Around twenty people have visited the three campuses of the University today in order to see for themselves the facilities and the major research projects developed at UPF, particularly those linked to biomedicine.

This activity, the first of its kind organized by UPF, is part of the plan of actions devised by Management in the field of the institutional fundraising. It puts UPF among the first universities in Catalonia to develop a programme in this field.

Attracting private contributions from partners to support the work of the University, either by donating funds to individual programmes, through talent recruitment plans, scholarships and study grants or by sponsorship and patronage, is key to improving funding and the positioning of UPF as a research-intensive institution.

A packed morning visiting the three campuses

The day began at 10am at the Poblenou campus with the reception by its director, Anna Belchi. Among others the group visited the Library/CRAI facilities and the Tallers building, as well as such facilities as an integrated newsroom, the TV set, and the production control room.

Then, they moved across to the Ciutadella campus, where its director, Cristina Oliva, gave them a guided tour to show them the most emblematic areas, including the Roger de Llúria and the Jaume I building patios, the Reflection Room, Auditorium and the Water Tank Library.

The tour ended at the Mar campus (welcomed by Fina Lorente, campus director), where the visitors attended a talk by Jaume Badia, manager of UPF, and Arcadi Navarro, director of the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (CEXS).

Some of the topics discussed were the good position of the University in the international rankings and the good work done by the CEXS, which made it possible between 2008 and 2012 for the department to publish 832 scientific articles, of which 517 are in the 10% of the most cited articles worldwide.

Finally, José Aramburu, CEXS professor and one of the coordinators of the Immunology Unit within the Molecular Medicine Programme, spoke about the research and progress made in their field through the conference "Engineering of the immune system against cancer".

Different reasons to make a donation

M. Luisa Pachán, the main driving force of the group, has experience in making donations: she has made three to Pompeu Fabra University, and she feels very proud.

"I've always been very interested in the world of research, in part due to a frustrated vocation. I am a restless person and I am passionate about research that can be applied, for example, to curing diseases. I am extremely pleased to have made these donations and personally it gives me great pleasure", she emphasizes.

She wants also to share this passion with others around her: "When I see people who like this world of research and are as enthusiastic as I am I think it is good for them to find out about it for themselves. In addition, the UPF researchers who I have spoken to so far love to explain their work, and that fascinates me".

UPF caught M. Luisa Pachán's attention because her tax advisor, Lluïsa Fornas, also present among the group, spoke of the research environment in which her cousin is involved, Oscar Fornas, head of Flow Cytometry service, a joint scientific and technical service of the CEXS and the Genomic Regulation Center (CRG).

Lluïsa Fornas mentions another argument that may attract people to make donations: "When you make a donation to a non-profit institution, you also force to the Government to participate, because 25% of the amount is tax deductible". However, she believes a law to regulate sponsorship in this field is lacking.

Photo gallery of the visit