Autonomous University of Barcelona
The Autonomous University of Barcelona (Catalan: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spanish: Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, UAB) is a public university located in Bellaterra, very close to the city of Barcelona in Spain. During the 2nd Spanish Republic there were already plans for the creation of a second university in Barcelona. But it wasn't until 1968 that the UAB was founded.
As of 2005, it consists of 50 departments in the experimental, life, social and human sciences, spread among 11 faculties and three university schools. All these centers together award a total of 77 qualifications in the form of first degrees, diplomas, and engineering degrees. Moreover, almost 90 doctoral programs and more than 100 other postgraduate programs are offered. UAB gathers more than 50,000 students and more than 3,000 academic and research staff. The UAB is a pioneering institution in terms of fostering research. There are many research institutes in the campus, as well as other research centers, technical support services and service-providing laboratories.
The UAB is clearly oriented towards Europe and the rest of the world, participating as it does in the community initiatives on co-operation, mobility and research, and has established firm links with research centers abroad, especially with those of the European Union. It is also part of the Xarxa d'Universitats Institut Joan Lluís Vives, a university network.
Most UAB academic activity is done in Bellaterra campus, Vallès Occidental. Several centres exist in Manresa, Sabadell, Terrassa, Sant Cugat del Vallès and Barcelona.
The UAB campus is about 30 km away from the centre of Barcelona. It is accessible by air (flights to Barcelona, Girona, or Reus), by train (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat, RENFE), by coach (SARBUS), or by car (AP-7 and C-58 motorways).
