You grab your phone and open TikTok. An influencer points a yogurt at the camera and says it looks healthy, but it's actually an industry trick. A content creator claims intermittent fasting has changed their life. Another thirty-second video makes gluten the big enemy to defeat. You've just watched them, you close the app, sit down at your computer, and open an artificial intelligence tool to prepare a personalized diet for you. We've never received so many messages about what to eat, what to avoid, and how to do it. But, amidst this avalanche of information, distinguishing scientific evidence from digital noise has become an increasingly complex task.This situation is not anecdotal. An analysis by Dublin City University and MyFitnessPal of over 67,000 TikTok videos concluded that only 2.1% of nutrition content adhered to public health and nutrition guidelines. It is in this context that undergraduate and postgraduate nutrition training is being advocated for, mainly within healthcare professions. If the foundation for practice is a degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, master's degrees allow for deeper exploration into increasingly complex areas, such as personalized nutrition, sports nutrition, public health, or food and planetary health. In Catalonia, public universities offer various possibilities in these fields.The challenge of myths and screens

In the consultations of dietitians-nutritionists, the impact of social networks and AI has been detected for some time. “I perceive a society with more nutritional information, but also more confusion, where patients tend to react in a polarized way: either they adopt extreme diets, or they are blocked from any change”, summarizes Mar Gassó, dietitian-nutritionist at the BCN Diabetes & Endocrine Institute (IBADE). As she explains, in recent years these habits have even “rradicalized”, and there are people who restrict food groups or are less afraid of miracle diets. 

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Strengthen the connection between disciplines, bring students closer to clinical practice from day one, and articulate health training in the same environment. These are the objectives of UIC Barcelona with UIC BCN Health, the umbrella under which it groups seven disciplines in the biosanitary field. These are Bioengineering, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Dentistry, and Physiotherapy.This ecosystem unfolds on the Sant Cugat campus, integrated into the General University Hospital of Catalonia. There, health studies coexist with three own university clinics, a reference hospital network, and the Advanced Simulation Integral Centre, a space of more than 1,000 square meters that allows students to carry out simulated practices in a real clinical environment from the beginning of their training.More practical experience

The university argues that this model seeks to combine academic learning with guided and safe practical experience, always with the accompaniment of active professionals. Furthermore, UIC BCN Health also concentrates research laboratories in Biomedicine and Bioengineering, gyms for Physiotherapy and healthcare facilities such as the University Dental Clinic, the Support psychology and psychiatry clinic, and Cuides UIC Barcelona, focused on the care of advanced diseases and palliative care.The rector of the university, Alfonso Méndiz, maintains that UIC BCN Health is a “differentiating, clear and solid” proposal built on “almost thirty years of experience” and on an academic offering integrated into its own ecosystem. UIC Barcelona is also approaching its 30th anniversary and twenty years of Medical studies.Three new master's degrees in health

UIC Barcelona's commitment to strengthening its health ecosystem is also reflected in the expansion of its postgraduate offering. For the next academic year, the university will incorporate three new master's degrees linked to this field, with different profiles and approaches but with the same objective: to delve into increasingly specialized areas connected with the new needs of the healthcare sector.  The first of the new programs is the university master's degree in Respiratory and Cardiac Physiotherapy, aimed at both active professionals and researchers. According to the university, the program aims to respond to the growing demand for highly qualified physiotherapists in the comprehensive management of adult, pediatric, and critically ill patients, and emphasizes intervention in situations of great respiratory and cardiac complexity.  The new offer also incorporates the Master's degree in International Continuing Education in Bioethics and Healthcare Professionalism. In this case, the proposal is aimed at healthcare professionals and graduates who carry out their activity in care, research, or training environments. The program seeks to reinforce reflection and preparation on ethical and professional issues within clinical and clinical training contexts.  The third launch is the Master's degree in Bioinformatics & AI for Healthcare, driven by Biomedical Sciences and taught entirely in English. The university presents it as a unique program because it combines bioinformatics and artificial intelligence applied to health in a single proposal, two areas that increasingly weigh more in biomedical research and in the transformation of healthcare services.  

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When a supermarket receives fresh fruit first thing in the morning, a factory avoids halting production due to a lack of components, or a hospital has the necessary materials at the right moment, behind it all there is often invisible but decisive work: logistics. In recent years, this field has ceased to be a secondary component to become a key element of the global economy and a profession with ever-increasing strategic weight within companies.In Catalonia, this shift has been accompanied by a growing offer of master's degrees and postgraduate courses linked to logistics and the supply chain. This is the case, for example, of the master's degree in Supply Chain Management and Technology at La Salle URL; the online master's degree in Logistics Management at the UOC; the master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Technology and Sustainability at UPF-BSM; the master's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain and Maritime Business at TecnoCampus, or programs such as the master's degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management that the UAB promotes within an international consortium, among others. This long list of degrees reflects the extent to which the sector has ceased to be a peripheral specialization to consolidate itself as its own training field, increasingly connected with technology, sustainability, and global business management.An increasingly complete profile

“Before the pandemic, logistics was a more invisible area in the company, almost always in the background”, Concha Gaudó, director of the master’s degree in Supply Chain Management and Technology at La Salle Campus Barcelona, points out to ARA. As she explains, the disruptions of recent years, from covid to geopolitical uncertainty, have placed the supply chain “at the center of strategic decisions for many organizations”, and this has also transformed the type of professionals that are in demand.

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University of Barcelona (UB)

Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)

Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC)

Open University of Catalonia (UOC)

International University of Catalonia (UIC)

University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC)

Pompeu Fabra University (UPF)

Blanquerna - Ramon Llull University (Blanquerna-URL)

Expand the offering with new courses related to business, technology, engineering, and international law. IQS incorporates the Master's in Accounting, Data Analytics, and ESG Reporting, focused on advanced accounting, data analysis, and sustainability reporting. La Salle adds programs in Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence for Business Management, and Acoustics, Audio, and Vibrations. Esade, for its part, incorporates the university master's degree in International Business Law, designed for legal specialization in global business environments.

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Update without having to take a full master's degree. Redirect your professional career without starting from scratch. Certify a specific competence and be able to include it in your curriculum. These are some of the particularities offered by university micro-credentials, a brief, flexible, and labor market-oriented training formula that is gaining ground in Catalonia and that universities are beginning to integrate into their offerings. According to the search engine for training offered with public funds from the microcreds.cat Plan, there are currently 468 micro-credentials offered in Catalonia, with proposals ranging from artificial intelligence, programming, or web development to the fields of health, architecture, or project management.“Micro-credentials offer the opportunity to certify more specifically the competencies demanded by the labor market”, explain Dr. Marcelo Maina, director of the master's degree in Education and ICT - e-learning at the UOC, and Dr. Lourdes Guàrdia, vice-dean of the Studies of Psychology and Educational Sciences. According to them, this formula responds to a growing need: to be able to update knowledge and skills quickly, flexibly, and compatibly with work or other daily responsibilities.A brief, focused, and cumulative format

But what exactly are university micro-credentials? Broadly speaking, they are short-term training programs, delivered and certified by universities, that allow for the accreditation of specific skills. They are designed for adults, whether they already have a higher education qualification or not, and aim to facilitate access to more flexible, specialized training connected to the real needs of the productive and social fabric.The duration ranges between 25 and 375 hours, with official academic recognition of up to 15 ECTS credits. Unlike other longer programs, they do not necessarily start from a closed itinerary, but rather allow for the acquisition of specific knowledge in very concrete areas. "They aim to certify the learning outcomes of short-term learning experiences, presenting the knowledge, skills, and competencies that have been developed," explain Maina and Guàrdia. Furthermore, they are accumulable: students can add micro-credentials over time and thus build a training path adapted to their professional needs. Another key element is digital certification. The acquired competencies are accredited in a secure, verifiable, and transferable format within the European sphere.

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A worker looks at the salary of their last payslip and wonders how they can move up to a higher category. A recent graduate chains together their first jobs and looks for a specialization that will open new doors for them. A professional with years of experience notices that their sector has changed and that they need to update themselves. The reasons for studying a master's degree are not always the same, but they often share a common underlying idea: to improve their professional position in an increasingly demanding job market.Data indicates that choosing to pursue a master's degree can be a key way to achieve this. Currently, 93.5% of master's degree holders are employed, according to the study The employment of master's graduates from Catalan universities, prepared by the Agency for the Quality of the University System of Catalonia (AQU Catalunya). Furthermore, more than six out of ten perform functions specifically related to the master's degree studied, and a significant portion of those who were already working before taking the course assure that they have improved their professional category, salary, or type of contract.The weight of these studies within the Catalan university system is also relevant. This academic year, Catalan universities are offering 702 master's degrees, involving around 50,000 students, a figure that positions this training as a central piece of university specialization and lifelong learning. 'We want a university system that is a lever for progress and a social elevator, capable of offering opportunities to everyone so that no talent is left behind for economic reasons,' defended the Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, at the inauguration of the academic year, which is now drawing to a close.Looking ahead to the 2026-27 academic year, the Department of Research and Universities is working on around eighty new projects encompassing degrees, master's programs, and doctoral programs, many still in the authorization process. As of now, at least 16 university master's programs have already been authorized. The planning is particularly focused on strategic and emerging sectors, such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine, ICT, health, engineering, or film arts. The Department also plans to update several existing degrees and master's programs to adapt their content to new professional demands.Master's degrees: a source of progress and opportunities

One of the clearest pieces of data is the professional improvement declared by people who were already working before taking the master's degree. According to AQU Catalunya, 65.6% have improved their professional category and 64.6% have a higher salary than before obtaining the degree. There is also an impact on working conditions: 52.1% have improved their type of contract and 45.2% have improved their dedication or working hours. This does not mean that the master's degree automatically guarantees a promotion, but the data does show a clear relationship between specializing and progressing professionally.However, for this path of progress to be truly effective, price is also a determining factor. Along these lines, the Department has equalized the cost of all public qualifying degrees and master's degrees with the lowest price and has applied a new reduction of 30% for the rest of non-qualifying master's degrees.Jobs more linked to training

Another argument in favor of master's degrees is the alignment between studies and work. According to the AQU Catalunya report, 64% of graduates perform specific functions related to the master's they have completed. The percentage rises to 86% if functions related to their previous university degree are also included. In other words: in most cases, the master's degree is not just a credential disconnected from daily professional life, but rather has a direct translation into the tasks that are ultimately assumed.This adaptation is especially relevant at a time when many people are not only looking for a job, but also for a job that is more aligned with their profile, interests, and professional expectations. In fact, the same study shows that overall job satisfaction among master's graduates is rated as notable, with an average score of 8 out of 10. The key, however, is not to take any master's degree, but to choose training aligned with the professional moment, the sector, and the skills demanded by the labor market.

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"Looking for a professional expert in data analysis, mining and management, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and software development." This phrase pretty much sums up the advertisements that companies seeking professionals in big data They consistently post on job portals. It's a common subject to appear in the rankings of the most in-demand and highest-paid jobs in the world, in the field of information and communications technologies. "There are statistics that tell us that the position of technology expert in data management is not only one of the five most difficult positions to fill today, but will continue to be so in the future," Joan Navarro Martín, academic director of the Master's Degree in Big Data at La Salle-URL, told ARA.

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Silvia Sivera, a professor at the Faculty of Information and Communication Sciences who currently directs the UOC's eLearning Innovation Center (eLinC), analyzes the future challenges facing education. Her mission is to promote pedagogical innovation in online learning by using data obtained within the institution itself to benefit innovation and contribute to improving the quality of teaching.

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For over a year now, it's been possible to board flights at El Prat Airport without having to show any identification: just hold your face up to a camera. Biometric technology—similar to that used to unlock a mobile phone with a user's face—is increasingly present at airports around the world to streamline checks and improve security. While, for now, Barcelona is only offered by Vueling on some connections and upon passenger request, a study by the airline organization IATA reveals that, by 2024, 46% of travelers will have already used this technology at some airport around the world. Furthermore, 73% say they prefer this system to having to show their passports or boarding passes to staff. But what does all this have to do with the agricultural professions of the future?

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"A university degree is an essential requirement for companies that have hired recent graduates, unlike a master's degree, which is not perceived as an essential requirement." This is one of the notable findings of the latest report from the Catalan Agency for University Quality (AQU). It is a survey of employers on the training of university students. "One of the fundamental missions of higher education is to promote the employment of graduates," the AQU points out in the introduction to the document. "However, several studies point to a mismatch between university education and the real needs of the labor market, either due to a lack of specific skills or a shortage of graduates in certain fields," it warns.

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A blue logo with the acronym AQU and two words: "Favorable Accreditation." This is the seal that people interested in studying for an official bachelor's or master's degree in Catalonia often see when looking up information. But few know exactly what it means. It's the seal of the Agency for the Quality of the Catalan University System (AQU Catalunya), the body responsible for evaluating, verifying, and accrediting higher education. Its objective is clear: to ensure that the country's university offerings meet European standards and respond to social and employment needs.

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Bookstore School Program

University of Barcelona and the Catalan Booksellers' Guild

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The fifth study of the Barometer of Skills and Occupations of Catalonia by Pimec and the UOC highlights soft skills, soft skills that the labor market considers essential. The report details that up to 76.8% of job vacancies require mastery of some soft skill and up to 28% require mastery of some advanced digital skill.

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Inclusion and attention to diversity is a sector of education that requires increasingly personalized specialization to eliminate barriers for young people with special educational needs. The goal is for everyone to have the right to the same learning opportunities, regardless of their social and cultural background or their skills and abilities. Catalan universities offer master's degrees that emphasize improving educational services for all children and young people, a sector with growing demand.

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Based in Tarragona and with 18 experimental and computational research groups, the Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ) stands out for its highly internationalized environment. Forty-two percent of its research staff come from outside Spain, especially from Italy, France, and the United Kingdom.

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The Catalan university system has a very solid offering of master's and postgraduate programs, but the key to its success is its ability to evolve and adapt to the new demands of a constantly evolving market. Programs need to constantly reinvent themselves to respond to the new demands of a constantly changing society. These are some of the most notable developments for the 2025-26 academic year.

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A five-evening course on pedagogical approach in the field of nursing at the University of Lleida. A short training capsule on basic electromobility concepts at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Another option—this one online—to specialize in pruning and driving systems at the Rovira i Virgili University. These are just three of the options listed in the catalog of microcredential training offerings prepared by the Department of Research and Universities. It's a new concept, but one that is gaining traction at all universities in the country. Microcredentials are certifications that validate the learning outcomes obtained in short-term training experiences, such as a short course or training program.

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At the beginning of 2021, the Generalitat of Catalonia launched the Catalunya Media City project to create a hub audiovisual and video game industry in Southern Europe that would contribute to the economic and cultural transformation of the country, connect talent, and improve the range of studios in the country. The location chosen to make it a reality was the Tres Xemeneies del Besòs, together with the Parc Audiovisual de Catalunya (PAC) in Terrassa. In 2025, the project took a step forward: the Department of the Presidency assumed its leadership and promoted the signing of a collaboration protocol to align all the institutions involved and coordinate the actions that must be carried out to make it a reality.

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Rural schools are different from those found in urban settings. They are public schools located in very small towns and have few students. So few that, often, they don't separate the children by grade: even if they are of different ages, they study together. In Catalonia, there are around sixty rural schools—most of them in the Girona region and Central Catalonia—and nearly one hundred rural school zones, institutions made up of rural schools from nearby areas that are considered a single center. Working in them is a different experience.

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"The master's degree helped me specialize as a veterinarian in the field of food quality and gain a realistic view of the business world," recalls Ismael Andrés Ramos, a graduate of the Master's Degree in Animal Food Quality offered by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. "Despite my extensive experience working in the sports sector, I needed to be more up-to-date on subjects that are very important to my work, such as taxation, finance, and accounting," shares Montse Pujals, who completed the Master's Degree in Sports Business Management at the University of Barcelona.

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