International Education Detailed Brochure Epsc

Welcome to Castelldefels School of Technology – EPSC An Engineering School located in one of the most advanced Mediterranean Technological Parks.

Different University departments have their research groups developing high quality research at EPSC, predominantly in the fields of: Information Technology

Castelldefels School of Technology (Escola Politècnica Superior de Castelldefels, EPSC) is a Higher Education School of UPC specialising in technical and scientific courses in Aeronautics and Telecommunication (BSc, MSc and PhD) with a reputation for excellence in Teaching Innovation and Quality. This commitment is combined with intensive Research activities in close contact with industry to promote the transfer of results to society. Our academic achievements are based on: Being a pioneer in Spain of cooperative and Project Based Learning with a reduced number of students per class. Continuous assessment system based on students regular work. Promotion of experimentalism and use of laboratories, open on students demand when no classes are running. Practical training included in syllabus (more than 250 students per year, around 400 h/student, contacts with more than 180 companies).

Microwave Active Devices Applied Control Intelligent Sensors Broadband Networks Mobile & Radio Communications Security And Networking Photonics Electronics Materials Microgravity Air Navigation Satellite Systems Communication Systems Design

Enjoy the EPSC experience!

1. Mediterranean Technology Park – PMT Advanced Research and Technology Transfer

Who is at PMT:

UPC and the Catalan Government created the Mediterranean Technology Park (PMT) responding to the desire of integrating functional facilities in the same geographical area and to promote:

PMT is a continuously growing interdisciplinary Campus whose first building began to operate in 2000. The already operative facilities are:

Research & Development & Innovation Highly specialized Training Technology and human capital transfer Links among the University, public research centres and enterprises with high technology content.

Academic Campus Castelldefels School of Technology (EPSC). Agricultural Engineering School of Barcelona (ESAB).

EPSC

Library, students’ associations and NGOs, canteen, reprographic services, etc Students and researchers residence (soon).

Companies specialized in: So PMT mission is facilitating a multidisciplinary environment interacting with the society and the surroundings for mutual benefits. It offers EPSC students and staff a broad field of collaboration in advanced research, internships in companies and R&D centres, practical training, PhD instruction and technology transfer.

Information & Communication Technology

PMT is located in the seaside town of Castelldefels, belonging to Barcelona’s metropolitan area. It is situated next to the Olympic Channel and ten minutes to Castelldefels wonderful beach.

Aeronautics and Aerospace

Wireless Internet Technology Centre (Nortel Networks), Tempos 21, I2CAT, Satconxion (Ingenia Aeronautics, a consortium of 14 companies) Agriculture and Biotechnology Futur Eco

Technological and Research Centres Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) Supra-university research centre from a public initiative which develops basic and applied research in the field of telecommunications. Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) Research institution that aims at advancing the limits of scientific and technological knowledge in optical sciences. International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) Research and development centre dedicated to promote and foster advances in the development of numerical methods and computational techniques for the solution of engineering problems. Aerospace Technology Centre (CTAE) Aerospace Technology Centre with the mission to enhance industrial competitiveness and promote innovation in the aerospace sector.

2. Baix LLobregat Campus and UPC The Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) is a public academic institution dedicated to teaching, research, innovation and the transfer of results. Its activity is focused on different aspects of the architecture and engineering fields and its consistent and broad range of official undergraduate and master's degree programmes, positions it to face the challenge of building the European Higher Education Area. UPC consists of several campuses, being EPSC located in the Baix LLobregat Campus (CBL), strategically located inside the PMT. Its academic and research activities are mainly oriented towards: Information and Communication Technologies Engineering (EPSC). Aeronautics and Aero navigation Engineering (EPSC). Agriculture and biotechnology (ESAB)

Ecological Preservation: The Campus has been constructed from an environmental viewpoint, affecting edification (green buildings), water consumption system, sources of energy, transport policies… This makes of it a sustainable campus.

Geomatics institute Research on geomatics concerns a set of fast-growing technology-based disciplines focusing on the gathering, analysis, management and dissemination of geographic information for improved decision-making. Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) Study of the effects of ICT on people, organisations and society at large. Influence of ICT on the transition from an industrial society to the information and knowledge society.

It is an exclusively pedestrian campus, with a rich fauna, flora and several wild lakes which constitute an important area for bird migration. Because of these privileged features, the Campus is often visited by students from secondary schools in organized trips (named ITINERA), to learn about ecology and environment preservation.

3. Our school: Technical School of Castelldefels EPSC was created in 1991 as a school belonging to the net of technical schools of the UPC. It was relocated in the PMT in year 2000 and since then it has experienced a continuous growth in the number of students (currently around 1500 students) and facilities (research and teaching laboratories, library, lecture rooms, etc). EPSC’s mission is to provide a higher education of outstanding quality at BSc, MSc and PhD levels to contribute to the social and economic development of the country and carrying out important R&D activities, many of them in collaboration with other organizations in the PMT. For that purpose, EPSC offers a favourable learning environment at both technical and human levels, especially through:

Favouring initiative and critical thinking. Promoting solid working and team working habits.

What makes the difference? Our teaching innovation and learning methodologies which include cooperative and project based learning (PBL), applied since the first academic year. EPSC is a pioneer in these activities, and some of then have been later adopted by the whole technical schools at UPC. A reduced number of students per class (40 in lectures, 20 in laboratories), which favours an accurate individual supervision and confident relationship with professors. A continuous assessment system based on student’s regular work. The significant weight given to experimental lessons and use of laboratories, with free access when no classes are running. Practical training is included in the syllabus (more than 250 students per year, around 400 h/student, contacts with more than 180 companies)

Facilitating students to collaborate closely with EPSC research groups.

Our excellent academic achievements, most of the students graduate in the foreseen time and find a job in less than 2 months.

Motivating self learning and a continuous update of knowledge in line with the emergence of new technologies.

Today’s research specialization takes to join different fields of knowledge in order to cope with more complex and multidisciplinary projects. EPSC is well aware of this social necessity and thus fosters multidisciplinary research and teaching.

Introducing ethics and values in daily lectures and activities. Encouraging the cooperation with other universities as a way of personal enrichment. EPSC participates in several universities consortiums as CLUSTER, CINDA, CAESAR, oriented to provide 2High Quality” Engineering Education and improve links between Engineering schools and universities.

EPSC provides facilities and resources to innovative students willing to create their own company.

Short EPSC Flashes:

Highly demanded by students. Since year 2000, from 400 to 1500 students, with 160 professors and 40 supporting staff. Assessment to other schools. During the academic year 2005/2006 more than 70 schools have visited (or invited) us in order to know about our teaching & learning methodology and activities. Recognised Quality. The EPSC has become the first public university centre in Spain to obtain the ISO 9001:1994 quality certifications on Design of the Education Programme and the Organization and Development of Educational Activities. In 2002 the school obtained the ISO 9001:2000. The school is accredited each year by external evaluators. Excellence in Bachelor. The school was awarded in 1996 with the most significant award given by the Catalan government to academic institutions: the “Jaume Vicens Vives” award for the structure of the bachelor in telecommunications. Excellence in Master. The school was again awarded with the “Jaume Vicens Vives” award in 2004 for the quality and organization of the Master degree in Telecommunication Engineering, structured with Cooperative and Project Based Learning (PBL). Excellence in aeronautics. The school was awarded with the Flyer 2005, given by the national association of aeronautics engineers for the structure and the quality of the bachelor in aeronautics engineering syllabus. European Higher Education Area: participating actively in a pilot funded project supported by the catalan government, to adapt Telecommunication studies (Bachelor degree) since 1994.

4. Educational programmes Academic programs are organized in semesters with 15 weeks of classes per semester, being the rest of weeks for exams, works and projects presentations. So then, if a student fails a course, he/she must apply for it again next semester. The education system is based on an individual student supervision and support. A close relationship between professors and students is promoted since there are at most 40 students per each class. A continual assessment system is used in order to encourage the student regular work. After every semester an overall evaluation of the student work and knowledge is carried out. As a result, more than 80% of students finish their studies and most of the graduates find a job in less than two months.

Bachelor degrees (3 years, 180 ECTS) Aeronautics engineering with specialisation in Air Navigation Systems and Technologies Telecommunication Engineering, with two specialisations: Telecommunication Systems Telematics

Master degrees (2 years, with possible previous studies recognition, 120 ECTS) Master in Science in Telecommunication Engineering & Management with two specialisations: Telecommunication Services and Networks. Telecommunication Policies and Business Management.

5. Research groups and departments Along with education, research is one of the core activities at UPC and it has a highest priority at EPSC. The school is continuously developing programmes and environments in order to improve the scientific production and to attract national and international researchers of very high standard. Research at UPC is organized into departments which develop different fields of knowledge. At the same time, departments are organized in specialized research groups.

PhD and research programs The Master in Science in Telecommunication Engineering & Management offers a specific itinerary oriented to research and PhD degree programs in collaboration with PMT Research Institutes and several Research University Departments. PhD academic programme in Aerospace Technology. To be converted in a research master program (oriented to PhD’s) in course 2007/08.

Postgraduate courses Information Theory and Communications applied to the local administration (450 hours) Emergent Technologies for High Frequency Communications and Space Applications (450 hours)

Research carried out at EPSC is predominantly in the fields of information technology, design of communication systems, microwave active devices, intelligent sensors, broadband networks, security and networking, photonics, electronics, materials, microgravity, air navigation and satellite systems.

However research activities are not only conducted by the research groups within the UPC departments, but also at several research centres and companies at the Mediterranean Park of Technology. In fact, students can collaborate doing internships, acting as a multidisciplinary platform for researchers from industry and academia to meet. The UPC Research Departments with presence at the EPSC are: Dept. of Applied Mathematics IV (MAIV) Dept. of Applied Physics (FA) Dept. of Automatic Control (ESAII) Dept. of Computer Architecture (AC) Dept. of Electronic Engineering (EEL) Dept. of Engineering Presentation (EGE)

Research Groups at the EPSC, normally belong to some of the above mentioned University Departments, but their research is targeted to more specific research areas. Research Groups with activity at the EPSC are: Advanced Materials and Technologies for Communications group Astronomy and Astrophysics group Audio-visual Systems group Broadband Networks and Services group Combinatorial, Graphs Theory and Applications group Control, Monitoring & Communications group Distributed Systems Architectures group Instrumentation, Sensors and Interfaces group

Dept. of Management (OE)

Intelligent Communications and Avionics for Robust Unmanned aerial Systems group

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering (EM)

Materials group

Dept. of Signal Theory and Communications (TSC)

Microgravity and modelization group

Dept. of Telematic Engineering (ENTEL)

Mobile and Radio Communications group Non Linear Dynamic of Fluids group Optica Communications group Wireless Networks group

6. The Library

7. The language

The new Campus library, inaugurated in February 2006, is an essential resource for students, teachers and researchers since it features all technical books, online documentation, newspapers, magazines, reference materials and multimedia documentation. It is a public library where staff on duty at the library’s information desk will help you to find any material you are looking for.

There are two official languages in Catalonia: Catalan and Spanish, which coexist in a bilingual social context. Both languages are Latin-based and therefore grammatically and morphologically very similar. That is why there is mutual interaction between them and social attitudes in front of the use of one or another are friendly and flexible. The courses at EPSC are imparted in both Spanish or Catalan, depending on the lecturer’s choice, nevertheless Catalan can be easily understood if you speak Spanish. There is an increasing number of lectures given totally or partly in English, as well as significant teaching material (notes, slides, problems etc.) written in English, especially at Master degree.

Other facilities that you can find at the library are: Lap top PCs loan service. PC’s room and PC’s for consulting specialised databases with electronic journals and other electronic materials.

UPC offers you the opportunity to learn and practice another language. Free language courses are organised periodically by UPC at the different campus to make this much easier. Students interested in learning Catalan and/or Spanish can also have a look at the next web sites:

PC’s for languages self-learning

AulaCAT (Catalan) http://www2.upc.edu/slt/aulacat/angles/index01.html

Team working rooms booking service (different sizes for 6, 2 or individual studies).

InterCAT (Catalan) http://intercat.gencat.es/eng/intercat.html

Conference room and postgraduate room with advanced equipment for lecturing and conferences.

Merit School (Spanish) http://www.meritschool.com Spanish Federation of Spanish Schools for Foreigners http://www.fedelespain.com/catalonia.html Official Language Schools (public centres) http://www.eoibd.es

EOI

8. Social events and others “The main things which seem to me important on their own account, and not merely as means to other things, are knowledge, art, instinctive happiness, and relations of friendship or affection”. Bertrand Russell. Current University fellows are future working colleagues, so then, it is important to foster team working skills but also to organize activities that promote human relationships among all EPSC students and communities. EPSC students have time for fun too….

….and they perfectly know how to enjoy University life at the Campus. During the Castellfesta they organize a whole day and night celebration, with several social events such as: music concerts, beer contests, sport games, and particular games such as the egg drop contest or the smart antenna contest among others.

In addition, EPSC organizes conferences and dissertations each week with invited speakers. During the cultural week, by St. Jordi day (April 23th), there are also photograph and literary contests. Most of these activities are strongly promoted and organised by the different student associations:

9. The surroundings

10. How to reach us

The Baix Llobregat Campus is:

The EPSC is in the seaside town of Castelldefels, in the metropolitan Barcelona area, located next to the Olympic Channel and at ten minutes to the beach.

Only 300 metres from Downtown in Castelldefels, a popular and tourist city located southwest of Barcelona. Close to the Olympic Channel (5 min. walking), where rowing, canoeing and skating among other sports, can be practised. At the seaside, where the nearest beach is 15 min. walking. Close to Barcelona Airport “El Prat” (10 minutes by taxi) Close to Barcelona city centre, around 20-30 minutes by train, bus or car. Most of the students come daily from Barcelona and surroundings by public transport, since the CBL Campus is very-well connected. Near Castelldefels, we find Barcelona, the European city of the 21st century. Barcelona is a lively, organised, safe and with an astonishing cultural energy and passion for progressing city. (http://www.barcelona.es) With 300 sunny days per year, clean beaches with clear water and warm weather temperatures, Castelldefels is one of the pearls of the Mediterranean Coast. A paradisiacal place to practice water sports during the whole year and enjoy Mediterranean culture, food, art, celebrations, shows, spectacles. The Castelldefels Nautical Club offers facilities for students/staff to practice rowing, canoeing, surf, windsurf, and sailing. Castelldefels School of Technology (Escola Politècnica Superior de Castelldefels, EPSC) Av. del Canal Olímpic, s/n 08860 Castelldefels Tel: 93 413 70 00 Fax: 93 413 70 07

11. Student Exchange at the EPSC How to reach the EPSC by: Train: The Castelldefels train station is just 300 metres from the PMT and connects it to Barcelona by the RENFE Rodalies (local trains) line C-2. From Barcelona-Passeig de Gracia and Barcelona-Sants stations, four to six trains run every hour and the journey time is 20-30 minutes. Bus lines from Barcelona: 95, 97, N14 (night bus), N16 (night bus) Car: The PMT is 10 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes from Barcelona. C-32 Motorway, exit 46 (formerly A-16), or also C-31 Motorway (formerly N-246), exit Olympic Channel. Taxi: Ràdio Taxi Castelldefels. Phone: 936 653 557.

Do you want to come to study at the EPSC? If you are reading this section, it is because you probably are seriously thinking of spending part of your studies abroad. Sometimes this decision is difficult, and it is even more difficult to choose the country and the school. However, for sure, this is the best period of your life for doing it, there are lots of universities with similar educational programs, more facilities than ever before for getting scholarships and covering travel expenses... Don’t doubt it, this is an experience you will never forget. There are plenty of personal benefits that you will get, the obvious ones like broadening your mind and knowing a foreign culture deeply, the mastery of a new language, new viewpoints and methods of teaching, new friendships… And others like increased self-reliance, self-assurance, maturity, you will acquire adaptability and more employability. We also use to say that mobility is an excellent medicine against shyness, intolerance, racism… and generates a strong addiction!. Most Bachelor students that experience it repeat when studying the Master degree.

Plane. From Barcelona: “El Prat” Airport: Take the shuttle train to Barcelona or one of the multiple available buses (Single Ticket 1.5 €. Journey time: 15 min). Once there, use one of the previous options. You can also take a taxi to PMT (Price:15-20 €. Journey time: 10 min). From Girona Airport: Take a bus to Barcelona (Single Ticket 11 €. Journey time 1h 10 min). Once there use one of the previous options. By Car, motorway A-7, direction Barcelona, and once at Barcelona, then C– 32 Motorway, exit 46 (formerly A-16).

We encourage our students to spend part of their study time at other universities abroad, especially in European countries. This is usually accomplished through institutional Student Exchange Agreements which can be arranged in very short time and with little paperwork. Students stay at least for one semester and usually extend their stage to a full academic year. EPSC is open to host foreign students at bachelor and master degrees. You can choose whether to take some courses with us or to carry out your Diploma or Master Thesis in our research labs and being directed by EPSC professors. You can also choose both options, that is, finish your courses plus elaborating your Thesis.

EPSC participates in several universities consortiums as CLUSTER, CINDA, CAESAR, oriented to provide “High Quality” Engineering Education and improve links between Engineering schools and universities. There are several official exchange programmes to get a scholarship to join us, such as for example: Socrates/Erasmus, Leonardo, UPC-Europe, UPC-America Latina, UNITECH, etc. Following the receipt of your application form, you will receive an Incoming Student Manual from the International Education Office at the EPSC, containing useful information about, for example, accommodation facilities, among others. There is an EPSC Orientation Programme for Incoming Students, which introduces you to the services at the school, academic issues, students associations, sport facilities, cultural life and entertainment, etc. As part of this, there is a mentorship programme to ensure that you have a smooth integration into the EPSC. A local student from those accepted for mobility exchange next semester (probably with your school), will help you settle into EPSC and meeting other students, also helping you to overcome initial difficulties, if any.

Detailed information about the agreements between European and nonEuropean schools, applying forms and required documents, academic calendar, courses and lectures is at the EPSC web site http://www.epsc.upc.ed/

12. Contact us Visiting us or by mail: [email protected] By phone: +34 93 413 70 00 By email: [email protected] Ask questions directly to students: [email protected]

Important Dates The EPSC divides the academic year into two semesters: autumn and spring semesters. Thus the academic calendar is as follows: Autumn semester (QT): from middle of September to end of January (including examinations period). Spring semester (QP): from middle of February to end of June (including examinations period). In order to apply for a stage at the EPSC, the student must fulfil the Application Form & Learning Agreement at http://www.epsc.upc.edu/principal/ang/ There are two deadlines for receiving applications that are:

More information: http://www.epsc.upc.edu/

JUNE 1st , for Full Year and Autumn Semester students. DECEMBER 1st , for Spring Semester students. ALL YEAR, for students elaborating its Diploma Thesis or Master Thesis.

Hope to see you at EPSC!