is a recognition of my effort and perseverance in my studies. It is satisfying because it shows me that I have been able to achieve significant academic success without neglecting my family relationships and friends, who have been instrumental in my growth throughout these four years.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

When the time came to choose my degree studies, the decision, in my case, was quite simple. When I was twelve or thirteen I already said that I wanted to study Law and, over time, this initial choice didn’t waver. I’ve always enjoyed being up to date with what is happening in the world and solving problems and, in this sense, law is everywhere, it permeates everything and allows us to understand how many things that happen actually work.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

Apart from all the legal knowledge I have acquired, at university I have learned the importance of having various skills, such as teamwork, public speaking, convincing, etc. On the other hand, I have also realized the importance of discipline, effort and social relationships in any area of life.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I’m currently studying the master’s degree in Spanish Legal Professions at the Barcelona School of Management (BSM), to train prior to starting to practise law professionally, which is my future plan for when I become a qualified lawyer.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is a highly valuable recognition for all the effort, dedication and passion behind the four years of my degree. At the same time, it provides special encouragement and motivation to keep doing what I propose with the same passion and effort, trying to improve every day.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I decided to study the double bachelor’s degree in Criminology because I was sure that I wanted to dedicate myself to criminal law. On the one hand, I was very sure that I wanted to do Law, and Criminology seemed like a good complement to expand my knowledge in areas such as sociology or psychology, in addition to deepening my knowledge of certain areas such as penitentiary institutions, victimology and the police.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

At Pompeu Fabra University, beyond the substantive knowledge acquired in each of the subjects, I have learned to learn. I have learned to be passionate about knowledge and its social and practical usefulness. In addition, I have been greatly enriched by everything that has happened outside the classroom, extracurricular activities and friends that I take with me from my university experience. Learning has been academic and professional but also, and to a large extent, personal.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

After finishing the double degree, I received a postgraduate scholarship from the La Caixa Foundation to take a master’s degree in international criminal law and human rights at the London School of Economics (LSE), one of the most prestigious universities in the world. At present, I am finishing my master’s degree to be able to practise in Spain. My goal is to dedicate myself to criminal litigation, preferably in a sector where my work can have a broad social impact.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

It represents a recognition of all the effort and sacrifice dedicated to the double degree. Although throughout my studies I have also received partial recognitions, such as honours and scholarships, this award constitutes a great end point for my undergraduate studies; but a turning point in my relationship with Pompeu, which I hope will remain in the future.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I have always been interested in the world of business and at high school I really liked the subject of economics. That’s why I started Economics at UPF, but I quickly saw that I wasn’t interested in most of the subjects and that the ones I liked the most were related to law applied to companies. For this reason, the following year I started Labour Relations.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

Apart from the theoretical content of the subjects, at UPF I have learned to be consistent with the work I had to do and to organize my time. In addition, I have developed my critical thinking and university has taught me the tools to work independently.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Business and Company Law, and I still have a year to go before. But when I finish, I would like to work in the field of business consultancy and I do not rule out continuing my studies.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

It is a great recognition, for which I am truly grateful, for the work I have done during these four years. For me, it motivates me to continue studying and doing what I like.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

My first contact with Pompeu Fabra University was the Open Degree cross-disciplinary training, which allowed me to see that Global Studies was my ideal degree. My choice was based on two main factors. First, the multidisciplinary nature of the degree. Unlike others, Global Studies allows you to take subjects from a wide range of disciplines (humanities, law, economics, politics, etc.). The second thing that caught my interest was the international nature of the degree. The course is designed for students with an international outlook, which can be seen by the requirement to study one of the six languages of the United Nations and to go on a stay abroad as part of the curriculum.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

I have learned the importance of knowledge, which is key to social progress. Without knowledge and expertise, our society cannot progress. In addition, I have also internalized the culture of hard work and perseverance. The University has taught me that academic discipline is the seeds that having germinated turn into flowers, which is professional life. Finally, it has conveyed to me the importance of collaboration, teamwork and the ability to nurture support networks to advance in human knowledge.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently studying the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy at the University of Oxford. I also run a student think tank associated with Oxford called Charlegmane Institute, which specializes in European Union (EU) research processes. My future plan is to work in the field of multilateral diplomacy, in institutions like the EU or the United Nations, or in the field of digital public diplomacy.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

The lesson that effort, perseverance and discipline have their reward. Our culture must learn to value work well done more highly. People with intellectual curiosity or academic potential often feel embarrassed, whether in the classroom or by society at large. This award shows that we are beginning to recognize excellence.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I had always known that biology was my passion. I was fascinated by all the processes that go on in our body. Human Biology was the degree that would allow me to gain the knowledge and tools to pursue a profession related to human health. It was very appealing to me because I wasn’t 100% sure what profession I wanted to do, and since it gives you a very broad, but specific vision of biology, it has a great range of professional prospects. For example, I have friends who have leaned towards pharmaceutical marketing, others towards teaching, scientific communication, research...

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

The most important thing I’ve learned is that the people around you will largely determine your university experience. There you meet a lot of different people, who teach you to see life from a different perspective. These friendships are most valuable, since during the four years of your studies you live new experiences, hard periods of exams, internships until seven in the afternoon... In addition, support from the family is fundamental and I am very grateful to be so lucky with my parents and my brother.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am now doing the master’s degree in Multidisciplinary Research in Experimental Sciences coordinated by the BIST (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology) which is affiliated with Pompeu Fabra University. My master’s degree final project (TFM) is an eight- or nine-month project at the Innate Immunity laboratory directed by Dr. Stefanie Wculek, at the IRB. In the future, I want to do a PhD that will allow me to delve deeper into new forms of immunotherapy experimentation.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is a great recognition of the effort I have put in during these four years, which has allowed me to grow personally and professionally.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I was tossing up between Audiovisual Communication and Journalism, but at the Open Day, an alumni told me that she knew a lot of communicators who are performing journalistic tasks, but no cases where the opposite was true, so I plumped for Audiovisual Communication. Although the degree is very focused on film, it is very cross-disciplinary, it covers radio, television, series, new digital formats, research, etc.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

That you have to come with a very open mind. I started with the clear idea that I wanted to dedicate myself to radio, but equally, open to enjoying the whole degree. In the second year, I discovered research thanks to the subject Theories and Methods of Social Research in Communication, and from that moment I knew that in the future, I wanted to dedicate myself professionally to it. That’s why I say it’s important to be able to let the degree surprise you and show you the way forward.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am now doing the master’s degree in Research in Communication at UPF as well, and already preparing the application process to do the doctorate in Communication also at the Pompeu. I want to focus my thesis on politainment, which is politics understood as entertainment in the media. I had the honour of also winning the Equality Unit award for best bachelor’s degree final project (TFG) from a gender perspective, so the thesis will also have gender studies as a vehicle.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

A reward for the effort of these four years, which have not been easy. I started my degree at the age of thirty-nine, and I always explain that the last task I had done at high school before entering university was written on a typewriter. I mean, it was not easy to adapt, but my classmates and the teaching staff helped a lot. Seeing all work printed on a diploma that rewards excellence and effort is a motivation to keep working.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I decided to study Advertising and Public Relations because I really wanted to learn how to communicate and express myself to the world. I was interested in studying society in detail, how we relate, how the different actors interact and how everything changes. I believe that both Advertising and Public Relations can help to understand social motivations and the importance of communication in a world saturated with information and stimuli.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

One of the things I’ve learned, cliché apart, is to work as a team. Throughout my studies I have grown thanks to contributions by colleagues, to learning different points of view and spending time with them, to looking for joint solutions, to pooling our energy... I think UPF highlights the relevance of this type of work method because in the end we will come across it in the professional world, and I truly believe that it is an exercise of community that makes us learn a lot about ourselves.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am now combining work with studying music (my other way of communicating). I take workshops at high schools in Barcelona on community participation and involvement and I am also a music teacher for children. I’ve been looking for a job in the communication sector and I have pending projects, so I’m really not at all bored. This is a year in which I am rather discovering myself and seeing which direction I want to take.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

I am really enthusiastic about this recognition and it makes me think that hard work and motivation for things bear visible fruits. For me it is an award I would like to share with my colleagues, the friends who have accompanied me and all the teachers from whom I have learned. It is a celebration of a very enriching stage of my life and that of many other people, I hope.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I have always enjoyed reading and writing, and since I was a child it was clear I wanted to study a degree related to language. Initially I wanted to take Catalan Studies, but in the end I chose Journalism on account of its social aspect. I have been involved in social volunteering since I was 15, and journalism seemed like a good tool for denunciation and a space from which to contribute to changing reality.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

My time at the Pompeu has been one of constant learning. I have learned to be a journalist, to analyse reality through critical thinking and to convey it. In addition, the Humanities track has given me a broader view of the world, with regard to both history and culture. The degree has made me grow professionally, but also personally. During these four years I have learned to be more autonomous, to trust myself and those around me more.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I’m still in training. I am studying the minor in Gender Studies at UPF and in the future I would like to continue my academic career pursuing language studies, as I consider language a fundamental tool in journalism. At the same time, I am now working in the communication and production department of Joventuts Musicals de Catalunya, which allows me to combine journalism with music, another of my passions.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is for me a recognition of the dedication and hard work of these four years and an impetus to face the professional challenges that are coming my way. In addition, it has reaffirmed my desire to continue training. At the same time, I think the award is also a recognition of the work of all the teaching staff and classmates with whom I have shared these years.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

Ever since I was a child, I have always been interested in technology. When the time came to decide which course to take, I wasn’t sure which engineering degree to choose. I finally went for computer engineering, as it is a course that has applications in all sectors and areas of society. I have always liked and been good at programming and finding creative solutions to problems. In addition, it offers a variety of specializations that interested me, such as software engineering and cybersecurity.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

I think it’s something that you realize once you finish studying and you join the working world, and that is learning to learn. On the degree course we learn basic concepts of computer science, but technologies never stop evolving, and knowing how to learn independently and efficiently is very important and something that, in my experience, is highly valued by technology companies. At UPF, thanks to the many practical classes we do and group projects, you end up learning it naturally. Being proactive, having initiative and not being afraid to leave my comfort zone to gain experience and achieve very good opportunities is another thing I learned to do on the degree.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently studying a master’s degree in Applied Cybersecurity at the Technological University of Dublin thanks to a postgraduate scholarship from the "la Caixa" Foundation. It is an area that I am passionate about and I find it very interesting and relevant today. For the future, and once I finish the master’s degree, I will most likely join the working world, either at Google, where I have already worked for several years during the summers as an internal software engineer, or at another company related to cybersecurity.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is a great recognition for all my hard work and dedication during my degree. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my family, friends, and teachers. It also motivates me to continue to succeed in my future.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I decided to study Biomedical Engineering because of its interdisciplinarity. During upper secondary school, I was sure that I wanted to study a degree related to the life sciences, but I did not want to abandon the more technical part that I liked so much. When I first read information about the degree, I knew it was made for me!

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

The most important thing I’ve learned over the years is not to undervalue everything we do. I think that as humans we are very prone to not valuing our achievements and we try to take away merit from them, put them down to luck and undervalue ourselves. I think it is very important to be able to value all our actions regardless of their final outcome, and not detract from the process or the result.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently working at the Catalan company Alma Medical Imaging as a project manager specializing in artificial intelligence (AI). I have always been interested in the human brain and how it gives rise to complex behaviours such as conscience or intelligence. Along these lines, I also like to study how we can design intelligent algorithms to make the world a better place. I think we can learn a lot about the brain and then design AI algorithms based on our nervous system. In the future, I see myself doing research in the field of neuroscience and AI, as two interconnected fields that can contribute a lot to each other.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

More than anything, it is a great motivation for the future to continue doing things as I have been, with passion, dedication and perseverance. It’s also a privilege to be able to finish my time at university like in this way. In any case, I am aware that this award would not have been possible without my classmates, now friends, who have accompanied me during these four years, all with very different talents and abilities; for this reason, I would like to share part of the award with all of them.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

Ever since I was little, I have always been good at maths. The idea of studying pure mathematics crossed my mind, but I thought the degree was overly theoretical and that’s when I discovered the world of data science. I thought this course was perfect for applying mathematics to real, concrete problems. I also saw a great demand for professionals with this training and thought that it would be an opportunity for a promising future.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

During my experience at UPF, I learned that the most important thing is not only to acquire theoretical knowledge, but also to learn the importance of perseverance and the ability to face challenges. Every mistake or obstacle has not been a barrier, rather an opportunity to learn and improve my skills. The key is not to give in when things get complicated.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently working as a data scientist at Delectatech, a company that provides solutions based on artificial intelligence and big data for the food service industry. My idea is to continue to gain experience in a field that has evolved rapidly in recent months. In addition, I plan to combine my professional activity with teaching at the university. This coming year, I will start classes at UPF, where I will be able to share my knowledge and experience with students.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is a recognition of my dedication to my studies during these four years. In addition, it is an extra motivation with a view to new challenges and to continue improving professionally.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

Well, the truth is that it was a little by luck... I had started an engineering degree, but I dropped out because I didn’t like it at all. Then I began to research all the courses available at the universities of Barcelona and at the University of Girona. One day I received an advertisement about some workshops on linguistics they were holding at the Pompeu to promote the bachelor’s degree in Applied Languages. I especially recall the workshops on correction and on localization... I fell in love with it. So I decided to give the degree a go. And what a pleasure!

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

Everything is easier when you are doing what you love. Obviously, whatever degree you do, there will be subjects you won’t like, but if you generally like what you are studying, dedicating time and effort is much easier. Your classmates make a difference too. In the end, they’re going through the same as you. Take advantage of having a coffee, a beer or lunch in Gutenberg Square, because sometimes that’s where you can help each other the most. And they are missed.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I am currently working as a member of the research support staff for the RETROTRAD project and also as a teacher of English. This year I’m taking time to decide what I want to do. So, at the moment, my future plans are not decided, and no problem. After all, it’s all just starting.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Winning this award is most gratifying. It is a recognition of the hard work, perseverance and commitment to wanting to give your best.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I decided to do Translation and Interpreting because since I was very young I have had a certain knack for languages, especially English. In fact, to a great extent I reckon I took this degree because an after-school English teacher told me about the existence of interpreting and suggested it would be a suitable profession for me. That was when it became clear to me that this was the path I’d follow. In addition, I have always been a very verbal person who likes to express herself through words and who is very fond of learning languages and everything about them. Finally, I was also convinced by the practical nature of the degree, since too much theory overwhelms me, and the available opportunities considering the importance of knowing languages in such a globalized world as ours.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

I think that I have learned a lot at the Pompeu, academically speaking, but above all I value the personal baggage that I take with me. From my personal experience, I can assert that a good university helps you build your character and your own vision of the world. Many of the teachers I have had (I feel I must give them the recognition they deserve) have not only taught us to translate or analyse a text; they have taught us to be critical, to think in the way a professional translator would, and command respect (and command respect for our work). All this has increased my confidence and my desire to continue learning and improving every day.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

Over the past few months, I’ve given further thought to the path I had so clearly planned. When I finished my degree, I was determined, whatever the cost, to become a translator of books, as I had so often dreamt of. However, after coming into direct contact with this world, I realized that it might not be what I really needed. So, I decided to follow my instinct and I am currently taking the first steps in the world of language teaching. And I’m loving it. As for the future, I don’t want to make any hasty decisions, but I think I will continue to explore this new opportunity to be able to convey the passion I have for language to other people. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be the teacher to inspire a child to take a language degree...

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

Receiving the Graduation Special Award has filled me with pride and satisfaction. For me, this award goes beyond the degree: it is an award that recognizes the hard work I have put in to all my years of study. It has also given me self-confidence and is proof that I have done things well and that I can do them even better. This is a personal milestone with which I have proved to myself I can achieve what I set out to do. For this reason, I thank UPF for making this possible.

1. Why did you decide to study this degree?

I have always been really interested in language —both in its most practical aspect, as a communication tool, and in its most theoretical aspect, as a system of signs—, and when I discovered that I could do a double degree and learn about language from so many points of view and in so many areas, I did not hesitate!

2. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at UPF?

I’ve learned loads of things! Of course, I have acquired a lot of theoretical and practical knowledge, and I have been able to develop important tools and skills for the professional world, but the university has given me so much more. I’ve been able to get involved in various extracurricular activities and live a period full of experiences that have also made me grow as a person.

3. What are you doing at the moment? What are your plans for the future?

I have dedicated this year after finishing my degree to continuing training in one of the areas that I liked most, but I am still not sure what I want to do in the future. I am entering a professional world full of options and possibilities and, for the moment, I am putting out feelers to find my way, but I’m in no hurry.

4. What does winning this award mean for you?

I am proud, of course, because it is somehow a recognition of your involvement in learning and giving your best. At the same time, however, it brings me down to earth when I think of all the people who have made it possible for me to study under the right conditions and who have taught me to get the best out of me.