University in Barcelona

Barcelona offers a wide range of studies (public and private centers) and with guaranties of a high level education.

Universidad de Barcelona (UB)





It´s a Public University and is famous for being the oldest University in Barcelona (over 500 years of history) and it is also the University with the widest offer of studies (not only Degrees or Diplomas but also Seminars, MBA, Post Grades …). It is also the center that holds more students year after year (so it is relatively easy to get in) due to their big installations and infrastructures and also for the big classes (which is the main disadvantage, the UB has classes for 300 students and that makes a very impersonal College). With so large classes it is often interesting to get the documentation and invest the time in the Library or somewhere else.

Another weak of the UB is that with so many students, the University environment is almost inexistent.

UB is located in Plaza Universidad (Metro Universidad next to Plaza Catalunya) where the literary studies are taught and in Zona Universitaria (Metro Zona Universitaria – Palacio Real) for the rest.

The main and actually almost all of the careers can be studied in UB: Social, Economic, Engineer, Language, History, Science, Teaching, Medicine, …


Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB)

The UAB (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona) is also a Public University and it is well known for being the only one which is located outside of the city, at the north side nearby a town called Cerdanyola del Vallès (15 km from Barcelona). Its location is the negative point of this University; however they have the best infrastructures and the largest campus of the whole Catalunya. It has a wide residential area, which is almost a little village with all the necessary shops (even a Driving School!) for the students that come from other cities.

Same as the UB, the UAB has a wide educational offer as it is allows to study not only Diplomas or Degrees (also including a wide offer) but also Post Grades, MBA, …

The advantages are: the number of students per class is less than in the UB and besides, the quality of the education is better and also the environment is much more attractive.
The disadvantage is its location, although it is well connected through public transport (it has its own train station) … always that it does not get any incident.


Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC)




UPC is also a Public University and it is famous for being specialized in the Technical studies (Science, Engineer, Mathematics, Chemistry … Same as UB and UAB, there can be also studied Post Grade, Masters, MBA, etc.

Located in Escuela Industrial (next to Hospital Clínico, metro Hospital Clínico) and also as UB in Zona Universitaria (metro Zona Universitaria – Palacio Real) with very new and modern infrastructures.

Here are hold studies that due to their technical specialization are not hold in any other University in Barcelona.
The Disadvantage is the old infrastructures of the Escuela Industrial.


Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

UPF is also a Public University. It is a new University (15-20 years old) and it is famous for its new and especially elegant infrastructures. Besides of its short existence, this University has prestige due to its education quality (in part because of its philosophy of small classes and to count with experienced teachers who sometimes are retired politicians or Ministers).

Same as the other Universities, its offer includes Post Grades, MBA, Seminars, etc.

Located in Ciutadella next to the ZOO of Barcelona and the Olimpic Port (metro Ciutadella).

Main careers that can be studied are: Social, Humanities, Medicine, Information, Architecture, Economics, etc.

The disadvantage is that is not easy to study there due to its prestige and also because of the small classes.

Tags: University barcelona, Degrees barcelona, masters barcelona

Searching for a job in Barcelona?

One important thing to consider when searching for a job is that Barcelona is a bilingual city with both Spanish and Catalan so you may need to speak both of them or at least Spanish. It is actually possible to find a job with no Spanish or Catalan as there are a large number of international companies where the official language is English so you may be able to find a job. However you will definitely need at least Spanish for daily situations. Click here for Catalan and Spanish classes.

The best way to search for a job is online as you will be able to:

- Do a job search for vacancies
- Apply online
- Post your CV, most of the webs allow CV posting
- Make your CV searchable
- Check for featured employers and agencies

There are a few websites that include all or almost all of the current job offers that appear on the market.

The most interesting and popular is Infojobs . On this website you are able to make a search by many parameters such as location, salary, type of contract, experience, … besides of course, of the type of job that you are interested in. This jobseeker works pretty well not only for people that are searching for a job but also for companies searching for employees. No doubt that it is the best way to look for a job not only in Barcelona but in Spain also.

Other similar and interesting websites are: Monster, Laboris y Trabajos.

On the other hand, there are the recruitment agencies which also work pretty well in Spain. The most interesting ones are:

- Manpower
- Vedior
- Ramdstad
- ICSA Recursos Humanos
- Michael Page International

Main offices of these agencies are located by the city center at Paseo de Gracia and Rambla de Cataluña, so they are quite handy.

Most of the jobs start first with a temporal period and contracted by the Recruitment Agency (here called ETT – Empresa de Trabajo Temporal) to be later on contracted straight by the own Company.

Every selection process lasts between 10 days and 2 weeks, and it normally comprains some tests (psicotecnic, personality and knowledge tests) related to the job which is applied and between 2 and 3 interviews (one in the ETT and the others within the Company).

Advises:

- Make your CV attractive
- Always send a cover letter with you CV
- Prepare the interviews
- Be punctual, proactive, honest and of course be well dressed.

English native speakers may be able to get a job as a teacher in one of the Language Schools existing in Barcelona so if you have teaching experience, consider this option as it may allow you to get a job with little or no Spanish at all.

Tags: job barcelona, tips looking for jobs