The protagonist of our interview on this occasion is the UPC School, global partner of the Barcelona Contech Hub. The UPC School is the lifelong learning center of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) and a benchmark in the training of professionals for the great challenges of the AECO sector. Through master’s degrees, postgraduate courses, specialization courses, and micro-credentials, it promotes profiles capable of leading the transformation of the sector through digitization, technological innovation, and sustainability.

1. Could you briefly introduce us to the UPC School and its role in the training of professionals in the construction sector?

The UPC School is the lifelong learning unit of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC). It offers programs aimed at professionals looking to keep up to date in the fields of architecture, engineering, technology, and management. In the construction sector, it promotes training that combines innovation, digitalization, and sustainability, in line with the transformations that the sector is currently experiencing.

2. What role does continuous training play in updating construction professionals, especially in areas such as BIM, digitalization, or energy efficiency?

Continuous training is key for construction professionals to maintain their competitiveness in a rapidly changing market. Digitalization, BIM, energy efficiency, and, more recently, the incorporation of artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies make it essential to constantly update skills.

The UPC School’s programs for the built environment combine technology, innovation, and practical management with a teaching model based on active professionals who provide a real and current vision of the sector. In this way, we make it easier for professionals to improve their employability and adapt to the new profiles demanded by companies.

3. What mechanisms do you use to detect the new skills that companies in the sector demand and how do you incorporate them into your programmes?

The UPC School identifies the skills in demand through continuous collaboration with companies, sector associations, and professional associations. It also analyzes technological and regulatory trends affecting the construction sector. This information translates into the updating of programs in the labor market, incorporating practical and up-to-date content that allows professionals to develop skills directly applicable to their projects and the needs of the market.

4. University micro-credentials are gaining weight as a formula for updating skills in a more agile way and focused on specific needs. How do they contribute to the retraining and professional transition of technicians and engineers in the sector? Can you share your experience with us and if there are any new initiatives underway?

The UPC School offers university micro-credentials as a flexible and practical way to update skills, facilitating retraining and professional transition. This modular format allows professionals to quickly adapt to the needs of the sector, and, in addition, it is recognized throughout the European Union, opening up wider professional opportunities. During the months of May and June, we launched several micro-credentials in BIM, and in February, we will offer a new edition of the micro-credential in Artificial Intelligence Applied to Construction, aimed at understanding the fundamentals, limits, and accelerated evolution of generative AI in the sector.

At the UPC School, micro-credentials are part of a comprehensive training model that also includes postgraduate and master’s degree programs, which allows professionals to progressively deepen and specialize in education. The flexible, participatory, and practice-oriented teaching approach that characterizes micro-credentials is also present throughout our continuing education offer, favoring learning itineraries that adapt to each professional moment.

5. The postgraduate course in Digital Sustainability in Construction, developed with ITeC, is one of your outstanding proposals. What objectives does it have and what results are you observing?

The postgraduate course in Digital Sustainability in Construction, developed with ITeC, trains professionals in the management of construction projects by incorporating sustainability criteria and the use of digital tools to plan, coordinate, and optimize resources. The experience of the participants in the two editions that we have carried out has been very positive, as they apply these skills directly in their organizations, improving decision-making and reinforcing their leadership in sustainable and efficient projects.

6. How do you approach sustainability from a technological and management perspective within the training programs linked to construction?

Construction programs address sustainability by integrating technological and management approaches. Content on energy efficiency, responsible materials, and digitization of processes is combined with project planning and coordination tools. This allows professionals to lead sustainable initiatives and improve the efficiency and quality of their projects.

7. How do you promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among the professionals who participate in your programs in the field of construction?

We promote innovation and entrepreneurship in construction by offering spaces for experimentation with real and collaborative projects. Through workshops, mentoring, and practical challenges, professionals develop new solutions, learn to manage uncertainty, and strengthen their ability to lead innovative initiatives that add value to companies and projects in the sector. In our line of support for entrepreneurship, we would like to highlight the BIM Startup Award, a competition organized annually by the advisory board of the master’s degree in BIM Management. Digital Transformation and New Business Models, for which the master’s degree final projects developed by the master’s degree students are eligible.

8. How relevant is the UPC School’s participation in the Barcelona ConTech Hub in connecting university education with the startup ecosystem and innovation in the sector?

The UPC School’s participation in the Barcelona ConTech Hub makes it possible to connect university education with the startup ecosystem and innovation in construction. This collaboration facilitates the exchange of knowledge, access to emerging technologies, and the identification of new opportunities. Professionals benefit from practical experiences and direct relationships with innovative projects in the sector.

9. How do you imagine the construction of the future, and what role does the UPC School want to play in the training of the professionals who will lead this digital and sustainable transformation?

The UPC School envisions a more collaborative, digital, and sustainable construction sector, capable of responding to the great environmental and social challenges of our time. The future lies in the incorporation of sustainable materials, the efficient management of resources and waste, and the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence, BIM or 3D printing to optimize processes and reduce environmental impact.

At the UPC School, we train professionals who master these tools and lead with a responsible, innovative vision aimed at the common good. Our goal is to promote a new generation of engineers, architects, and technicians who transform the sector, building a more efficient, circular, and planet-friendly future.