Pompeu Fabra and the Toulouse 1 (Capitole) Universities signed at midday today a bilateral agreement recognizing the double degree that will allow their students, on the basis of a four-year programme, one on a mobility stay, to obtain the qualification of bachelor's degree in Economics by UPF and licence and maîtrise (both with the mention of "Economics") by t he French institution.

The agreement was signed at midday today by Jaume Casals and Bruno Sire, rectors of Pompeu Fabra and the Toulouse 1 (Capitole) Universities, respectively. The ceremony was attended by UPF vice-rectors Mireia Trenchs (Teaching and Academic Planning) and Josep Ferrer (International Relations).

Also present were several officers on behalf of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences (Vicente Ortún, dean, and Àngel Gil, Mobility coordinator) and of the Department of Economics and Business (Jan Eeckhout, deputy manager) and Mònica Pellisé, coordinator of International Relations.

On behalf of the Toulouse 1 University, a strategic partner with which UPF has collaborated since the creation of exchange programmes, were David Alary and Christine Maurel, dean and vice-dean of the École d'Économie de Toulouse, respectively; M. Joël Echevarria, general services manager of the Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) and Lorna Briot, Business and International Relations manager.

During the signing ceremony, those present coincided in pointing out the existence of shared values and a humanist approach, as well as the institutions' international scope, which places them as two of the leading centres in Europe with regard to teaching and research in the field of economics.

A four-year programme, one on a mobility stay

Having passed the academic programme, UPF will issue the qualification of bachelor's degree in Economics, while the Toulouse 1 University (Capitole) will award a " Licence mention Économie" (equivalent to the bachelor's degree) and " Maîtrise mention Économie (master's 1)": this latter qualification allows studying a master's 2 degree programme, which is the means of access to doctoral studies in the French system.

Participating students from both institutions, who must demonstrate a minimum level of B2 of English to follow the teaching at the host university, must successfully complete a total of 240 ECTS credits of which at least 60 (one academic year) on a mobility stay, which they are to take during the third or fourth year of their studies. Two tables attached to the agreement, which opens the door to taking 120 credits at each of the two centres, clearly set out the equivalence of subjects, credits and grades between the two universities.

Under the agreement, the number of places for the exchange of students will be two (which may be increased in the future), and the flow of participants between the two institutions will have to balance over a period of five years. The students who take part in this first edition have already been selected, and will begin the programme next September.

The agreement signed today, valid for five years (extendable), also envisages the possibility of doing an internship in a company or institution during the academic year students spend abroad on a mobility stay. Likewise, two coordinators have been appointed, one for each institution:  Àngel Gil, mobility coordinator at the Faculty of Economics and Business at UPF, and Christine Maurel, Vice-Dean of the École d'Économie de Toulouse.