Over 400 students participate in the  UPF Study Abroad Academic Programs during the Fall 2012 semester, which was inaugurated on Wednesday 19 September with a Welcome Session at Ciutadella Campus Auditorium.

From its foundation the UPF Study Abroad Program has been growing in number of students and consolidating an international reputation based on a high quality and integrated academic offer to international students.

At the core of the UPF Study Abroad, the Hispanic and European Studies Program celebrate 10 years of growth and development. The Academic Director of the HESP, Isabel Valverde, welcomed the students recalling that the HESP, aimed to be a program of reference in Europe, has now an enlarged and diversified academic offering, with a curriculum of over 70 courses pertaining to areas such as Humanities, Social Sciences, Law and Communications.

Almost 60 dedicated professors from six different UPF schools contribute with their work and commitment to the continuous development of a program which positions UPF as one of the most prestigious institutions to study abroad in Europe.

The session was open by José García Montalvo, vice-rector for Science Politics, who pronounced the welcome address and followed by the launching of a new International Business Program jointly organized by UPF and ESCI.

The session culminated with the opening conference "From the Other Shore" pronounced by Prof. María Morrás, from the Humanities Department, who was also the Academic Director of the HESP at the moment of its foundation. Professor Morràs presented a historical perspective on how the civilizations of the Late Middle Ages viewed the topic of the lost continent and the unknown world before the discovery of America and based on classical and biblical traditions.