On 21 October 2010, Pompeu Fabra University was awarded a distinction as a Campus of International Excellence (CEI) in a call promoted by the Spanish Ministry of Education in order to place Spanish universities of excellence on the map alongside the foremost institutions in Europe.

While implementing the UPF Icària International Campus project, UPF benefitted from the support of strategic associates which lent added value to UPF's bid as a whole in six different spheres of association (the university, teaching, research and transfer, territorial, institutional and business areas).

For the very first time, the representatives of these institutions met today in a joint working session held at Ciutadella Campus. The issues addressed in the meeting concerned the challenges and opportunities raised as a result of the CEI project, since it constitutes an instrument conceived to promote cooperation and the forging of synergies between these institutions.

The session was chaired by the rector of UPF, Josep Joan Moreso, who in his opening speech highlighted the actions carried out in conjunction with the UOC and the A4U university alliance. Next, the president of the Board of Trustees of UPF, Núria Basi, presented the Business Board that is expected to be set up shortly within the framework of the UPF CEI project, and the rector of the Open University of Catalonia, Imma Tubella, explained the bimodal cooperation model existing between both universities.

Subsequently, the vice-rector for Scientific Policy and project coordinator, Teresa García-Milà, presented the model of governance established for the UPF - ICÀRIA CEI project. This structure, which is designed to ensure smooth implementation and follow up of the project, includes the aforesaid business board and a scientific board to be set up shortly, in addition to the strategic association.

The session concluded with the contributions of certain individuals attending the meeting, who welcomed the initiative and again expressed their full support for the UPF - ICÀRIA CEI project.

The institutions constituting strategic associates on the UPF CEI projects are: UOC, A4U, Barcelona GSE, IBEI, IDEC,  ESCI, Elisava, PRBB, CRG, IMIM, CREI, CREAL, CMRB, IBE, CSIC, CREMed, Barcelona Media, Phonos, Parc de Salut Mar, Fundació Pasqual Maragall, 22@ and 22@network association.