Generally speaking, proper nouns of universities must be always translated, except in the following cases:

a) When they are institutions commonly known by their original name:

Queen's University; London School of Economics; Northwestern University

b) When don't have a clear equivalent in the language to which we are translating:

King's College, Cambridge

However, when translating university names we must bear in mind two special cases:

1. The names of little-known universities, those which may coincide in different languages and those which contain territorial or geographic references that are not accompanied by the corresponding national or territorial name should be translated, adding, though, the name of the city or the country where they are located.

National University of the South (Argentina); University of the Sea (Chile); University of the Littoral (France)

2. Universities named after someone - including kings', popes' or saints' names, which in other circumstances should be translated - must be only partially translated, that is, without changing the person's name.

Pompeu Fabra University; Jaume I University; Luigi Bocconi Commercial University; Carlos III University

In the specific case of Pompeu Fabra University, the general rule is to always translate its name into the language in which we are writing or speaking, except in the following cases:

  • When the name of the University appears in a logo or as part of the University's corporate image.
  • When the name of the University is part of an address.
  • In those specific and particular cases (institutional affiliation in the signature of research contributions, signposting, indications, external image, for the purpose of visibility on the Internet...) in which it is exceptionally preferable to preserve the institution's Catalan name.

This translation criterion affects both the name of the University itself and the one of the city of Barcelona when the compound designation is used - in those cases, obviously, in which the spelling of Barcelona varies in other languages.

Pompeu Fabra University - Barcelona; Universidad Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona; Université Pompeu Fabra - Barcelone; Università Pompeu Fabra - Barcellona; Pompeu Fabra Unibertsitatea - Bartzelona