a professional future full of options

Innova
nº6 / February 2007
La Salle · Engineering, Architecture and Management
THE REACTIVATION
OF THE ICT SECTOR:
a professional future
full of options
EDITORIAL
OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Miquel Àngel Barrabeig
General Manager of La Salle
Ramon Llull University
Last November at a talk at the Palau Robert, the case of
Technology, architecture, urban planning and construction
industrial engineer Albina Ruiz and her project for a “Healthy
are major agents of social and economic transformation,
City” was presented as an example of social transformation
and as a university we cannot fail to acknowledge them.
in deeply disadvantaged settings.
We are used to large engineering projects arising from the
As architects and engineers, we are often faced with the
quest for military applications, but we also know that these
questions of what and how. We assess projects from the
same applications are useful for spreading knowledge and
standpoint of realising them: what has to be done and how
enhancing welfare, and they end up influencing our every-
to do it.
day environment and transforming society.
We should be aware that these steps do not take place spontaneously. There have to be active desires to find the useful
ICTs and housing or urban development are
omnipresent, and it will fall on us to transfer
the knowledge following certain parameters
applications of the knowledge developed and to transfer the
results of research to society.
ICTs and housing or urban development are omnipresent,
and it will be our responsability to transfer the knowledge
Today I would like to suggest to you the question of why. Or
following parameters of sustainability, promoting justice
better yet, the question for what, and not just as a theoreti-
and solidarity, improving health and increasing equal
cal reflection but as an operative question to be included as
opportunities.
an integral part of the project. The study, the research, the
transfer motivated from their purpose and their ethics, which
By putting together subjects that are students examine in
ultimately are our social responsibility.
their end-of-programme projects, we realise to what extent
we have been sensitive and are able to put our social respon-
The “Healthy City” project provides us with several interest-
sibility into action.
ing parameters: the setting of marginalisation, engineering
the recycling process, involving the university in training,
It is imperative that we keep striving to achieve these goals.
ecology and sustainability, improving social conditions. How
many of these parameters could we include in our actions?
INNOVA La Salle - Engineering, Architecture and Management
Management Council:
President: Miquel Àngel Barrabeig
Vice President: Joan Camps
Secretary: Fèlix Riera
Editorial Board:
Xavier Vilasís, Joaquim Girbau,
Juan Pérez, Joan Claudi Socoró,
M. Pilar Torner, Josep Miquel Piqué,
Carmen Alcalde, Isidro Batlle
Editing and Production Team:
Editor-in-chief: Fèlix Riera
Publishing Manager: August Climent
Innova La Salle
Publisher:
La Salle Engineering and Architecture
www.salle.url.edu
Contributors:
Georgina Rosàs, Coque Claret,
Elisabet Golobardes, Sira Coll,
Josep Maria Ribes, David Badia,
Oscar García, J. Andrés Fernández,
Ricard Garriga.
Design and Production:
BPMO Edigrup
Caballero 79, 7a
08014 Barcelona
Tel. 933 637 840
Fax 934 108 415
E-mail:
[email protected]
www.grupobpmo.com
NOTE: Both management and the
editorial and production team do
not necessarily share the ideas
expressed in this magazine.
Likewise, neither they nor the
authors accept any responsibility
for either proper or improper use of
the information contained herein.
Legal Register:
B-1585-2003
ISSN: 1696-022X
3
CONTENTS
¬ Editorial
3
¬ Opinion
6
¬ Special feature
7
 The Reactivation of the ICT Sector:
A Professional Future Full of Options
¬ News
10
¬ Engineering
16
 Yesterday… and today of videogames
 Technology to help
 Engineering faculties and the European
Higher Education Area
¬ Architecture
27
 La Balsa: A Restaurant Built
Inside a Former Reservoir
 Greenhouses for Sustainable Housing
¬ Management
33
 Professional Moral Ethics
The European Short Sea Shipping School
 European School of Short Sea Shipping
 Paul Whiteway, International
Sales Manager of UKTI
¬ Tech news
43
¬ Innovation and Research
47
 La Salle Technology Transfer
 Interview with Manuel Campo Vidal, journalist
¬ Entrepreneurs
52
w
La Salle Business Angels School
¬ Getting to Know La Salle
55
w
Meetings with representatives
of the main political groups
¬ Culture and Leisure
56
w
Bilbao: An Eclectic, Nuanced City
w
Constant Evolution
w
A Sarrià-Sant Gervasi: Les Cotxeres
w
Architectural Guide to Mataró
¬ Calendar and Internet
61
Opinion
EUROPEAN CONVERGENCE: WHERE DO WE STAND?
Elisabet Golobardes i Ribé
Director of the La Salle Higher
Technical School of Electronics Engineering and
Computer Science - Ramon Llull University
In June 1999, the ministers of education of 19 European coun-
working on earning AQU (Quality Assurance Agency) accredi-
tries signed the Bologna Declaration marking the start of a
tation. Likewise, some of the current post-degree programmes
process of reflection and action aimed at adapting university
are already recognised by the International Assembly for Col-
degrees to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The
legiate Business Education (IACBE) and the Latin American
goal consisted of achieving a high quality European educational
Council of Business Administration Schools (CLADEA), and
system that would foster economic growth, international com-
accreditation processes have already got underway with
petitiveness and social cohesion through lifelong education and
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
training of citizens, and through their mobility. Seen thus, this
(AACSB international). Additionally, La Salle has applied
process of European convergence is a huge opportunity!
for accreditation from the European Quality Improvement
The three main pillars of this process seek transparency in
System (EQUIS-EFMD). La Salle’s Universitat Ramon Llull
learning, the structure of the programmes and quality. Where
was recently granted the distinction of ECTS Label (reference
do we stand?
29467-IC-1-2005-ES-ERASMUS_ECTSL) and the distinction
of Diplomat Supplement Label (reference 29467-IC-1-2005-
The EHEA organises studies into two cycles
– degree and post-degree – and three cycles
– bachelor, master and doctorate –
ES-ERASMUS_ECTSDS) from the European Commission. It
should be pointed out that only two Spanish universities and
a total of twenty European universities have had the honour
of this distinction.
Organisation. And here is where the controversy comes! The
EHEA organises studies into two levels – degree and post-
Learning. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) allows
degree – and three cycles, bachelor’s, master’s and doctor-
the work students must do to acquire the knowledge, capaci-
ate. The degree studies (180-240 ECTS) would achieve aca-
ties and skills needed to pass the subjects in their curriculum
demic and professional training for students that would pre-
to be measured. Sixty ECTSs are regarded as equivalent to the
pare them to either join the European workforce or go on to
volume of work of one student during one academic year. The
pursue graduate studies. Graduate studies are second-level
goal of this systems is to facilitate student mobility by using a
studies and include what in Spain is now known as the second
credit system that is common to the entire EHEA. However,
and third cycles (master’s and doctorates). Master’s degrees
this yardstick of student work has led to a deeper reflection
(60-120 ECTS) would offer advanced training and doctorates
on learning, that is, on how to focus on students’ efforts – and
(previously 300 ECTS) would focus on training researchers.
how to achieve it – instead of focusing on the teachers’ efforts.
We at universities, professional associations and the like have
In the field of engineering, and more specifically at our school,
spent many years making studies and drafting reports and
this student-centred focus has always been present, albeit at
white papers, while the governmental institutions have failed
times implicitly (classroom teaching, problem-solving, labo-
to define themselves in this new scenario. On the contrary, we
ratories, group work, tutoring sessions, presentations of final
have to start proposing and implementing master’s and doc-
projects, etc.). Thus, our work consists of making the way this
toral programmes without knowing what degree studies there
is evaluated more explicit and/or improving it in accordance
will be, or how long they will take. And the worst thing in the
with the ECTS, not to mention becoming more aware of where
world of engineering is who grants and at what level the profes-
we are and where we want to go.
sional competencies and attributions. It is clear that we at the
Quality. The demand for quality teaching is now taken for
universities are offering solutions and routes that always ben-
granted. What may well become worrying is the fact that this
efit students, but what is worrying is that a great opportunity
quality; being hindered by excessive bureaucracy. At the same
like Bologna may just become a currency to barter interests.
time, we must be aware of the appropriateness of the crite-
As for La Salle Engineering, just as we have always done, we
ria used to evaluate quality. Nevertheless, it will end up being
continue to focus on degrees linked to Information and Com-
a cultural habit and a demand from society itself, just as it
munication Technologies and their management, at both the
is in other countries such as the United States. Still, here at
degree and post-degree level. We are well prepared, all we
La Salle Engineering and Architecture, part of the faculty is
need now is the legal framework... x
Innova La Salle
SPECIAL
The Reactivation of the ICT Sector:
a professional future full of options
The new technologies sector is recovering after a crisis in the first few years of the decade. With the
new scenario, a new realm of possibilities is opening up in a revitalised field that needs professionals.
Rosa García, President of Microsoft Ibérica, and Josep Maria Vilà, General Manager of Indra – the heads
of two benchmark companies in this field – analyse the current situation.
By Ivan Giménez
Photos: Marc Guillen and Microsoft
We can now say that ICT companies
have recovered from the burst in the
technology bubble in 2001. It is once
again a sector with good prospects for
growth. “Companies emerged from
this stage with lessons learned that
today are the basis of any organisation that wants to start up, grow and
survive in the market,” claims Rosa
García. Josep Maria Vilà addes that
“ICTs are reactivated because the
economy is reactivated; when there is
recovery, companies are encouraged
to invest in fields like technology.” The
head of Indra also adds that “it is a
cycle. In addition to investment and
business euphoria, there is also more
consumption, and all these factors
Rosa García, president of Microsoft Ibérica
end up driving this recovery.”
One of the main advantages
of the ICT sector is the job
stability it offers
The recovery got underway in 2005,
according to data from AETIC (abbreviation for the Spain Association of
Electronics, Information Technology
and Telecommunications Companies),
when there was an 8.9% growth in
software-related companies. Another
highly positive factor is that companies are deciding to invest in information technologies. We should also
Josep Maria Vilà, managing director of Indra
bear in mind that the companies that
Innova La Salle
ESPECIAL
explains that “the demand for jobs that
Rosa García
¬ She has over 20 years’ experience
in the world of information
technologies. She joined Microsoft in
1991 as Technical Support Manager.
Four years later she became Manager
of Strategic Corporate Projects at the
company headquarters in Redmond.
In 2000 she took on a new challenge
as General Corporate Manager of
Sales and Marketing with Microsoft
Partners.
there might be in a sector showing this
type of growth is clear.” To Josep Maria
Vilà, “the demand is especially high in
certain specialities, and we have not yet
peaked out.”
The head of Microsoft Ibérica further
defines the situation by claiming that
“despite these positive trends, we are
also experiencing a situation in which
there are specialised jobs that cannot
be covered because students just leaving university do not have the proper
training.” When asked what should
be done to resolve this situation, she
have survived the crisis are stronger.
the European average, which stood at
explains that her company has started
As Josep Maria Vilà points out, “in
3.1%. The forecasts for 2007 indicate
the Employ Plan. In conjunction with
crises, the weaker companies disap-
that Spain will grow around 4.5%, com-
several different Spanish universities,
pear, and the best-prepared ones
pared to its other European partners at
the goal is to include a series of curricu-
come out stronger.”
around 2.9%.
lum items in the last few years of bach-
These positive forecasts can be trans-
elor’s degree programmes, as well as in
The domestic market
lated into an increase in the demand
master’s and doctorate programmes.
Catalonia is one of the leading com-
for workers in the sector. Rosa García
The aim is to ensure that new graduates
munities in Spain in terms of the use
of Internet (around 50% of households), and its investment in R&D is
20% higher than the Spanish average,
according to data from the National Statistical Institute.
According to Rosa García, “when talking
about R&D, we have to focus on developing applications and solutions as one
of the crucial factors in the sector.” She
further specifies that “Catalan ICT companies can play a key role in developing
applications and solutions for SMEs.”
It is worth pointing out that Catalonia is
home to one-third of all the companies
in Spain that distribute new products.
Likewise, the General Manager of Indra
states that “the Western economy is more
or less up-to-date, but in Spain we lag further behind in information technologies
compared to the European average, and
for this reason we have further to go.”
Looking ahead to the future
According to a study conducted by the
European
Information
Technologies
Observatory (EITO), the ICT market in
Spain grew 5.2% in 2006. This figure
means that the increase was higher than
Innova La Salle
ESPECIAL
have the training needed to cover such
points, from 46% to 36%, 4,000 new
specific jobs. Despite this lack, García
jobs could be created in the field of
acknowledges that “young people are a
information technologies.”
group that fit particularly well into this
sector.” And she adds that “it is very
important that both universities and
leading businesses in the sector include
the new technologies into the curriculum in all the different stages of education in order to foster students’ training
and empowerment.”
The sector is fully recovered
from the 2001 crisis, and the
companies will be stronger
when handling future situations
of instability
The General Manager of Indra explains
that some of the specialists that are
Main appeal
most in demand are “experts in busi-
The branch of information technolo-
ness productivity tools, as there are ever
gies is quite broad and constantly
more organisations interested in taking
evolving. It should be borne in mind
advantage of the development of ICTs.”
that in recent years technology has
When talking about job creation, the
shifted from being a world closed to
spectre of piracy comes into play. The
all but a few, to permeating all the
use of illegal products in the ICT sector
areas of citizens’ daily lives. As Indra’s
means that many jobs cannot be cre-
­General Manager explains its, “it is a
ated. Rosa García claims that “if the
highly innovative sector. You are very
illegal software rate would fall by ten
unlikely to be doing the same thing
many years in a row because technology changes and the environment
changes.” Vilà continues by claiming that “all these elements make it a
world that is especially appealing for
Josep Maria Vilà
¬ He holds a doctorate in Industrial
Engineering and a bachelor’s in Computer
Science from the UPC. Currently, in
addition to serving as General Manager
of Indra, he is also Vice President
of AETIC (Spanish Association of
Electronics, Information Technology and
Telecommunications Companies). He has
previously served as managing director of
Eritel, general manager of the Barcelona
’92 Olympic Games, manager of Unisys in
Catalonia, and manager of Organisation
and Computing at Enher.
restless people. Likewise, there are
many opportunities for business inno-
Innova La Salle
vation.” The head of the Spanish mul-
60% of the companies plan to increase
tinational concludes by stating that “it
their staff in the course of this year.
is a sector that is experiencing steep
With regard to the controversial issue
growth all over the world. The ceiling
of including women in this field, Josep
has not yet been reached in the ability
Maria Vilà speaks out clearly. “Tradi-
to innovate in society.”
tionally it has been a men’s world, but
To Rosa García’s mind, “now skilful
this has started to change: now 30%
technicians are needed to perform a
of students finishing their degrees are
large number of jobs in a wide variety
women, and this proportion is also
of disciplines and specialities, ranging
reflected in the business world. This is
from ICTs applied to large companies
a figure that is only going to rise in the
to the development of products that fit
forthcoming years.”
into the palm of the hand and technolo-
According to the president of Microsoft
gies that make life easier for the handi-
Ibérica, “the influx of women in this
capped. As a result, the range of oppor-
workforce has taken place relatively
tunities is incredible.”
recently, but it is rising steeply.” How-
What is more, another appeal worth
ever, she bemoans the fact that “Span-
keeping in mind is that it is a sector
ish women still lag behind women in
with a high degree of job stability.
the rest of Europe or the United States,
According to data published by AETIC,
mainly because of the structure of our
86% of the contracts in the field of ICTs
society. Yet it is also something that
in Spain are permanent, and more than
society itself is trying to change”. x
NEWS
2006 APROP WORKSHOPS, TECHNOLOGY AND SPORTS
The main subject of the 2006 APROP workshops was technology applied to sports performance. This
event was presented at a press conference on 18th October 2006 with the presence of the world champion
swimmer, David Meca, at the recently refurbished facilities of the La Salle Sports Club.
Fèlix Riera, president of the steering
committee of the workshops, opened
up the press conference ushering in
the 2006 APROP workshops by recalling the philosophy of these gatherings:
“Our mission is to serve society.” To this
end, he reminded the audience that La
Salle has always served as a platform
for dialogue between the working world
and the university. In addition, it also
has “a firm commitment to the busi-
the peninsula across to the Balearic
ery or stimulation that our muscles
ness sector and to ongoing technologi-
Islands without the guidance appa-
need. Likewise, the company Mammut
cal change.”
ratus that we had.” For the swimmer,
presented a victim locator in the case
The next speaker was Abel Gangolells,
nowadays “the link between sports and
of mountain avalanches, with a preci-
technical director of 2006 APROP, who
technology is fundamental for achiev-
sion of plus or minus ten centimetres.
focused more on the subject of sports
ing sound performance in training.” He
Visitors could also see products aimed
and technology. He recalled that La
explained that technical advancements
at top competitions, such as Robotic
Salle has been dealing with the issue
enabled him to be in constant contact
Eye software by Mundoentrenador, a
of the business world and top-level
with his trainer, who lives in the United
system used by first division football
competition with its MBA in Sports
States. And he concluded by claiming
clubs to get information on a match,
Management. He also pointed out the
that “this merger has evolved quite a
and which allows trainers to make
differences between this year’s edition
bit in recent years and is not going to
extremely accurate tactical and techni-
and more conventional shows: “Here
stop now.”
cal assessments.
companies can show their products in
Then a demonstration began of the
The last products that could be exam-
a realistic situation,” clearly alluding to
different products that could be found
ined at this event presenting the APROP
the fact that the event was held at the
at the workshops. First, Meca himself
workshops include a system for reading
La Salle Sports Club and the guest enti-
unveiled the Vivo system by the com-
body composition (muscle mass, fat,
ties were able to hold demonstrations in
pany, Life Fitness. This is a software
water, etc.) from the company Tanita,
a real sports setting.
system that manages users’ activities
and finally, wrist computers from the
After that, David Meca remarked on
at a given sports centre down to the
company Suunto, which adapt to ath-
the importance of technology when
last detail. For example, training pro-
letes’ needs, ranging from simple pulse
helping athletes in any situation: “I
grammes are custom-designed, and
counters to speed and distance moni-
wouldn’t have been able to swim from
users can constantly monitor the parts
tors and route plotters via GPS. x
of the body that have been given the
best workout and those that need more
attention. It is useful for both an elite
athlete like David Meca and anyone
who would like to schedule their weekly
fitness sessions.
Other products and technologies presented include the electrical muscle
stimulator by the company Compex,
which provides extremely accurate
information on the parameters of recov-
10
Innova La Salle
NEWS
LA SALLE CONSOLIDATES ITS DESIGN FOR A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
The design for the La Salle campus in Barcelona has come to a close with the purchase of a new
building. The new facilities are to house the La Salle Innovation Park and incubators for tech companies.
La Salle is an institution with over one hundred years of history.
La Salle, a founding member of the
Universitat Ramon Llull, has made an
exchange with the Barcelona town hall,
consisting of the purchase a new building, which marks the close of the last
phase in the expansion and consolidation of the university campus, a project
that got underway in 1903 and has grown
successfully until today. The campus
now has a total of more than 50,000
square metres, and it has invested four
years in this stage of the expansion.
The new building, measuring 16,500 m2,
will not only allow the institution to have
more space for classrooms and laboratories, it also helps to consolidate its
concept of campus and open new types
of services, such as physical spaces for
incubating new tech businesses.
The construction, which began last September, will take place over the next two
years, and much of the new facility, also
located in the Bonanova district, will be
operative by the end of 2007.
THE PROJECT IN M2
University area Business Area
La Salle Innovation Park
Technology Transfer
Incubators
> 25,000 m2
A campus specialising in innovation
on campus and take advantage of its
The remodelling and improvements of
facilities, the building will house the
the centre will allow La Salle to have
space for incubators for entrepreneurs.
a new building which will house the
Department of Technology Transfer.
This department provides technological
solutions generated at the university to
companies. The building will also house
> 10,000 m2
the La Salle Innovation Park, which is
Sports Area
> 6,000 m
2
ence and Technology Parks in Catalo-
Residential Area
> 4,000 m
2
Services Area
TOTAL
Innova La Salle
> 5,000 m
> 50,000 m
2
2
currently leading the Network of Sci-
The new building will house
the Department of Technology
Transfer and the La Salle
Innovation Park
nia (abbreviated XPCAT) and has one
This new central building, connected to
of the most dynamic tech springboards
the others via a large public square, will
in Catalonia (in five years it has cre-
also contain the remaining central serv-
ated more than 70 ICT companies and
ices, management and administration.
received more than 12 million euros in
This latest expansion also includes an
aid and subsidies). Precisely to ensure
expansion in green areas, parking and
that these new companies can grow
sports facilities. x
11
NEWS
THE UNIBA NETWORK IS CREATED
LA SALLE JOINS THE
PROMOTIONAL COUNCIL FOR
‘BARCELONA SCIENCE 2007’
This is the first intra-university network
of Business Angels in Catalonia.
The General Manager of La Salle,
Miquel Àngel Barrabeig, and Jordi
Hereu, mayor of Barcelona, signed
the agreement last December.
Last September, the UniBa Network,
“aims to bring together all the compa-
an innovative project undertaken by
nies emerging from the technological
La Salle and four other universities
springboards of Catalan universities
was created. The previous agreement
which are seeking private capital inves-
through which this platform emerged is
tors, also known as Business Angels.”
Both the La Salle Engineering and Archi-
the joint agreement between the UAB,
With its launch, the UniBa Network
tecture university centre and the La Salle
the UB, the UPC, the UdG and the La
aims to be a benchmark model of
Innovation Park are now members of the
Salle Innovation Park. The project also
Business Angel Networks on a ­­Europe-
Promotional Council for Barcelona Sci-
received sponsorship from 22@Barce-
wide scale, promoting the growth of
ence 2007. Last December, the General
lona and the “La Caixa” savings bank.
new companies within universities by
Manager of La Salle, Miquel Àngel Bar-
According to the project coordinator,
offering financial support, advice and
rabeig, and Jordi Hereu, mayor of Bar-
Daniel Borrero, the UniBa Network
mentoring.
celona, signed the document in which
La Salle joined the Promotional Council
of this initiative, which aims to promote
scientific and technological knowledge
throughout 2007.
More than 250 institutions and personalities were also invited to participate
in this initiative being promoted by the
Barcelona Town Hall.
NEW MASTER’S IN SPORTS COMPANY MANAGEMENT
La Salle, the Catalan Sports Council and the Union of Sports Federations signed an agreement
for La Salle to teach master’s courses in Sports Management to athletes at a 50% discount.
12
The agreement signed by the three
year, students like Jordi Villacampa,
institutions also includes two grants
Rafael Jofresa, Ferran Martínez, Enric
to be awarded to one male and one
Masip, Jordi Sans, Xavier O’Callaghan
female athlete depending on their
and Manel Bosch decided to seek
academic and athletic merits.
business training that would enable
This is a type of bridge course aimed
them to redirect their careers while
at lifelong training for profession-
also turning them into sports man-
als who have finished their sports
agement experts, able to put their
career and now choose to venture
professional knowledge into practice
into the business world. During the
either in clubs, gyms or federations
first edition of the master’s held last
or by creating their own companies.
Innova La Salle
NEWS
LA SALLE UNVEILS ITS TIES WITH MEXICO
Last month the La Salle Innovation Park, with the support of SECARTYS (Spanish Association
of Exporters of Electronics and Information Technology) organised a Technological and Business
Innovation Bridge in Monterrey (Mexico).
This link between the two communities aims to foster business
nies, in this case Mexican ones, in Barcelona. The first frame-
investment from Monterrey to Catalonia and vice-versa, as a
work agreement was signed with the Institute of Innovation and
strategic factor in development.
Technology Transfer in Nuevo León. Likewise, the framework for
One of the projects that was agreed upon during this “bridge”
cooperation was defined through the signing of two operational
falls within the Landing Programme, let by the La Salle Innova-
agreements: one with the Institute of Technology and Higher
tion Park, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and 22@Bar-
Education in Monterrey (Monterrey TEC) and another with the
celona, whose purpose is to promote the presence of compa-
University of Monterrey (UDEM).
PIONEERING AGREEMENT BETWEEN LA SALLE AND FRACTUS
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
CONFERENCE
This past academic year, La Salle’s Electromagnetism and
Communications Research Group (GRECO) initiated a new
cooperation agreement with the tech company Fractus for
research in the field of multi-band antennas and miniature
The event was cosponsored
by the Alumni Association
and the La Salle Innovation Park
wireless and mobile telephone devices. This agreement is the
first one in Spain in this field, in addition to being the first one
Last September, La Salle International
to involve two Catalan entities.
Graduate School spearheaded Let’s
Grow Up, a professional growth con-
LA SALLE AND PERU’S ESAN BEGIN A MASTER’S PROGRAMME
ference aimed at both working professionals and young people who have
just joined the workforce.
La Salle (Universitat Ramon Llull) and ESAN, the leading business school in
Peru, have successfully launced a new master’s programme which requires
occasional classroom sessions and is mainly offered through the LaSalleOnLine
platform.
This master’s in Managing Information Technologies will have an international
sojourn in Barcelona. During their stay here, ESAN students will visit companies
and other bodies in the sector that are currently at the cutting edge in the development of information and communication technologies (ICT).
LA SALLE AT THE 3GSM WORLD CONGRESS
Around a dozen speakers with links
La Salle, in conjunction with Abertis Telecom, became the laboratory
of DVB-H inter-operability at the 3GSM World Congress.
to the worlds of business and human
resources, along with head hunters, business angels and coaches,
This is a laboratory through which a trial setting was offered in order to ensure inter-
were the true stars of the conference,
operability amongst all the providers of platforms and mobile receivers at the con-
which was attended by over 100 par-
gress. Companies like Thomson, SIDSA, Siemens and Nokia used these facilities,
ticipants. All of them, both speak-
which La Salle’s Department of Audiovisual Technologies made
ers and audience alike, were able to
available to participants both before and during the event. What is
share a series of real case studies and
more, this year, the Business Creation Area had an important pres-
resolve doubts about anything related
ence at this international mobile telephony event. A total of seven
to decision-making within a profes-
companies incubated at the La Salle Innovation Park were present
sional career, always with the aim of
at the 3GSM Congress.
achieving maximum efficacy.
Innova La Salle
13
NEWS
INFORMATIVE WORKSHOPS
ON CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
THE BASQUE CLIMBER JOSUNE
BEREZIARTU AT LA SALLE
La Salle and the Generalitat informed the four provincial capitals of Catalonia
about new developments in this emerging sector.
She attended the closing act
of the 2006 Initiation and
Technification Workshops
‘Women and Mountain Sports’.
As part of the cooperation agreement
that FEEC signed this year with La
Salle GELS, in January the closing act
of the 2006 Initiation and Technification Workshops Women and Mountain
Sports was held.
The event was also attended by Basque
mountain climber Josune Bereziartu,
who personally presented the screen-
During February and march, La Salle and the Generalitat de Catalunya’s Secretariat of
ing of 9th Maximum Degree of Women’s
Telecommunications and the Information Society held a series of workshops to spread
Mountain Climbing (the Walker-Grands
the word about new developments in innovation applied to construction in the four
Jorasses).
provincial capitals in Catalina.
The digital household, the regulatory framework of the sector, TDT, ICT and comprehensive building management were just some of the main topics discussed in this informative programme.
Major speakers
The initiative had speakers in from La Salle’s Area of Technological Innovation in Construction, from companies like Endesa and Schneider, and from other entities such as the
COETTC (Official Association of Technical and Telecommunications Engineers of Catalonia)
and FECEMINTE (Catalan Federation of Telecommunications Installation Entrepreneurs).
LA SALLE LAUNCHES THE FIRST E-MBA FOR EXECUTIVES IN GIRONA
The master’s includes a stay at Saint Mary’s College of California, and upon completion,
participants will earn official recognition from La Salle and IALU.
In January, La Salle, a founding member
first graduating class of the Executive
the International Association of Lasal-
of the Universitat Ramon Llull, in con-
MBA Programme.
lian Universities (IALU). What is more,
junction with the Girona-based training
“Our business school has been operat-
the master’s includes a two-week stay
school, EGE, launched what will be the
ing in Barcelona for twenty-three years,
at Saint Mary’s College of California,
and the trend is towards decentralising
in San Francisco, through which the
the academic programmes in order to
business leaders will have the chance
give executives living in other cities in
to forge contacts with private investors
Catalonia the chance to study,” explains
and visit large international companies
the coordinator of the master’s pro-
such as Microsoft, Chevron Texaco,
gramme, Ricard Cuerba.
Sun Microsystems, Dolvyy, Delmonte,
Genentech and Cisco Systems.
14
Recognition of the master’s
The La Salle master’s school was also
Once they finish the programme, the
launched in Tarragona this academic
students will earn official recognition
year, and in Manresa the second gradu-
from the Universitat Ramon Llull and
ating class is already up and running.
Innova La Salle
NEWS
LA SALLE INNOVATION PARK
Through its Entrepreneurship Program, the park analysed
54 new projects over the course of 2006, created 23 new
companies and landed more than 2 million euros
in financing to help them grow.
THE BRITISH CONSULATE AND LA SALLE
EXPLORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN R&D
The director of the La Salle Innovation Park and the
president of the Network of Science and Technology Parks
of Catalonia, Josep Piqué, concluded the conference with
a talk on the status of innovation.
Last January, the British Consulate General of Barcelona, in
conjunction with the La Salle Innovation Park, held a bilateral workshop setting out the Global Partnership and Softlandings programmes developed by the UK Trade and Investment
Ministry for foreign companies interested in working with and
investing in innovation in the United Kingdom.
The director of the La Salle Innovation Park and the president
of the Network of Science and Technology Parks of Catalonia, Josep Piqué, concluded the conference with a talk on the
status of innovation in Catalonia and the synergies that could
be fostered with the United Kingdom.
The year 2006 has been key for the La Salle Innovation Park,
and according to the results from the past fiscal year, the park
has managed to consolidate its focus on fostering the entrepreneurial spirit through its programme of technologically-based
business creation.
News at the Park
Through its Entrepreneurship Program, the Park analysed 54
new projects over the course of 2006, created 23 new companies and landed more than 2 million euros in financing to
help them grow.
These figures are added to the previous ones, with a total result
of more than 70 ICT companies created and a cumulative sum
of 12 million euros in financing received.
THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FOSTERS PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT THROUGH AN AGREEMENT WITH ICSA
On Thursday, 30th November 2006, the La Salle Alumni Association signed an agreement
with the human resources firm ICSA.
The goal of this agreement is to fur-
This human resources company will
In terms of training, ICSA will also offer
ther strengthen personal, professional
also let La Salle alumni who are mem-
two seminars per year on professional
and economic relations between both
bers of the association view its Report
development-related subjects.
institutions. ICSA is to cooperate with
on Compensation online, as well as
For its part, La Salle will offer ICSA staff
and sponsor certain activities related to
enter their data and receive a report on
discounts for participating in the life-
professional development at the Lasal-
the market status in the professional
long learning and customised training
lian institution.
position of their choice.
programmes that the institution offers.
Innova La Salle
15
ENGINEERING
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
In 2005, the national videogame industry moved to the top of the list of most profitable entertainment
businesses, rising above the classic ones, like music or movies. In this respect, we need to be grateful
to companies like Digital Legends Entertainment [8], Pryro Studios [9], Virtual Toys [10], Revistronic [11],
Gaelco [12], Exelweiss [13] and many other companies in the sector who have been struggling for years
to bring on the renaissance of the golden age of bits in this country, and which enterprising students with
varied profiles from multimedia and computer science undertake with great success.
By J. Andrés Fernández Munuera
Dr. Oscar García Pañella*
The success that we perceive or that
In fact, we are talking about an industry
From then on we have witnessed an
we observe objectively based on the
with more than 40 years of solid business
unstoppable technological revolution
contrastable numbers was already seen
history on a large public scale. In the 50’s
that has been especially intense in
in the 80’s, when great companies like
and 60’s, creativity reigned, but the media
the last few years, which has required
Dinamic, Topo, Erbe, Opera Soft or
did not accompany it, and that is why the
domestic video games to have a calcu-
Made in Spain took us to a higher level.
videogames were rather simple and had
lation capacity similar to what military
the characteristic black background with
supercomputers used in the 90’s. We
a few 2D elements in movement (see Fig.
have gone from projecting polygons in
1). The screens at that time, cathode ray
two colours to projecting real colour
tubes or CRTs, as they are called, were
with more than 30 million tonali-
monochromic or with few colours, and
the geometry was painted in a “wired”
way, as it only showed edges and vertices and was never filled with colours. No
doubt that is what made some spacetheme video games stand out.
J. Andrés Fernández Munuera
Dr. Óscar García Pañella
16
ENGINEERING
ties, surround sound with
eight speakers and processed
in real time, specific graphics
chipset that lets us enjoy photorealistic scenes, highly advanced artificial intelligence for the characters in stories that our computers recreate, and varied physical
effects (rain storms, hyper realistic
tornados, or incessant snowing, just to
name a few), also calculated via hardware, thanks to the new PPUs (physics processing units). Programming
these advances is not an easy task and
requires specific training, as opposed
to the self-education that reigned 20
years ago. Consequently, a bigger
selection of degree studies is opening up every day and there are several
degrees in multimedia (5 centres are
offering university studies in multimedia in Catalunya, the La Salle engineering school among them), as well
as master’s programs and research
groups that are ever more involved in
this area.
1
2
3
4
We are talking about
an industry with more than 40
years of solid business history
on a large public scale
There have always been classes...
and now in video games as well.
Suppose we want to program a video
game ourselves (to be realistic, that’s a
bit utopian, but it’s worth it just to see
what the basic ingredients are). The
first thing we need to do is to put the
computer aside and think, structure,
create and design a good plot, a good
script wtth an audiovisual narrative and
style, as if we were making a film. In
fact, the plot can condition the typology
of the game, and therefore, the way it is
programmed. Let us look at some of the
Figure 1. Asteroids from the company Atari [14], Figure 2. FPS game Quake 4 [15],
Figure 3. RPG Neverwinter Nights [16], Figure 4. MMORPG game World of Warcraft [17]
most frequent types of games.
Innova La Salle
17
ENGINEERING
Figure 5. Fahrenheit game programmed in DirectX [19]
18
Shooters or FPSs (first person shooter)
sometimes taking hours, days, or even
with them a posteriori and obtain real
are characterized by their scenes
months in the case of persistent games
profit in auctions on Internet.
through which we travel while we solve
(the world goes on, as we say, even if we
small puzzles and find labyrinths with
abandon the game).
The process of creation
various challenges, such as eliminating
As for long-running-success games,
Once we have identified the typologies,
the enemy, finding keys to open certain
one that stands out is the MMORPGs
we go on to analyze the programming
doors, activating complex mechanisms,
(massive multiplayer online ­ role-play-
process itself, i.e., the work associated
and above all avoiding being eliminated
ing games), in which thousands or even
with a production of this kind. We start
by the rest. (see Fig. 2) In these kinds of
millions of people from all over the world
by selecting the API (application pro-
games, the virtual camera is in the first-
play via Internet, helping each other in
gramming interface), or the render, of
person mode, in other words, from the
the same game (round). These are mas-
the characters and the world in ques-
in-game character’s point of view with a
sive games in which our game character
tion. Essentially there are two large
field of vision similar to that of a human
takes months to attain a certain level of
libraries: the OpenGL (open graphics
(60º - 90º).
experience; thus we pamper and care
library) [1] and DirectX [2]. The first
A second class of games, which started
for him, as if he were a pet. A monthly
is known for its low cost, its easy pro-
out as board games, is the one made
fee must often be paid to play, and in the
gramming, and for the fact that it is
from RPGs (role playing games). It
fictitious country where it takes place,
open-source, although a counterargu-
involves adventures where the priority
the game has virtual money for busi-
ment is that it only paints and does not
is on the imagination and the ability to
ness and trading. Some comparisons
incorporate other features. The other
find solutions. The action gets relegated
have been made between the GNPs of
library, whose code is owned by Micro-
to second place and the focus is on
these virtual countries and those of real
soft [18], is becoming the main stand-
teamwork (see Fig. 3). The situations
countries, and people are known to exist
ard (90% of the commercial games for
that have to be solved are definitely
who play exclusively to better characters,
PC use it), as it has diverse multimedia
complicated and long in terms of time,
obtain valuable objects and do business
uses (sound management, peripher-
Innova La Salle
ENGINEERING
als, net traffic, etc.) in addition to the
As we already expressed at the begin-
the programming of videogames due
rendering process.
ning of this article, we must not ignore
to their optimal character of providing
Once we have chosen the basic pro-
the indispensable contribution of the
results in real time (results calculated
gramming library, we need to add on
physical engine. This critical element,
and shown at the same time). Still, we
other elements, like the graphic inter-
no longer a pipe dream, thanks to tech-
must not forget two fundamental disci-
face (widgets: menus, windows, text
nological advances, provides the game
plines, which are artificial intelligence,
labels, buttons, scroll bars) or GUI
with realism, as it simulates all the
or AI (in some cases they are already
(graphical user interface). The use
physical phenomena offered through-
talking about artificial life) and the com-
of fewer or more of these elements
out the adventure. To every cause we
munications applications through LANs
depends on each specific game and
need to associate a plausible effect
and through the Internet. As for AI, it
the way we decide to display the infor-
from a visual perspective that is not
governs every one of the decisions made
mation to the user (corporate image, full
necessarily precise as to its fulfillment
by the non-playing characters, who ana-
screen, etc.)
of implied physical theory – from the
lyze the surroundings with information
falling of a tree leaf, or a clay jug falling
coming from virtual sensors (eyes, ears)
to the ground, to the jugs breaking into
and consequently make decisions. The
a thousand pieces and the movement
second type of technology lets various
of each piece. Thanks to these kinds
players, even from countries geographi-
of libraries we are able to detect colli-
cally very far from each other, partici-
sions between objects and our ‘visual
pate simultaneously in the same game
surroundings’.
(such as the case of a game of the
A good example of a physical library is
MMORPG type). The libraries that exist
We need to point out two big
classes of objects: the static,
or immobile, and the dynamic,
and therefore, clearly changing
and mobile
Newton [4], which integrates itself per-
are diverse in this sense and even the
If we have opted for using the OpenGL
fectly to any graphics engine, as long as
OS itself is provided with some possi-
library, we need to have recourse to
we start off by using the C and/or C++
bilities. For example, RakNet [5], which
another set of functions for creating the
programming languages, standard in
uses the UDP (user datagram protocol),
GUI (GLOW [21], GLUI [22, TOGL [23],
or CeGUI [24], among them), whereas
if we program with DirectX, we can use
the vast set of controls it has as standard features.
The next step is to put together the 3D
scenes and characters corresponding
to the design and development of the
plot. These objects are modeled with
specific tools like 3D Studio Max [25],
Maya [26], Houdini [27], or Softimage
XSI [28] and are later stored with a
specific file format consensually established between the programmer and
the artist and creator. Once the application models are loaded, we start putting
them in particular locations in the virtual
world. We need to highlight two large
classes of objects: the static, or immobile (walls, trees, decorative elements),
and the dynamic, and therefore, clearly
changing and mobile (the game character him/herself and the non-playing
Figure 6. GUI of the game The Movies [20]
characters).
Innova La Salle
19
ENGINEERING
Figure 7. Billiard game using
the library Newton [4]
helps the games work thanks to a very
high message transmission velocity, as
these network engines are small and
easy to use.
Finally, we must not forget about
sound, which in the case of DirectX is
incorporated through the annex library
DirectSound, compatible with any type
of audio file. Other libraries exist, like
OpenAL [6] and Fmod [7]. The ingredients are no doubt many, but they are
always dependent on two fundamental
keys. On one hand, imagination and
creativity, as in the creation of a good
script, can guarantee success regardless of the technological aspect. On
the other hand, training in various disciplines in the field of multimedia such
as algebra, physics, calculus, programming, design, usability, virtual reality,
image and sound processing, is also
important. Who said it was easy to make
a video game? Still, it is indeed exciting
and very, very motivating. 
*Audiovisual Technology
Department of La Salle
Universitat Ramon Llull
20
REFERENCES
[1] OpenGL: http://www.opengl.org
[2] DirectX: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx
[3] CeGUI: http://www.cegui.org.uk
[4] Newton: http://www.newtondynamics.com
[5] RakNet: http://www.rakkarsoft.com
[6] OpenAL: http://www.openal.org
[7] FMod: http://www.fmod.org
[8] Digital Legends Entertainment: http://www.digital-legends.com
[9] Pyro Studios: http://www.pyrostudios.com
[10] Virtual Toys: http://www.virtualtoys.net
[11] Revistronic: http://www.revistronic.com
[12] Gaelco: http://www.gaelco.es
[13] Exelweiss: http://www.exelweiss.com
[14] Asteroids: http://www.consoleclassix.com/gameinfo_asteroids_a26.html
[15] Quake 4: http://www.quake4game.com
[16] Neverwinter Nights: http://nwn.bioware.com
[17] World Of Warcraft: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com
[18] Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com
[19] Microsoft DirectX: http://www.microsoft.com/directx
[20] The Movies: http://www.themoviesgame.com
[21] GLOW: http://glow.sourceforge.net
[22] GLUI: http://www.nigels.com/glt/glui
[23] TOGL: http://togl.sourceforge.net
[24] CeGUI: http://www.cegui.org.uk
[25] 3D Studio Max: http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax
[26] Maya: http://www.autodesk.com/maya
[27] Houdini: http://www.sidefx.com
[28] SoftImage XSI: http://www.softimage.com
Innova La Salle
Engineering
TECHNOLOGY TO HELP
Technological Advances in various fields
make life easier for the handicapped
We see technological advances constantly appearing in various fields, like home automation
(domotics) or information technologies. However, these applications often have a selling point
that goes beyond what most people might think. They serve as help in the daily lives of thousands
of handicapped people.
By Iván Giménez
Home automation applications to over-
the multidisciplinary framework of La
tion department of La Salle, explains,
come obstacles, devices to provide
Salle Technology Transfer, which is in
“There are many types of advances for
Internet access to the blind, or naviga-
charge of the research and develop-
the handicapped, like physical secu-
tion systems for people with reduced
ment of technologies in this sector.
rity systems to improve accessibility, or
mobility. This is a small sample in the
The work of La Salle, as well as that
tele-assistance systems, just to men-
range of technological advances avail-
of other institutions who are committed
tion two.”
able to the handicapped. New appli-
to work in this field, like the Fundació
As Batlle points out, the goal of these
cations that make the lives of these
ONCE (foundation for the blind), has
applications is “to make life simpler for
people a little bit easier are constantly
as its goal to make sure that the digital
the handicapped. Technology can make
appearing.
fracture concept does not affect these
their daily lives easier or strengthen
La Salle has seen the importance of this
people. As Gemma Batlle, in charge
their integration in the work force”. But
field and is developing studies within
of Technological Innovation in Edifica-
not all the technology on the market is
Innova La Salle
21
Engineering
22
set up in a way that is appropriate for
dation (foundation for the blind), and
mous and to better insert themselves
use by these people. Many devices
more specifically with their Centre for
into the work force,” affirms Batlle.
require adaptation that has yet to be
Tiflotechnical Research, Development
Nevertheless, the phenomenon is still
developed. Supporting the adaptation
and Application (CIDAT). The range of
in an incipient phase in Spain. In other
of these devices will make it possible to
devices can be as basic as a simple
parts of Europe, on the other hand, this
guarantee greater equality for the hand-
voice adapter, which is available on
development is more advanced.
icapped, at both the social and labour
any computer on the market in the last
levels. For this reason, research in this
five years. This system makes it possi-
Intelligent Surfers
area is continual.
ble to reproduce in audio any text that
It is also necessary to mention that the
comes onto the screen. This method
work in the ICT field is not limited to
Internet Access
is simple and relatively economical, as
technology for the blind. There are also
One of the technological revolutions
it is already a standard feature on the
very interesting devices for people who
of the 21st century has been the gen-
machines sold in any establishment.
have no mobility in their extremities.
eralized use of Internet and other dig-
There are also other more complex
ital technology. This sector has a high
and less economical ones, like the key-
visual component and one of the com-
boards adapted for Braille to make it
munities most affected is that of the
possible for the blind to write. Likewise,
blind. Nevertheless, a very important
it is possible to acquire device systems
project has been set up to develop
that translate the screen text to this
systems that make it possible for these
method of reading/writing for the blind.
individuals to gain access to the net-
The system changes the written text line
work in equal conditions.
by line as the person reads. There are
The research work in this field goes by
even printers that use this system of
In this area, the so-called “intelligent
the name: tiflotechnology. This field of
writing to print out documents.
surfers”, which make it possible to con-
study is responsible for the adaptation
These devices provide considerable
trol a computer without having to use
and accessibility of information and
leisure to these individuals, as well as
your hands, rather through orders given
communication technologies for the
opening the door for them to work out
with head movements, stand out.
blind. La Salle is working on various
of their homes. “The research in this
The intelligent surfer consists of two
initiatives together with the ONCE Foun-
field allows them to be more autono-
devices: an infrared camera installed
Home automation makes it
possible to control practically
any aspect of the home and
to make the living space more
comfortable for the handicapped
Innova La Salle
Engineering
on the monitor (similar to a web cam)
and a reflective point which is placed
on the forehead of the user. On the
screen, a keyboard is projected, thanks
to special software. In this way, by
moving his forehead, the user can give
the necessary instructions and use the
computer naturally, with the camera in
charge of picking up his movements.
A Friendly Environment
Home automation is another of the terrains that offers the most possibilities.
The aim is to make the handicapped
person’s life more comfortable in his/
her own home. “Basically, it improves
the autonomy of these people inside
the home. The most common devices
are computers with tactile screens that
“Basically, it is improving the accessibil-
nologies,” and adds, “the Administra-
let people control elements like lights,
ity to buildings for people with reduced
tion is conscious of the fact that these
heating, and appliances,” explains
mobility,” Battle explains.
kinds of innovations help these people
Gemma Batlle.
The obvious question is the follow-
to become more autonomous and also
There are also systems that make it
ing: How much does it cost to install
improve the quality of their lives.”
possible to improve the handicapped
these devices? According to Batlle, “It
Nevertheless, we still have a long way to
person’s mobility. For example, a tele-
depends on the technology one wants
go in this field, in Spain as well as in Cat-
chair system makes it possible for a
to install and on how the living space
alunya. “As for immersion in the work
person to move around to different
was previously adapted. If it is a modern
force, in other parts of Europe it is more
parts of the house without needing any
dwelling, the cost won’t be very high,
advanced than here,” Gemma Batlle
kind of assistance – a great solution for
because buildings are now built with
affirms, even though “in terms of lines
daily situations like taking a shower or
domotic innovations taken into account.
of research and development of tech-
going to the toilet.
But if it is an old flat, it will be necessary
nology we are at a level similar to that
The touch-screen systems also let the
to do installations that could be quite
of the rest of the continent”. Regarding
handicapped connect to communi-
expensive.” Referring to the cost of all
public assistance, Battle says, “In Spain
cation networks (Internet, telephone,
this technology, in general, the head
the various administrations work jointly
teleconference) or to enjoy the various
Technological Innovation in Edification
in initiatives with the European Union.
leisure activity options (music CDs,
department of La Salle explains, “Fortu-
The work of foundations like ONCE,
movies on DVD, etc.).
nately there are many public subsidies
with whom La Salle works intensely on
It is also possible to improve a living
and private foundations that help the
systems related to domotics and home
space with architectonic construction.
handicapped gain access to these tech-
improvement, is also important”. x
TELE-ASSISTANCE
The Law of Dependence recently came into effect and offers a window of
assistance to the handicapped and to the elderly. Experts affirm that one of the
services that will be most developed will be that of tele-assistance health care.
It is an area where technological development has been strong, with locating
devices that let a person who so chooses to be in permanent contact with health
care or social services. Usually, it involves mechanisms that are worn, for example,
on the wrist, as if they were wrist watches, or that hang from the neck.
They use GSM and GPS technology to guarantee that a person who is in a
dependent situation can feel safer and better attended.
Innova La Salle
23
ENGINEERING
Engineering Faculties and the European Higher Education Area
The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) was born out of the intention to create an area of
convergence of the different university degrees of the countries in the European Union. Various
degree programs need to make the effort to adapt to the plans and the engineering faculties are
among the most affected.
By Iván Giménez
Photos: Marc Guillen
Although it is not an obligatory commit-
Miquel Ramírez explains, “A change as
of Telecommunications, he clarifies, “This
ment of fulfillment, the members of the
well thought-out as the EHEA ought to
will also be positive, but it still needs a
EU are adapting their degree programs to
bring improvements, but, in fact, they
final impulse that it is not being given with
create a large European University area.
should look more carefully at how the
all the transparency necessary”.
The established calendar talks about
quality of learning can be maintained in
Albano Sanchez-Ossorio, dean of the
2010 as the date by which the conver-
four years”. According to Ferran Amago,
Official College of Technical Engineer-
gence should be complete. First of all,
dean of the Official College (association)
ing in Computer Science of Catalunya,
the traditional structure of credits is being
of Technical Engineers in Telecommuni-
affirms, “Bologna will be good because
changed. To make this convergence
cations of Catalunya, “The EHEA is good
it will make the profession much more
possible, the European Credit Transfer
for all university students, whether from
specialized and will unify it”. As another
System (ECTS) has been created, to be
the scientific branch or from humanities.
positive aspect, he adds, “professionals
shared by all of the universities. It con-
We believe that at the European level we
will have greater professional mobility
siders that the work of a student during
needed a way of normalizing university
throughout Europe”. Antonio Rodríguez,
an academic year is the equivalent of 60
credits so that professionals could go to
dean of the Official College (association)
ECTS credits. Therefore, for example, a
any European country”. And in the case
of Engineering in Computer Science
student could do part of his/her studies
in France and finish them in Italy with no
compatibility problems.
Technical science degrees, specifically,
will be divided into three stages: university degree, master’s and doctorate. The
degree studies will last for three to four
academic years (180-240 ETCs). The
master’s will take one or two academic
years (60-120 ETCs).
Controversial Reform
The implantation of this new university
framework has not been exempt from
controversy. There are degrees that
remain seriously affected, such as Art
History. As for Engineering, one of the
areas that will be most radically changed
is Telecommunications.
As the dean of the Official College (association) of Graduate-Degree Engineers
Antonio Rodríguez, dean of the Official College of Engineering in Computer Science of Catalunya
in Telecommunications of Catalunya,
24
Innova La Salle
ENGINEERING
of Catalunya, says, as well, that, “The
position of the College is favourable as
long as the quality in higher education is
guaranteed, but it is not something that
can be discussed, as it is a reform that
is already taking place”. He adds, “We
will make it our responsibility to see that
the new educational area doesn’t have
a negative effect on professionals”.
For Ramirez, “the main problem is in the
engineering degrees that go from five to
four years. Thus, the quality of the education cannot be the same if the time is
reduced. This will mean a change in the
concept we have had up to now of studies, like the master’s degrees”, the dean
adds. “Now they introduce more practical
aspects than theoretical ones, and that
should change with the EHEA; it should
Ferran Amago, dean of the College of Technical Engineers in Telecommunications of Catalunya
become a sort of second degree; then we
would come closer to what the image of
what a graduate-degree engineer is.
our School, we have always defended the
like an MD and a nurse having the same
The dean of the Official College (asso-
principle that you need a more natural
type of degree”.
ciation) of Technical Engineers, Ferran
approach.” And he adds, “We backed the
Amago, believes that “there are subjects
idea of a degree program of 180 credits,
The Professional Reality
that need to be clarified, like the definitive
which adapted itself better to the needs
It is clear that no matter how the EHEA
of the business world, but in the end, the
configuration evolves, what will indeed
Ministry opted for the 240-credit model”.
change is the way the profession is prac-
Along these lines, Sanchez-Ossorio adds,
tised. There are differences between
“We are trying to get them to pay atten-
Spain and other countries in Europe.
tion to us; we complain that they will let
A subject under debate is whether the
technical engineering be set up as if it
professional entitlement should be given
were a basic university degree”. Mean-
by the university or by the college (pro-
while, Antonio Rodríguez recognizes, “It
fessional association), as happens in
number of credits or the recourse between
is an opportunity to demand professional
our country. For Ramírez, “The present
the university degree and the master’s in
attribution.” If the distinction between
model is correct and other professions
a specialization”. The various professional
graduate-degree engineers and technical
like MDs and lawyers follow it too, but a
colleges (associations) throughout the
engineers can disappear, then the ques-
mixed solution could be found where the
Spanish State have assisted the Ministry
tion arises of if it will be necessary to have
professional sector could give some type
of Education to redefine the university
two professional faculties. Ferran Amago
of accreditation along the lines of what is
degree programs adapted to the EHEA.
is emphatic: “It will always make sense as
given by the academic sector, or college
For Miquel Ramírez, “Today the technol-
long as technical engineers in telecommu-
(professional association)”. For his part,
ogies engineers find their work is beco-
nications exist. What indeed we should do
Ferran Amago maintains, “We put the
ming more and more complicated and if
is to start talking about unification in the
stress on qualifications. We want those
people are to leave the universities better
form of a third association or to combine
in our college to have specific training in
prepared, the solution is not in reducing
the two that there are”. For the dean of
subjects important for society – subjects
the number of credits”. He further adds,
the Official College (association) of Gradu-
like acoustics, or TDTV” (Digital Terres-
“nor is the solution to make the students
ate-Degree Engineers in Telecommunica-
trial Television).
very specialized. More and more students
tions of Catalunya, “it would be like decaf-
In the case of computer science engi-
need a broader foundation of knowledge
feinating the profession. If we make eve-
neers, the dean of technical engineers
to be able, later on, to choose a specific
rything equal from top to bottom, we are
feels that with the equalization of degrees
area to work in”. Amago points out, “From
not doing the field a favour. It would be
“professionals in the field will have
With the EHEA, technical science
degrees will be divided into
three stages: university degree,
master’s, and doctorate
Innova La Salle
25
ENGINEERING
tures should not destroy what the market
demands”. And he adds that today companies “are asking for very flexible professionals who have a good command of
English, and who know how to work in a
team. We have seen that it is necessary
to set up degree programs according to
what the society demands”.
Finally, there is a lot of talk about the
link between university research and
Albano Sànchez-Ossorio, dean of the Official
College of Technical Engineering in Computer
Science of Catalunya
professional colleges (associations).
Regarding this, Amago affirms, “We
have supported the idea of having fulltime professors at universities to do
homologated studies that will permit
research. Our college has done applied
them to work all over Europe. Until now,
research”. Especially. And the dean of
they had difficulties going abroad to work
technical engineers continues, “We
because their studies were not officially
have been pioneers in digital stamps
recognized, while those from outside
of approval. This means that we have
could come and do our work”. From
eliminated paper projects: every centre
his side, the dean of the Official College
has a copy of the projects in computer
(association) of Engineering in Computer
format”. From his point of view, Ramí-
Science of Catalunya explains, “The free
rez maintains, “We are working more
circulation of professionals is an oppor-
in defense of the profession; we are
tunity, not a threat. Besides, a window of
not a research engine. Another issue
specializations opens to master’s degrees
is that we participate in a transitive
that did not exist before”.
way; in other words, the engineers that
There is also discussion on whether
participate are members of the college
degree programs should emphasize a
(association). x
A WORLD OF MEN?
A stereotype exists that engineering is
a world of men, where the presence of a
woman is rare. According to Ferran Amago,
“A decade ago, women started losing their
fear of engineering.” The dean of the College
(association) of Technical Engineers in
Telecommunications of Catalunya thinks that
the problem of this field of study today is not
that there are few women, rather that “there
is not a critical mass of students; therefore,
it is difficult to attract the female sector if
engineering has few students.”
“In telecommunications there is no
discrimination specifically against women.
They find the same difficulties as in any other
profession,” explains Miquel Ramírez. He
further affirms that his branch is one of the
engineering branches most adapted to the
feminine world and that the type of solutions
needed adapt themselves well to female
psychology.” For Ramírez, the key “is that
we need to foment the promotion of women
into management positions.” This lack of
interest for these qualifications contrasts with
professional reality. “The market is waiting
for many more engineers,” concludes Amago.
large number of credits or if each university should have a certain liberty when
Miquel Ramírez, dean of the Official College of Graduate-Degree Engineers in Telecommunications of Catalunya
According to the dean
of the College (association)
of Graduate-Degree Engineers
in Telecommunications,
the solution is not to simplify
the degree programs
configuring its own degree programs. The
representative of the College (association)
of Graduate-Degree Engineers appears
firm: “We support a model that cannot be
free. Universities cannot set up their own
plans and then claim that there is a standard professional level; we cannot have
twenty-four types of telecommunications
engineers”. However, the dean of the College (association) of Technical Engineers
believes, “The university training struc-
26
Innova La Salle
Architecture
La Balsa Restaurant, one of the most emblematic buildings in Barcelona
A RESTAURANT BUILT INSIDE A FORMER RESERVOIR
La Balsa (The Reservoir) is a welcoming, discreet yet innovative building which allows diners to eat placidly
in a peaceful setting. Oscar Tusquets and Lluís Clotet won the 1979 FAD prize for architecture with the
construction of the restaurant over a former watering reservoir while conserving the walls.
By Javier Costa
Photos: Lluís Bernat
“A lovely, original wooden building with
Its architectural shapes astonish visi-
personality of one member of the family,
large windows at the foot of Tibidabo, sur-
tors due to the sense of warmth they
Mercedes López de Lamadrid, a great
rounded by wonderful terraces, flowers
confer. From outside, its location is
fan of gastronomy and connoisseur of
and lush vegetation.” This is how La Balsa
astonishing, as it seems to be nestled
the restaurant industry.
restaurant is described on its website, and
inside a garden.
A privileged setting
the reality more than confirms it.
Promoted by the Güell and López de
The beginnings
The planned location was unques-
Lamadrid families, from its opening it
In late 1977, upon the initiative of sev-
tionably a very appealing site, yet it
has been one of the most emblematic
eral members of the Güell and López
ran several risks due to the solitude
and prestigious restaurants in Bar-
de Lamadrid families, the first steps
of the neighbourhood back then. An
celona, as well as a meeting point for
were taken towards constructing a “dif-
original building had to be constructed
personalities from the worlds of culture,
ferent” kind of building devoted to the
exclusively devoted to the restaurant
politics and business.
restaurant industry, located on a plot on
that itself could attract future diners
government
Santa Isabel street in Barcelona’s Sant
and would be fully integrated into the
leaders, major artists and national and
Gervasi neighbourhood. The project
­environment.
international athletes have all flocked
was forged over dual foundations. First,
On the plot there was a large, ancient
to the restaurant. Just a few illustri-
there was an unused plot owned by the
cistern, a 19th century reservoir, made
ous names include the King of Spain,
Güell family, which had a former re-
of thick brick walls and masonry. The
Adolfo Suárez, Oliver Stone, Gab-
servoir that was now totally abandoned,
new construction was built entirely
rial García Márquez, Joan Miró and
used in its day for watering an exten-
inside it. “We felt bad about tearing it
Ayrton Senna.
sive country estate. The second was the
down, and we tried to put the entire
Nobel
prize
Innova La Salle
winners,
27
Architecture
1979 FAD AWARD FOR BEST BUILDING
The FAD prizes are awarded by the
Foment de les Arts Decoratives (FAD)
every June and are aimed at people,
entities or institutions that by 1st
February have submitted projects
completed in the past year in Spain
and Portugal. The prizes were founded
in 1958 by architect Oriol Bohigas, and
they are divided into four categories:
architecture, interior design, outdoor
spaces and ephemeral spaces. The award
favours private subsidised housing.
The structure of the building
in a rocky-kitsch-Jujol style,” explains
In the half-basement, beside the restau-
Tusquets. He adds that “we had to put
rant’s services area, there is a flat. This
a grille on the entrance door. As we did
dwelling is laid out around a courtyard
not like the juxtaposition of orthogonal
and has a private garden protected from
crosspieces over the arch, we imagined
sight and total independent. Óscar Tus-
a web, complete with spider, to envelop
quets was in constant contact with the
the stretch of wall.”
Güell family when choosing the décor and
The garden was painstakingly designed.
furnishings, both antique and modern.
It was totally rebuilt, even the tiny
On the upper floor, behind the reservoir’s
batten earth clearing and the chestnut
retaining wall, is the main hall built of
trees extending until the pavement in
wood, which houses the indoor dining
room. The ceiling is high and features
large crisscrossing beams. Many diners
Close-up of one of the entrance doors
and a sweeping view of the dining room
compare the shape of main dining room
with a Bengali hut. On either side it has
building inside it and use the rest of
a winter terrace that is uncovered at
the land as a garden,” claims architect
midday and a summer terrace that is
Óscar Tusquets.
protected from the sun with reeds and
grape leaves.
An outstanding outcome
The owner of La Balsa, Carlos Güell,
had no doubts when choosing the
architects for the project. “We commissioned architects Óscar Tusquets and
Lluís Clotet to design the project. Many
The entire design, fitting within
the geometry of the reservoir,
came out very symmetrical
reasons came into play regarding this
decision. The first was Tusquets’ excel-
“The entire design, fitting within the
lent personal relationship with Antonio
geometry of the reservoir, came out very
López de Lamadrid, and the second
symmetrical. There were no problems
was the fact that the architects were
during construction, except for the out-
very enthused with the idea of respect-
door staircase which, forced by the side
ing the integrity of the entire reservoir
entrance, had to be made freestanding
structure, which we regarded as having
a great deal of architectural value. The
enthusiasm, efforts and imagination
they put into the project from day one
were also key factors.”
The outcome was outstanding. “The
building won the 1979 FAD prize for
architecture. It was both original and
appealing, functional and full of possibilities for use due to its two wonderful
terraces, a large central indoor dining
room covered with wood and with very
high ceilings,” explains Güell. With initial capital of 24 million pesetas, the
building was constructed and furnishings and equipment were purchased.
28
Innova La Salle
Architecture
The materials were very wisely chosen.
“Even though they were very economical (pinewood on the ceiling, plywood
for the furniture, simple ceramics in
the flat, reeds to shade the plants) they
strive to create a sense of familiar comfort that has nothing to do with the pretensions of architecture in the modern
movement. We did not want to ‘instruct’
diners, rather we aimed to offer them
LA BALSA RESTAURANT (1978-1979)
Street Infanta Isabel, 4. Barcelona
(1978-1979)
Area: 464 m2
Budget: 145,000 €
FAD Award of Architecture 1978-1979
Architect: Óscar Tusquets Blanca
Assistant architect: Lluís Clotet
Structure engineer: Jesús Jiménez
Designer: Anna Bohigas.
a warm, pleasant setting where they
could enjoy themselves placidly,” com-
Close-up of the building’s internal structure
ments Óscar Tusquets.
being we think there are still things to
To decorate the dining room, fixed fur-
be done here in our current premises
nishings were designed and some ele-
such as enclosing a terrace for use
ments were recovered from the family’s
in the winter and for smokers, and
storage and household.
expanding the kitchen and improving
internal communications,” concludes
front. Small fruit trees were planted in
The future
Carlos Güell.
front of the shaded plant garden. In the
Despite being almost 30 years old, this
La Balsa has remained a benchmark
private garden, there are three decidu-
restaurant has not been rendered obso-
in Barcelona, with its own style open to
ous shade trees and shrubs that con-
lete. Nevertheless, several reforms are
society, Barcelona residents and cus-
ceal the place from view, climbing on
being planned, yet all on a small scale.
tomers from around the world. Indeed,
the walls and a stone ground covering
“We often talk about future expansions
many foreigners regard a stop at La
instead of grass.
outside our premises, but for the time
Balsa as an annual tradition. x
PROFILE OF ÓSCAR TUSQUETS
Architect, designer, painter and writer, Óscar Tusquets Banca is the prototypical
total artist and one of the most creative figures in modern-day Spain
Born in Barcelona in 1941, he graduated as an architect from the
Architecture College in Barcelona in 1965. A founding partner of the
now-dissolved Studio Per, he made the vast majority of his projects with
Lluís Clotet until 1984, including the Fullà house, the Regás house and
its belvedere, the Pantelleria house and La Balsa restaurant.
After several years of professional collaboration with architect Carlos
Díaz, in 1987 they joined forces to develop their urban planning, architecture, interior design and architectural design projects in both Spain
and in France, Holland, Germany and Japan. This studio was recently
renamed Arquitectures Óscar Tusquets Blanca.
Some of his most important works in recent years include: expansion
and remodelling of the Palau de la Música in Barcelona; the Tusquets
Pavilion in the Parc de la Villette, Paris; residential complex in Fukuoka,
Japan; Caves Chandon in Sant Cugat Sesgarrigues, Barcelona; Alfredo
Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas; and the Daoiz y Velarde sports centre in
Madrid. His current project include the new expansion of the Palau de la
Innova La Salle
Música and two hotels in Barcelona; the remodelling of several different
exhibition halls in the Musée donis Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre, Paris;
and a new neighbourhood in Vilanova (Barcelona).
A founding partner of Bd Ediciones de Diseño, company he started working with this production as a furniture and object designer. Some of his
pieces are in the collections of major museums, including the MOMA in
New York and the Georges Pompidou in Paris.
His awards include the National Design Award, the Golden Medal
of Merit in Fine Arts, the insignia of Knight in the Ordre donis Arts et
donis Lettres, and the Cross of Sant Jordi. He has also won two City
of Barcelona prizes, several different FAD architecture awards and the
Delta in Design, amongst others.
In 1994 he showed his colours as an essayist with Més que discutible
(Tusquets Editors). In 1998 he published Tot és comparable, and in 2000
Déu ho veu (both titles published by Editorial Anagrama). Recently he
published Dalí i altres amics and Anna (RqueR Editorial).
29
ARCHITECTURE
Their structure can be dismantled, they generate
no waste and all their components can be recycled
GREENHOUSES FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
Anyone walking around the Vallès Architecture School may well be surprised by finding a curious structure right
in the middle of the grass. It is an experimental module which professors at the La Salle Architecture School
and others from the aforementioned school have been building for several months now.
By Roger Segú
Photos: Joan Morejón
Taking as their point of departure the
structure and materials commonly used
to build greenhouses, this working team
has developed a type of building that
can be totally dismantled and requires
no heavy machinery to build. To construct a house like this, all you need
is to dig out the foundations, which do
not require concrete, and assemble the
metal pieces forming the skeleton.
Covered with a polycarbonate skin, a
material that is translucent and recyclable, the module can be ventilated and
adapts seamlessly to the Mediterranean
climate. What is more, it does not produce any waste matter, which turns it
into a highly sustainable alternative. And
Coque Claret (left), professor at the La Salle Architecture School and the Vallès Architecture school,
and Daniel Calatayud, Associate Professor at the Vallès Architecture School
the best thing of all: its cost is ten times
less than a conventional structure. “Our
slogan is: just what you wanted, with
“Our slogan is: just what you
wanted, with one less zero,”
claims Claret
name) is spearheaded by four profes-
member of his who was an architect,”
sors: Coque Claret, professor at the La
explains Claret, “who developed a pro-
Salle Architecture School and the Vallès
posal appropriate for the case. How-
Architecture school; Daniel Calatayud,
ever, when the painter found out the
Associate Professor at the Vallès Archi-
high cost of building it, he realised that
tecture School; architect and engineer
he couldn’t afford it.”
Jordina Vidal, professor at La Salle and
Coincidentally, the artist was also an
expert in behaviour and simulation; and
acquaintance of Coque Claret’s, with
one less zero,” claims Coque Claret.
Sergi Cantos, also part of La Salle, who
whom he discussed the problem. That
The first part of the project on campus,
is in charge of all the electronic engi-
was when Claret mentioned to him the
which right now is limited to a metallic
neering involved.
successful experiments by certain Euro-
structure, will soon be covered and con-
30
pean architects – such as Lacaton &
verted into a new space for research.
The origin of the project
Vassal and Philippe Barrière, for exam-
The group of professionals that has
The idea emerged as a solution to a
ple – who had experimented with light-
delivered the project, know as the Plat-
specific problem. “An artist wanted
weight materials, and Claret suggested
form for Architecture and Sustainabil-
to build a workshop on his estate and
that he try it. Taking as a point of depar-
ity (abbreviated PAuS after its Catalan
commissioned the project to a family
ture the structure of a greenhouse, the
Innova La Salle
ARCHITECTURE
that one of the project’s main goals is
they are constructed in series and can
to ensure that the construction process
be easily sourced.
for this type of module is simple and
doable by anyone with minimal experi-
An expanding project
ence in the field of DIY. According to
Despite the fact that right now the proj-
Claret, “one of the important condi-
ect consists of nothing more than a
tions was that the machinery we used
metallic structure, it will gradually take
could be handled by one or at most two
shape and its interior will become func-
people; we didn’t want anything to do
tional. “An intermediate ceiling will be
with cranes or large drilling machinery.
built, and in the lower part twenty cubi-
We wanted everything to be doable.
cles will be installed where a very rigor-
The goal was to always keep a do-it-
ous comparison of building systems will
yourself mindset. All the machinery
be performed,” explains Claret. “Mean-
we’ve used is stored in a little cabinet.”
while, the upper part will be divided into
In this way, the user himself can supply
three areas to be used by students.”
the labour, thus contributing to keep-
One goal linked to the project is mea-
ing down costs.
suring the use of these spaces, with the
To reach the point of designing a proj-
constant target of sustainability. “The
ect like this one, its promoters started
only condition we place on all the build-
cost of the workshop plummeted from
from a multidisciplinary perspective,
ing elements that come into play is that
150,000 euros to 15,000 euros, plus
that is, an approach that took ele-
they help the people who inhabit the
the translucent skin gave the artist a
ments from different fields in order
space to behave more sustainably.” To
luminosity that was an added boon for
to achieve the most efficient results
gather the scientific conclusions, all the
his activities.
in terms of sustainability and price.
rooms will be used for the same pur-
This is how the artist decided to embark
To wit, the covering of the module is
pose, while they will all have different
on the project, and professors Claret
made from a material commonly used
construction systems.
and Calatayud mobilised in no time.
in industry, while the structure comes
Right now, the research team is working
Claret euphorically recalls the evolution
from agriculture. This makes it even
on developing the stand that will house
of that first construction: “A time came
easier to acquire the components, as
the Ministry of Environment and Hous-
when we needed some help. And who
did we ask? Our students. The estate in
question was located three or four kilometres from the campus, so we went to
the university cafeteria to ask for volunteers. When the students saw that it was
an opportunity to put into practice what
they had learned in the faculty, they
all wanted to participate and we had a
queue.” In the end, that initial module
was a success, to such an extent that it
motivated its designers to reconsider it
as an academic project.
Architectural DIY
Just like the first experience, the
campus module was also built every
step of the way with the voluntary help
of students. This participation makes
even more sense if we bear in mind
Innova La Salle
31
ARCHITECTURE
ing at the forthcoming edition of the Con-
lems emerge and what has to be modi-
strumat trade fair. The new module – a
fied.” The different buildings, located
second construction of the same kind
next to each other on the grounds of the
– will be a smaller version that will travel
Vallès Architecture School, will measure
all around Catalonia to attend trade fairs
a total of 400 square metres.
The module can be totally
dismantled and requires no
heavy machinery to be built
32
The importance of energy efficiency
One of the top priorities of the PAuS
project is research into energy efficiency. To Claret’s mind, the basic
question to be answered is: How much
change in model. “What we are doing is
real energy is there behind every action
counting the amount of energy needed
related to sustainability. Afterward, it will
related to the act of inhabiting a space?
to make a building,” explains Calatayud,
return to Sant Cugat where it will house
“Many people think that constructing
“and we know that the weight of buildings
a platform where experiments will be
a sustainable building means install-
can be divided by four and the energy per
held on different systems of renewable
ing a solar panel,” explains the profes-
tonne can be cut in half, while the lifes-
energy available on the market.
sor, “and that’s absurd, because often
pan of a building can be lengthened from
But that is not all: a third module is
energy waste comes from use.”
50 to 500 or even 1,000 years.”
planned for next year. It is part of a joint
Claret is confident that the future holds
Thus, it is quite probable that in the
venture that is just getting underway
a revolution along these lines. “A rigo-
not-too-distant future, the need to lower
with IKEA, which shall be in charge of
rous study off energy expenditures
energy costs in both the construction
furnishing it inside. “The idea is to ask
associated
construction
and the use of homes will end up prov-
several students to live there for a few
material used nowadays will lead to
ing right people who, like the promot-
months in order to measure their con-
major changes in our sector.”
ers of the PAuS project, have decided
sumption. In this way we can get on-the-
In this sense, Spain’s commitments to the
to pursue a recyclable, efficient type of
ground information about what prob-
Kyoto Protocol do nothing but foster this
building. x
with
each
Innova La Salle
MANAGEMENT
PROFESSIONAL MORAL ETHICS
In this article, we will examine professional ethics from the specific standpoint of professionals such as
engineers, architects, lawyers, business people and doctors. We will examine the case in which a person
decides for himself or herself and holds the sole responsibility for this decision.
By: Dr Joaquim Riera Tuebols
Introduction
The etymology of the word ‘ethics’ derives
from the Greek ethike, which in turn
derives from the word ethos (character, a
learned way of being). Ethics is the realm
of philosophy whose goal is to reflect on
human beings’ moral conduct, which
leads to the development of theories
that help us to understand and explain
this conduct, that is, why something is
considered good or not, and what is the
underpinning of what is good. Ethos, in
its philosophical sense, thus consists of a
unitary way of being or an individual way
of life that is appropriate for or in line with
the times.
Likewise, etymologically speaking, the
term ‘morality’ comes from the Latin
mores and is used to categorise intentional human actions as moral or immoral,
good or bad.
Ethical behaviour signals
a division between what
is acceptable and what is
unacceptable, between licit
and illicit behaviour
Dr Joaquim Riera Tuebols, author of this article
perspective of good.” The terms ‘ethics’
iour signals a division between what is
and ‘morality’ are nouns referring to a type
acceptable and what is unacceptable,
of knowledge, while ‘ethical’ and ‘moral’
between licit and illicit behaviour.
are adjectives describing actions.
Ethical behaviour is valid for everyone
There are different types of ethics. In
and is not the exclusive domain of pro-
Depending on its Greek (ethos) or Latin
this article, we will examine professional
fessionals. However, they are the ones
(morale) roots, we say either ‘ethics’ or
ethics, that is, the specific case of pro-
that mainly find themselves in situations
‘morality’, and it is defined as the field that
fessionals such as engineers, architects,
in which they have to take a decision or
examines moral actions.
lawyers, business people and doctors. We
action that is either right or wrong, regard-
According to the dictionary, professional
will examine the case in which a person
less of the religious motives affecting soci-
ethics is “the set of moral principles and
decides for himself or herself and when s/
ety, that is, others.
norms that regulate human activities in
he can decide alone without the influence
Even though the decision may always
professionals.”
of other higher strata that might condition
depend on the person himself or herself,
According to the dictionary of ethical ter-
the decision. That is, this person holds
professionals can be free. They may either
minology, it is “the realm of philosophy
the sole responsibility for the decision.
act alone (autonomously) or as a profes-
that examines moral actions, that is, the
Ethics is a general concept that encom-
sional within the context of a company.
moral actions of humans viewed from the
passes all human activities. Ethical behav-
However, as ethics is a broad, general
Innova La Salle
33
MANAGEMENT
concept, when talking about professionals
would lose their ability to govern human
certain comments and conclusions can
actions.
clearly be applied to other cases that are
A host of international gatherings have
not exclusively related to professionals.
been held on this subject. Many dec-
In terms of responsibilities, both decla-
Before entering into further detail, we shall
larations on ethics have emerged from
rations state that this includes everyone
briefly examine the concept of business
these gatherings (especially on eco-
from shareholders to actors. Businesses
(business ethics) because, as mentioned
nomics, in which ethics plays a key
must perform their activities in order
above, a significant number of profession-
role in the field itself and in the profes-
to improve the lives of their customers,
als must take their decisions within the
sionals involved). The declarations with
workers and shareholders, sharing the
context of a company. In a company, eco-
the most sweeping implications are the
welfare they have created with all of these
nomics no doubt plays an important role
ones from Davos and Caus. Their con-
stakeholders.
in decision-making, and as a result, eco-
clusions reiterate that companies not
In one of his books on ethics, Hans Kung,
nomic and sociological ethics will, too.
only have to generate earnings but also
a widely renowned theologian, devotes
human relations, or integrity.
have obligations.
paragraphs to businesses’ obligations to
Business, professionals and economics
Both declarations mention behaving
workers, customers, suppliers, financiers
Ethics is distinguished from econom-
legally and following national and inter-
of the community and owners, with spe-
ics, from the theoretical philosophical
national rules, and they highlight the fact
cial emphasis on the workers.
disciplines, by its practical scientific
that “beyond the law, that is, in business
We must try to create jobs that improve
nature, in the sense that it is limited not
decisions themselves, it is necessary to
workers’
to revealing but to listing the impera-
achieve the spirit of trust.” The issue of
on honest negotiations in the event
tives of human beings’ moral conduct.
the need to avoid illegal operations or
of conflict, promote the placement of
As a result, ethics is the first among all
decisions shall also be examined.
the different qualified people into the
the practical sciences, philosophical or
It is possible to establish certain funda-
most useful jobs within the economy.
otherwise. This is due to the fact that
mental values that are universally valid,
All together we must bear in mind our
even though the others may have their
such as:
obligations with respect to information,
own principles and purposes, they must
¬ Justice, that is, just, honourable, law-
health and lifelong training. We must
all be subjected to ethics to describe
purposes that transcend all of them and
judge them. Thus, if medicine, politics,
34
¬ Righteousness, that is, credibility in all
abiding behaviour,.
¬ Respect, that is, reciprocity in relationships with others.
engineering and economics prescribed
¬ Stewardship, as humans are merely the
something that ethics rejected, they
administrators of natural resources.
living
conditions,
embark
be especially sensitive to problems of
unemployment derived from erroneous
financial decisions, factors that if well
interpreted can help companies run
more smoothly.
Innova La Salle
MANAGEMENT
We have spoken briefly about businesses
Ethics
because, as mentioned, there are many
professionals working and collaborating
at centres or companies. They must take
into account the values and purposes of
the company when taking professional
Ethics in
Practice
General
Ethics
decisions. That is, they must weight up
two types of ethics: their personal decisions along with decisions based on business ethics.
In the realm of work, autonomous professionals must weigh up their responsibilities in each specific case. Thus,
Individual
Ethics
Family
Ethics
Social
Ethics
International
Ethics
Economic
Ethics
Professional
Ethics
Medical
Ethics
Ethics for
Journalism
Ethics for
Education
doctors, engineers, lawyers and architects must take their own decisions that
may affect third parties. They are faced
with making this type of decision every
single day. It is very important for them
to bear in mind this kind of responsibility in their overall activities.
Sometimes they have to sacrifice happiness to honour the real truth, that is,
General
Ethics
to do things well even though it comes
at their own cost. They have to do their
jobs well, as they should be done,
regardless of the happiness that this
ity put steadfastly and honourably both
formance and quality of work for the ben-
decision brings, even though a job well-
at the service of others and to one’s own
efit of society. Otherwise, both the profes-
done always produces happiness or
benefit with the dignity worthy of human
sion and professionals themselves would
satisfaction in the person doing it.
beings. And even though in a strict sense
become solely a means of profit, which
the word defines people with a univer-
would entail their moral degradation.
Professional ethics, decisions
sity degree, in a broader sense it can be
All professions come with both respon-
Even though ethical decisions are an indi-
applied to steady, remunerated jobs and
sibilities and sacrifices. Thus, of all the
vidual matter (we have said that there are
trades performed with professionalism,
cases, let us focus on the doctor who
two facets: that of an autonomous pro-
vocation and competency in order to
has be available to see patients at night
fessional and the other of a professional
ensure the success of the job.
as well, or the engineer who has serious
inside a company), professionals must
bear in mind or add the circumstances
set by the business ethics mentioned
above when making their final decision.
The professional has a moral obligation
that is based on an objective value, yet
whose core lies in the most private and
responsibilities towards the work he or
The professional must have the
following three essential values:
intellectual capacity, moral
capacity and physical capacity
loftiest part of everyone: our own reason-
she is supervising. However, despite the
travails and difficulties, the true professional gets deep satisfaction from a duty
that has been properly fulfilled.
The professional must have the following
essential values:
¬ Intellectual capacity
ing. Thus, moral obligation is autonomous.
The professional’s ethical response or
¬ Moral capacity
It must be an honest act that is part of a
decision to any question facing him or her
¬ Physical capacity
person’s human conduct, and it must be
must always be cautious and fair.
based on tolerance and the trend towards
By virtue of their profession, professionals
These are minimum values understood
unity, that is, on solidarity and cohesion
occupy a place in society that gives them
in the most modern sense, of honesty,
amongst the different strata in society.
both duties and obligations. The ultimate
responsibility and mental and physical
Now that the word ‘ethics’ has been
purpose of the professional’s work is the
health, all of which enable professionals
defined, let us define the word ‘profes-
common good, so that the training they
to satisfactorily and effectively perform the
sion’ (professional) as the personal activ-
need to work is always aimed at better per-
job entrusted to them.
Innova La Salle
35
MANAGEMENT
fessional activities, this will give them
both confidence and prestige, which
after all are positive factors that will
benefit them at work. These professionals are the ones that survive in
times of harsh competition.
Conclusions
Based on what we have summarised
above, we can reach the following
conclusions:
¬ It is impossible to build a truly
democratic
society
with
solely
technical, skilful people, because
this society has to be founded on
In order to take decisions that are ethi-
During the execution phase, the following
values such as autonomy, solidarity
cally and technically appropriate, pro-
must be done:
and moral ethics, which inevitably
fessionals must first weigh the following
¬ Periodically monitoring and controlling
make up the rational conscience of
factors, according to Adela Cortina and
the method and conditions, along with
Emilio Martínez :
the materials being used.
¬ The activity and the problem at hand.
¬ The goal that gives this activity its
meaning.
¬ In exceptional cases, rectifying the pro-
a moral and ethical education in
cess, if needed, due to unforeseen cir-
the broadest sense of the word
cumstances.
¬ The values, principles and attitudes
that need to be developed.
¬ Data on the current situation and the
institutions.
¬ A good professional per se needs
‘moral’.
¬ In the end, inspecting the finished
¬ They must have responsible, techni-
product and, if needed, making addi-
cal training in line with the charac-
tional corrections.
teristics of the job, including in the
consequences derived from the differ-
case of companies what we have
ent alternatives, along with the values
Having listed these factors, we now reach
of the civic morality of the society in
the final aspect to be taken into account
¬ The professional must always comply
which we operate and the economic
in one’s professional duties, which are
with the specific moral ethical aspects
factor. All of these have to be taken
schematically as follows:
that should characterise every spe-
into serious consideration, as we live
¬ Appropriate technical training for the
cific case.
in societies that strive to fulfil ideals of
characteristics of the case.
called ‘business ethics’.
¬ The professional must base his or her
freedom, justice, equality, peace and
¬ Confidentiality.
work on a working method as well as
protecting nature.
¬ Acting with an established morality.
the norms applicable for each spe-
¬ Not defending unfair causes that
cific job. In certain cases, for exam-
To these aforementioned values, I would
may arise.
ple, in medicine, engineering and
add:
¬ Not providing low quality services.
construction, complying with hygiene
¬ Studying the technical and envi-
¬ Not providing false information.
and safety regulations is extremely
¬ Trying to foster association amongst
important.
ronmental
characteristics
to
be
resolved.
practitioners of the speciality.
¬ Studying the available means.
¬ Choosing the appropriate machinery
and instrumentation.
For true professionals, an honest, wellWhen professionals show honest con-
done job will always provide benefits
duct both inside and outside their pro-
and satisfaction. x
¬ Choosing the best personnel and
helpers.
¬ Constantly monitoring the work to
ensure that the design is realised.
And depending on the results, taking the
decision, indicating the method to the followed and the conditions of execution:
36
BIBLIOGRAPHY
¬ Hans Kung. - A Global Ethic for Global Politics and Economics. - Oxford University Press - 1998
¬ G.E. Moore. - Ethics. - Home University Press
¬ G. E. Moore. - Ética. - Ediciones Encuentro – 2001.
¬ J. M. Esquirol. - Tecnología ética y futuro. - Ed. Desclee – 2001.
¬ Rene Simon. - Moral. - Ed. Herder -1999.
¬ A.Cortina - J. Conill. - Ética de las profesiones. - Ed. EVD – 2000.
Innova La Salle
MANAGEMENT
The European Short Sea Shipping School promotes
a sustainable model of logistics
SHORT SEA SHIPPING, A TRANSPORT ALTERNATIVE
Promoting environmentally sustainable models of development is one of the major concerns of advanced
societies in the 21st century. Short distance maritime transport, also known as Short Sea Shipping (SSS)
offers a logistical model that is environmentally-friendly and allows costs to be lowered compared to
other systems such as highway transport.
By Iván Giménez
Photos: Joan Morejón
lower costs. “There are companies
that choose this system and manage
to reduce logistics costs between 20%
and 30%.”
The school was founded in Barcelona,
the busiest port in the western Mediterranean. Eduard Rodés explains the origins of the project as follows: “The idea
emerged in 2004 with the courses that
we hold aimed at operators in conjunction with Grimaldi Napoli and Grandi
Navi Veloci (the two Italian shipowners
participating). Based on that, and rightly so, we saw that we had the chance
of training future operators.”
Eduard Rodés, director of the European Short Sea Shipping School
La Salle began to participate
in this project in 2005, and it
is one of the pioneering schools
in offering this type of course
The European Short Sea Shipping
flows of developed countries. “Short sea
School, whose headquarters are in Bar-
shipping is a real alternative due to its
celona, in charge of with promoting this
cost, timeframe and operativity,” claims
system of logistics. It was created with
Rodés.
a clearly international scope by people
Short sea shipping can be defined as
from fourteen different countries. It aims
maritime cargo transport system over
Apart from the two Italian companies
to be a space where key knowledge for
short distances. What is more, as the
and the port of Barcelona, the port
the economic development of the wes-
director of the school explains, “it is
authorities of Genoa and Civitavecchia
tern Mediterranean is conveyed.
cargo transport where shipping by sea
(Rome’s port) are also participating.
“The school was founded with the basic
is an option but not an obligation.” For
The centre also has a clearly interna-
idea of facilitating a change in culture,
example, a lorry can leave Spain and
tional scope as fourteen different coun-
such as the assumption that people
travel to Italy by motorway, but it also
tries participate: Germany, Belgium,
accustomed to transporting by highway
has the choice of shipping by sea.
the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain,
will do it by sea,” explains the director
The advantages of this system are clear.
Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
of the school, Eduard Rodés. Maritime
First, it is environmentally-friendly, a
Holland, Poland, Portugal and Sweden.
cargo transport is key for the economic
hot topic nowadays. Secondly, it helps
La Salle is participating in this pro-
Innova La Salle
37
MANAGEMENT
Firma Trade Gothic bold cond 9/10
ONBOARD TRAINING
Another of the unique features of the Short
Sea Shipping School is that much of the
training takes place aboard four ferry-type
ships that are totally fitted out for the job:
Eurostar Barcelona
Length: 211.94 metres
Width: 25 metres
Passengers: 1,300
Holds up to 150 cars
Displacement: 26,995 tonnes
Eurostar Roma
Length: 173.7 metres
Width: 28.7 metres
Passengers: 1,400
Holds up to 100 cars
Displacement: 23,933 tonnes
Fantastic
Length: 188,22 metres
Width: 28 metres
Passengers: 2,033
Holds up to 760 cars
Displacement: 26,995 tonnes
Suprema
Length: 211.5 metres
Width: 30.4 metres
Passengers: 3,000
Holds up to 1000 cars
Displacement: 50,000 tonnes
ject as well. “We began to participate
However, the centre has six of its own
in 2005, and it’s one of the pionee-
values that clearly distinguish the phi-
ring schools in offering this type of
losophy behind its actions. They have
course,” says Rodés. He also highlig-
been given Latin names to give them a
hts how the course in which La Salle
more universal, timeless sense.
participates “stands out as a quality
First is imaginatio, “which refers to
feature in its training options.” Spe-
creativity, to doing things differently,”
cifically, these courses are part of the
explains the director. Secondly is dia-
training that is provided within the
logus, which “highlights the interperso-
Master’s in Supply Chain Manage-
nal relationships forged in the world of
ment and Technology.
logistics as well as the fact that people
work together to find different solu-
Cross-disciplinary training
tions.” After that is libertas, which can
The European Short Sea Shipping
be translated as self-determination.
School offers three types of courses that
encompass the entire range of needs in
this sector. As the director of the school
explains, “we plan three different types
of courses: one for operators (Gloss),
another for graduate students studying
the field of logistics (Avtoritas) and the
last one designed for people with professional training the field of logistics
(Numina).”
Pro-European values
Besides the purely technical training,
the European Short Sea Shipping
School aims to convey a series of values
as well. As Eduard Rodés explains
it, “generally speaking we uphold
the same principles as the European
Union, and especially the European
Commission, on sustainable logistics.”
38
Innova La Salle
MANAGEMENT
“This is the desire to do things as we
think they should be done.” Opus refers
to “the work involved in developing this
type of project.” The fifth value is fides,
which can be translated as “commitment and involvement in defending
the environment by promoting this
type of logistics.” And last but not least
is sapienta, “the school’s ambition to
spread knowledge and ideas amongst
the future logistics leaders.”
The idea of creating a school
emerged in 2004, when courses
were being held on this subject
in Barcelona
European aid
In addition to the involvement of different port authorities, shipowners and
Eduard Rodés explains that “we petitio-
Polo Programme. They invited us to
institutions such as La Salle, the Euro-
ned the European Commission for aid
travel to a conference in Nantes on this
pean Short Sea Shipping School recei-
in order to broaden our scope.” He also
type of initiative and present our school
ved a very strong impetus from the
recalls that, “the Marco Polo Programme
to different European companies.”
European Commission when getting set
gave us aid within the section called
For the time being, with this aid, the
up: one million euros in aid was granted
Common Learning Actions.” What is
European Short Sea Shipping School
as part of the Marco Polo Programme,
more, he explains that “the Commission
is beginning to set sail to provide the
European initiatives within the field of
has said that it is one of the most interes-
sector with tools that will be key to its
transport and logistics.
ting projects in the history of the Marco
future growth. x
Innova La Salle
39
MANAGEMENT
The United Kingdom may be a platform for expanding a business around Europe
INTERVIEW WITH PAUL WHITEWAY
The United Kingdom is the fourth-ranked country in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) in terms of investment in R&D. Over time, numerous foreign companies have found this
country to be the ideal place for setting up and expanding their businesses. Paul Whiteway, International
Sales Manager of UKTI, tells us about the main reasons why the United Kingdom is such an attractive
market for foreign investors.
By Anna Cabanillas
Photos: Marc Guillen
Why is the United Kingdom the
build. Finally, there are cultural fac-
country is the quest for a new market
European destination that offers
tors: the United Kingdom is a familiar
where you can sell your products and
foreign companies the most business
culture for North Americans, Cana-
services. For a non-European coun-
opportunities?
dians and Australians, as well as for
try, the United Kingdom can be a
There are many reasons explaining
their businesses.
platform for expanding their activities
around Europe, in addition to in the
this phenomenon. First, the United
Kingdom has a highly flexible econ-
What opportunities does the United
English market. This is the case, for
omy which is very open to foreign
Kingdom offer companies?
example, with the United States. For a
investment, not to mention labour
Normally the main reason for set-
European country, such as Spain, the
laws that are flexible and attractive for
ting up a business outside one’s own
advantage of setting up in a market
investors. We also have a very important R&D sector that works closely
with our universities and the more
than 100 science parks in England.
Furthermore, eight of the 50 leading
universities in the world are located
in the United Kingdom, including
the top two in the sciences, Oxford
and Cambridge. Plus we shouldn’t
UKTI’s focus is on companies
that have cutting-edge
technology because the goal
is to foster more value added
in the economy
forget that London is a huge financial capital and thus a market where
financing for projects can be landed.
English also helps us a great deal, as
the majority of business people speak
it and relations are thus easier to
40
Innova La Salle
MANAGEMENT
like the United Kingdom is that you
such as Japan, South Korea, Australia,
hotel chains that belong to Spanish
have an audience of more than 60
France, Germany and India as well.
companies and many opportunities
million people with a clear tendency
for them in the hotel industry. But in
And what can you say about Spain?
Spain we are trying to look for com-
To us, Spain is a relatively new
panies that are more involved in high
What countries are you most
market. There is already some Span-
technology, as our focus is on com-
interesting in attracting?
ish investment in the United Kingdom,
panies that have cutting-edge tech-
The majority of investment in the United
for example in infrastructure. Fer-
nology, because the idea is to foster
Kingdom, one-third of it, comes from
rovial just bought the British Airport
more added value in the economy.
the United States, but there are other
Authority, which includes Heathrow
markets that are very important for us,
and Gatwick airports. There are also
towards consumption.
How is the added value fostered?
The new technologies and management
methods are very important for creating
more added value and for promoting
competitiveness within the economy.
The British government has a macroeconomic vision. What it wants to do is convince local companies to improve their
activities and technologies, and to do
this they need to be more competitive.
In Britain there is no protectionist policy
against foreign investors because competitiveness provides many chances to
give more added value to the economy.
This is very positive for consumers, as
they have more options when buying
PAUL WHITEWAY
International Sales Manager at UK Trade
and Investment (UKTI), an investment
group. Whiteway belongs to the
diplomatic service and has extensive
experience in managing trade teams in
government diplomatic missions around
the world. He leads the three sales teams,
each focused on different sectors, which
are devoted to managing the investment
projects coming from the main foreign
markets in the United States, Europe and
the Asia-Pacific region. He also leads
the Global Entrepreneurs Programme,
the goal of which is to promote an
enterprising image of the United Kingdom
in order to attract an increasing number
of entrepreneurs interested in developing
their intellectual property in the United
Kingdom.
Innova La Salle
41
MANAGEMENT
before, but they are Toyotas, Nissans,
Peugeots, etc. In Britain it is quite
commonplace to hear people say that
we don’t have an automotive industry,
but that’s not true. We have one, but
it is an industry that depends on foreign investment, and one that provides
many jobs in our country.
What advantages does the Global
Partner Ship programme offer?
The Global Partner Ship programme
offers the chance to set up associations
between foreign and Britain companies
in the field of high-tech. The team offers
the possibility of drafting a report for
any customer interested in the British
companies within their sector that best
meet their criteria. However, certain
conditions must be met. To start with,
products and services, and it’s also good
the technology must be cutting-edge
for the country’s economic growth.
and innovative, as the programme is
related to the transfer of knowledge.
What are the technological sectors
The programme began three years ago
that you are most interested in?
and we are in the process of reshaping
IT, for example, as the majority of
it, as we want there to be a more direct
projects come from this sector. The
connection between the customers and
financial sector is also very important,
the issue of research and development
as there are many companies that are
in the United Kingdom.
How would you assess La Salle’s
The technology must be
cutting-edge and innovative,
as the programme is related
to the transfer of knowledge
efforts with seminars like this one?
Very positively. This event is excellent for us, as we try to connect with
top universities and companies that
might be able to invest in the United
Kingdom, and this seminar is the ideal
chance to meet an audience with
42
setting up in London in order to benefit
these interests. The event has taken
from it. Biotechnology is also extremely
place in a highly professional setting,
powerful, even though it is fairly new.
and this is the type of event we like
We are also quite interested in the
working at. This seminar’s message to
automotive sector, which is unique. In
companies is that working with other
the United Kingdom, car manufactur-
countries offers them the chance of
ing depends almost entirely on foreign
growing more quickly, and in our opin-
direct investment, as the British auto-
ion, the United Kingdom is precisely
motive industry was nationalised over
the country that offers Catalan and
thirty years ago. Now we manufacture
Spanish companies the most fruitful
the same total number of vehicles as
possibilities for expansion. x
Innova La Salle
TECH NEWS
Apple reinvents the
telephone with iPhone
Panasonic presents the largest plasma
television in the world
Apple has released the iPhone,
a combination of three
products: a revolutionary
mobile phone, an iPod with
fingertip controls and a
device for communicating
via Internet and email with
browser capabilities.
The largest plasma television in the world is now on the market
thanks to Panasonic. This manufacturer has stunned consumers
with the size of the gradated panoramic 103-inch screen, with a
complete FHD resolution of 1,920 – 1,080 pixels.
It measures 2.5 by 1.5 metres. It offers
extremely intense, realistic images
thanks to the 5,000:1 contrast ratio
and the equivalent to 4,096 levels of
gradation. The screen’s connectivity
offers a flexible yet powerful solution
thanks to the variety of optional plugins available.
As for its features, measurements and
image definition, the 103-inch plasma
The iPhone has a large multi-touch screen
which allows users to control the apparatus with just a touch of their fingers. The
TV is a product that meets the needs
all types of high definition contexts, and
of professional public screenings, both
it opens doors to the world of dynamic
as a fixed installation and as rental for
digital communication.
TDT and hard drive in a single device
Technological convergence is one of the signs of our times.
iPhone includes a two mega-pixel camera
and a photograph management application. It is also a four-band GSM telephone
Devices that manage to merge more than
DTB-HR1 you can pick up more than 600
that uses edge wireless technologies and
one function and help make our house
television and radio channels, and it also
WiFi for data networks. The apparatus also
a type of museum of household appli-
has the capability of recording your favour-
comes with Google Maps to help users to
ances are becoming increasingly popular.
ite programmes on its hard drive, which is
position themselves, find traffic informa-
Sunsech commercialises a device that is
available in 80
tion and get addresses. Everything with
simultaneously a Terrestrial Digital Tel-
GB and 160
the unique iPhone fingertip screen.
evision receiver and a hard drive. With the
GB versions.
Samsung focuses on multifunctional mp3 players
The Korean company surprises consumers yet again with its new players,
the YP-T9 and YP-T9B models, which stand out for their huge memory and
Bluetooth connection.
They are characterised by being totally
and OGG, ASF, AVI, MPEG-4, RMVB and
sets without the need for an additional
multifunctional, because they allow you
WMV formats, and games using Flash
adaptor. These new players have a 1.8-
to download songs and listen to the
can also be run. The only difference
inch screen and USB 2.0. They include
radio, watch videos and look at photo-
between the YP-T9 and YP-T9B models
260,000 colours, four GB of memory
graphs, play videogames and other func-
is that the latter includes Bluetooth,
and a battery that lets you play up to 30
tions. These models support MPs, WMA
which allows users to use wireless head-
hours of music and six hours of video.
Innova La Salle
43
TECH NEWS
Olympus is commercialising housings for
underwater digital photography
Jabra frees
your hands
For the most intrepid digital photographers, Olympus continues to offer the
widest range of waterproof housing models up to a depth of 40 metres.
Jabra has unveiled its new
hands-free headset model
using Bluetooth technology.
These housings are manufac-
offer conversion lenses adapt-
tured in high quality polycar-
able for underwater photo-
bonate and they protect the
graphs with the highest quality
It is called the
cameras inside the water and
and maximum detail. Olympus
Jabra BT 160,
against shocks outside the water.
offers a wide variety of housing
and it is avail-
The design of the housings allows all
models, adaptable to all types of cam-
able
with
33
the functions of the camera to be con-
eras made by this manufacturer and in
different
trolled, both zoom and flash. They also
a variety of colours.
changeable covers. But
inter-
if you want to personalise the
Forcet:
Top-performing microcomputers
A powerful computer in the least space possible.
That’s Forcet’s idea.
Thanks to its compact shape, the
The device supports all types of the most
Forcet mini-PC, based on the Shuttle
modern, high-speed components, such
platform, fits inconspicuously into any
as one- two- or even four-nucleus proc-
environment. This computer occupies
essors, DDR2 memory, Serial ATA2 3-GB
less than one-third the space of a tra-
hard drives, state-of-the-art PCI-Express
ditional desktop PC and it fits in any
graphics cards, and the like. Forcet offers
corner of the house. Plus, it is easily
computers from the Xtreme, Advance,
mistaken for a stereo because of its
Media-center and Basic series according
design and colours.
to each user’s needs and requirements.
Toshiba releases the new HD-XA2
The DVD pioneers take their high definition players
to the second generation.
design of your headset, you can do so
via the company’s website. The device
can be adapted to any user’s style, and
it is equipped with a rechargeable internal battery. Its price is not a penny over
50 euros.
Casio now has the
slimmest digital
camera on the
market
Casio has unveiled the
EXILIM® Hi-Zoom EX-V7 7.2
mega-pixel digital camera.
This late-model digital camera is the
slimmest in the world and features a
7x optic zoom lens. The manufacture
decided to release a camera that could
fit easily into a shirt pocket or a small
44
In addition to including three high qual-
faithful to the aforementioned stand-
handbag. Some brands had managed
ity audio decoders such as Dolby Dig-
ards, and boast optimal video signals.
to develop very compact cameras, but
ital Plus, Dolby True HD (5.1) and DTS
The device has an Ethernet connector,
this reduction in size also reduced the
HD, it is the first new-generation optical
which when enabled will allow contents
features. Casio has managed to solve
player that has HDMI version 3.1 ports
and updates to be downloaded via the
this problem by offering users the best
to achieve reproductions that are truly
web. The feature differentiating this
photographs in the smallest space pos-
player compared to the previous
sible thanks to its 7x cutting-edge opti-
ones is the Silicon Optix Reon-
cal zoom lens. The camera includes
VX chipset that offers four-field
CCD mechanical technology and elimi-
HQV (Hollywood quality video)
nates blurry photos thanks to its DSP
technology.
anti-vibration function.
Innova La Salle
TECH NEWS
HD DVD in the Xbox 360
Photoshop will be
available for free
online
On 1st March, Microsoft launched the new
HD DVD player for the Xbox 360 console.
According to a press release issued by Microsoft, the recommended retail price of the player is 199.99 euros, with the Universal Xbox 360 remote control included. The device offers resolution
that is six times better than a DVD, and it comes with a catalogue
of over 100 films produced by the major studios such as Universal, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.
The HD DVD player was sold out in its releases in the United Kingdom, France and Germany
23rd March: PlayStation 3 arrives
Adobe has announced that
Photoshop, the most popular
image programme in the world,
will be available on Internet for
free mid-year. With this new
launch, Adobe is striving to
enhance its competitiveness in
view of Google’s expansion on
the web.
According to Adobe’s CEO, Bruce
PlayStation 3 reached Europe, on 23rd March, but it is less
compatible with the old games than in the rest of the world.
Chizen, this new
launch is part of
a
new
strategy
The release of Play-
which aims to provide more free services
Station 3 in Europe
online. With this new launch, Adobe is
was delayed, but ever
trying to compete with companies that
since 23rd March we
offer other servers, such as Google. The
have been able to
service aims to make a profit through
find it in shops only
advertising.
in the advanced ver-
Just like the majority of Microsoft’s
sion. This means that
projects, the Adobe business is mainly
the PS3 will be less
based on software packages that are
compatible with the
installed on the computer’s hard drive.
games from the former PlayStation 2 than the other PS3s that were sold in the United
The only disadvantage of these new free
States and Japan. In the European version of the console, the compatibility with the old
services is that they can only be used
games will be assumed by the software, whereas in the US and Japanese versions the
with an Internet hook-up.
compatibility comes from a specific chip designed specifically with this purpose in mind.
Apple’s iTV, available since mid-March
The American IT group Apple launched its wireless iTV device.
In March, which allows videos downloaded from the computer
to be transferred to and seen on TV.
Parrot’s Photo Viewer
with Bluetooth
Parrot’s Photo Viewer is a digital framework for displaying photographs. Some
of its features include that its 7-inch
size, brightness sensors to adjust to the
Apple iTV, also called Apple TV, is equipped with a 40 giga-
light in the room, and both vertical and
byte hard drive that can hold up to 50 hours of video, 9,000
horizontal picture displays. It receives
songs, 25,000 photographs or a combination of these con-
the photos with Bluetooth from any
tents that can be downloaded on a computer. The price is
device, including computers, cameras
set at 289 euros.
or mobile phones. It is the only way of
The CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, presented the Apple iTV prototype last January at the
downloading photos onto this device,
MacWorld trade fair in San Francisco.
and it allows 500 images to be stored.
Innova La Salle
45
TECH NEWS
Glassview Zaapa 3D goggles
Now that TFT screens have become so popular with televisions, there is a new personalised vogue in the most revolutionary goggles on the market, Zaapa, which has
unveiled its new Glassview with the real feeling of a 34-inch TFT screen located two
metres away. The goggles are connected to the video outlet, but if you prefer total
independence you can use AC/DC chargers or batteries.
The new Glassview goggles allow you to attain the maximum privacy and watch
the TV, listen to music or play a videogame without being disturbed and without
The Optimus
103 keyboard is
unveiled at CeBIT
After a wait of over a year, the
revolutionary keyboard is finally
being commercialised.
disturbing anyone else. With Glassview goggles, you can play with the console in
bed and feel the risk thanks to its stereo surround sound, in addition to watching
films on DVD and seeing them firsthand while your family is watching another TV
programme.
Transform your Nokia 7710 into a
powerful GPS with the TomTom solution
The Russian company Art Lebedev has
been on the market for some time now
with products featuring innovative design
Nokia has announced the release of a new sales package that includes
the Nokia 7710 multimedia terminal and the GPS solution by TomTom.
and high quality. Finally, after much time
This package, which includes maps of
dia features turn it into a complete, func-
OLED technology is going to be commer-
Spain and Portugal, and a holder for
tional smartphone which allows for mul-
cialised at a price of 1,490 euros per unit.
the car, is the perfect solution for people
tiple image and voice applications. The
This price is understandable because we
seeking a portable navigation system
Nokia 7710 terminal only operates under
are talking about 103 OLED screens with
that is integrated, efficient, affordable
GSM/GPRS/EGPRS 900/1800/1900 net-
32x32 pixels corresponding to each key.
and has free hook-up, along with all the
works.
OLED (organic LED) technology will soon
and talk throughout the entire high-tech
blog universe, the keyboard based on
state-of-the-art features of a multimedia
enter our homes in the guise of super-flat
mobile device.
screens. They are devices that need no
With its panoramic touchscreen (699x
feedback, which makes them very prom-
320 pixels) with more than 65,000col-
ising thanks to the energy and space sav-
ours, the Nokia 7710 provides excellent
ings involved. Through this new technol-
viewing of 3D maps, which ensures the
ogy, each of the keys on the Optimus 103
utmost comfort when driving. Its multime-
keyboard can be personalised.
Blu:sens presents G14, the first mp3 player with WiFi and Bluetooth
Blu:sens, a manufacturer specialising in cutting-edge consumer electronics,
presented the G14, its revolution mp3 player with WiFi and Bluetooth.
46
This is the first device of its kind that not only allows total
It has 54 Mbps WiFi con-
wireless connection between devices, but also with Internet.
nectivity – with a range of 80
This innovative product, a step ahead of the competition and
metres in open space – and Blue-
made totally in Spain, has capacities of one and two GB of
tooth 2.0 EDF long-distance – more than
flash memory.
25 metres and transmission at 3000 Kbps.
Its 2.4-inch LCD-TFT screen with 256,000 colours allows you to
Its removable lithium battery allows for more than 20 hours
enjoy DivX and SMV video files anywhere and in a panoramic
of playing time, while its user menu with information on a
format, while the built-in outside loudspeaker lets you share the
graphic, user-friendly screen offers all the data on the file
experience without any added headsets.
being played.
Innova La Salle
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
La Salle puts the business world in touch with the university
through its Technology Transfer programmes
LA SALLE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
La Salle Technology Transfer has been providing services to companies for over a decade now by developing
RDI projects. This link is useful not only for the organisations but also for students, as they find it to be
a fantastic gateway to the reality of the job market. Josep Maria Ribes, director of La Salle Technology
Transfer, tells us the keys to the relationship between enterprise and university.
By Iván Giménez
Photos: Marc Guillen
that the contact between university and
enterprise is not as close as it could be.”
The model of technology transfer in
Spanish universities was traditionally
based on a an organisation called the
OTRI (abbreviation for the Catalan name
of the Office of Transfer of Research
Results). The main goal of this office
was to provide assistance to university
groups in order to secure contracts
with the market. Thus, the OTRI’s goal
was to fit the university output into the
demands from enterprise.
La Salle Technology Transfer has its
own clearly differentiated model
Some time back, La Salle decided to set
technology transfer into motion using its
own model. Ribes explains, “our model
is based on formulas that allow us to
adapt to our customers’ needs. It would
most likely be difficult to implement
these models without the flexibility that
we have as a private organisation.”
Delving in a little further, he adds that,
“La Salle Technology Transfer is not
based on a model that seeks to fit in
We understand technology transfer as
that the transfer of results in Spain has
between the business world and the
the job undertaken by the university to
increased 20% since last year. This is
university, rather a model of develop-
transfer the new technologies to society
quite a positive figure given that until
ing and integrating services that allow
and the business world. As Josep Maria
2003 only downward curves had been
us to respond to the demand for RDI
Ribes explains, it is an activity that is
registered.” And he adds, “despite this
projects with guarantees, and under
currently on the rise. “Data published
positive trend, we believe that there’s still
the parameters of the demands of the
recently by official organisations shows
more work to be done. We often notice
business market: quality, budget and
Innova La Salle
47
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
controlled time. This is the model that
issues that are in line with the reality
help them join the job market later on.”
lets us speak the same language as the
of the market.”
Ribes adds that “we are proud that La
business world in order to thus foster to
With regard to the contents of the
Salle engineers are recognised in the
the maximum the synergies between
subjects, he specifies “the fact that
market as fine professionals.”
university and enterprise.”
part of our faculty is in contact with
With regard to the companies that are
In order to achieve this, La Salle has
the reality of the business world by
linked to La Salle, they know that “they
an extensive team of professionals
developing projects makes it possi-
have an ally who speaks their language
who contribute to researching, devel-
ble to ensure that the curricula are in
and never loses sight of the constraints
oping and integrating services, as well
line with the needs of the market. In
of their business, while also managing to
programmes with a high technologi-
develop projects with high added value.
cal component like ours, knowledge
This is demonstrated by the fact that the
of these needs is vital.”
links with our customers are becoming
When talking about the benefits for
more and more consolidated.”
We believe that it is key to be
based on a model of integrated
solutions in which all the
university stakeholders that
might be needed can participate
as to training. As Josep Maria Ribes
the students, the director adds that
projects enables them to be in touch
Extensive experience and a
broad-ranging portfolio of services
with the market before finishing their
La Salle Technology Transfer has been
degrees. We view this as an additional,
up and running since 1994. Currently,
different sort of training that will clearly
the team is more than 180 people
“including them in developing real
says, “approximately half of the professionals on the technology transfer
team are business executives, project
managers,
technology
experts
or
public financing or intellectual property managers, and they all have a
clear business orientation as well as
in-depth knowledge of the technology.
Some of these professionals also work
as engineering professors. The other
half of the team are students from the
third to fifth year, and thus many are
already diploma-level engineers who
are studying for a higher degree in
engineering. Thus, the working teams
are mixed, a combination of active
professionals and people who are finishing their degrees.”
The director of La Salle Technology
Transfer summarises it like this: “We
believe that it is key to be based on a
model of integrated solutions in which
all the university stakeholders that might
be needed can participate.”
The benefits of the La Salle Technology Transfer model are clear, and as
Ribes claims, “they are interesting
for both companies and students,
who in addition to participating in the
projects, benefit from dealing with
48
Innova La Salle
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
In terms of the technologies that La
Salle covers, they can be divided into
four main clusters.
The first is computer engineering and
consulting, which includes the technologies that allow services and solutions to be developed with all types of
languages. It also includes the data network and telematic technologies. The
second cluster consists of audiovisual
technologies, including technologies
related to sound, image, digital television and interaction. Electronics and
telecommunications engineering are
the third major cluster, which encompasses everything related to hardware,
firmware and communications. The last
cluster is devoted to technology and
sustainability applied to living spaces.
Within each of the aforementioned
strong. The director of La Salle Tech-
innovation, as well as for its practical
clusters are the different areas that are
nology Transfer claims that “the pace
component. As a result of many years
devoted to specific disciplines, includ-
of growth in the past four years has
of activity, Ls Salle has a broad, select
ing: acoustics, communications, IT,
exceeded 25%, and we are still grow-
portfolio of trainers.
electronics, multimedia, signal process-
ing now. This tells us that we’re on the
Finally, spurred by the increasing
ing, building technologies, education
right track.”
demand, La Salle has become a bench-
technologies,
Currently, La Salle Technology Transfer
mark in organising congresses and
usability and user-focused design. La
offers a range of different services. The
business events custom-designed for
Salle Technology Transfer’s philoso-
most noteworthy are projects linked to
a wide variety of sectors. These activi-
phy, according to Josep Maria Ribes,
RDI, as they account for 80% of the
ties are possible thanks to the university
is to “always be on the lookout for new
volume. These projects are often “key-
campus’ facilities and services, as well
technologies and create working groups
in-hand”, despite the fact that other for-
as a team of people devoted to compre-
quickly and flexibly in order to continue
mats are also possible.
hensive congress management.
offering companies innovation.” x
television,
telematics,
A technology alert and innovation consultancy are also available, based on
strategic alliances that allow for an indepth knowledge of the customer’s
company, which in turn makes it possible to draft custom technological alert
reports. In this case, the international
network of La Salle universities around
the world is a wellspring of information
on technology and business trends on a
global scale.
The third type of service is training for
companies, with the format and contents designed according to the customer’s needs. This high-performance
A REALITY WITH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
The status of university technology transfer in Spain shows room for improvement, even though
activity has been stepped up in recent years. As Josep Maria Ribes explains, “a study published
last year by the Fundación Conocimiento y Desarrollo shows that 80% of Spanish companies are
unaware of what universities can do for them.” And he goes on by stating that “on the other hand,
it should be taken into account that not all the companies that are aware of these possibilities
actually put the universities to the test.”
Spain’s position compared to Europe in terms of investment in RDI at universities by enterprise is
not very favourable. The director of La Salle Technology Transfer says that “despite the fact that
the situation in Spain needs improvement compared to Europe, the old continent is not the best
point of comparison if you take into account other parts of the world. Perhaps we should not set
our sights on Europe so much as take as our benchmark economies that have been focusing on
research, development and innovation for some time now.”
training stands out for its high level of
Innova La Salle
49
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
“AN ENTREPRENEUR IS A DREAMER.
BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO BE A BIT OF AN ADVENTURER AS WELL”
Manuel Campo Vidal is a journalist, sociologist and technical engineer. He is currently the host of the
programme Generación XXI which is broadcast on television stations in several regions in Spain. The
programme aims to help entrepreneurs and innovators in their professions. He participated as a speaker
at the La Salle Business School conference last year.
By Belén Rodríguez
Photo: Ángel Navarrete
What is an entrepreneur?
Are entrepreneurs born or made?
going a profound change. Nowadays,
An entrepreneur is a dreamer, a person
There are born entrepreneurs and there
many people think that creating a com-
who does not resign himself to being
are entrepreneurs that are made by
pany is their only real chance of having
a boxcar in life and wants to be the
necessity. The latter are increasingly
a decent, attractive job.
engine. It’s very important that they
common.
the capacity to be enthusiastic and to
Why?
get others enthused, to get a project up
We are forcing people to become entre-
What are the characteristics that
someone must have in order to devote
themselves to entrepreneurship?
and running and to create wealth for
preneurs because the mechanisms for
They must be hard-working, motivated
himself, his family and his country.
accessing the job market are under-
and excited about what they do. They
have the ability to create, and as a result
must have a series of skills and a great
deal of stamina in order to not give up
when they come up against the first
obstacle.
What advice would you give
an entrepreneur?
First of all, they have to think carefully about the company they want to
create and study the market, so that
when there’s no margin for doubt
they are able to overcome the people
who are trying to stop them. This is
why an entrepreneur is a dreamer,
but they also need to be a bit of an
adventurer.
As a journalist, how did you
end up in the business world?
I have always been an entrepreneur, I
have constantly been creating journalism businesses, consultancies or companies related to sociology. I thought
that there was a need to audiovisually
tell entrepreneurs’ stories, which is
what I do through the different programmes I host.
50
Innova La Salle
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
What attracts you the most
about the phenomenon of
entrepreneurship?
evision programme that would provide
People like Amancio Ortega, who forty
What are your purposes?
organisation that is highly sensitive to
years ago – with no help whatsoever –
To foster the entrepreneurial spirit, to
creating businesses, creating wealth
was able to create Inditex in La Coruña
tell real stories, and especially to reach
and in particular creating technology.
and get it up and running.
that conviction that our most immediate
I think that these efforts are admirable
environment – and the world itself – can
and worth applauding, because there is
be changed.
nothing sadder than seeing hundreds
You spearhead and host the
Generació XXI contest. How did the
idea of holding the contest arise?
business people with support.
I see it as an academic and cultural
of students going through the Faculty
ne’er-do-wells, but no programmes that
Generació XXI is already being
broadcast in different regions around
Spain, but are there any plans to
export it abroad?
would foster the culture of work. That
Germany, Italy and Chile have expressed
was when I decided to create a tel-
interest in the format.
I was watching TV and I saw that there
were contests for singers, dancers or
What do you think about La Salle’s
Business Angels School?
of Business Administration and no one
planting in them the seed of being able
to create a company.
“We are forcing people to
become entrepreneurs because
the mechanisms for accessing
the job market are undergoing
a profound change”
You were a speaker at the conference
held at this school. What was your
mission?
My job at the conference was to encourage Business Angels to participate. The
Business Angel is a key figure and is of
great help to those who are just getting
started in this world. x
Innova La Salle
51
ENTREPRENEURS
4TH la salle business angels school
The Entrepreneurship Program at the La Salle Innovation Park organised the 4th Business Angels School
last November. The goal was to tell Business Angels, private investors who are interested in entrepreneurial
projects, about the tools that they have in order to be able to inject capital into innovative companies that
someone would like to create.
By Iván Giménez
Photos: Joan Morejón
52
The 4th La Salle-CIDEM Business
cal training involving analysing projects
tions. “We had 45 people signed up, it
Angels School was held between 31st
and closing transactions, sharing expe-
went way beyond our expectations, and
October and 28th November 2006. The
riences and knowledge, and fostering
we had to close registration because we
goal of these workshops was to give
networks of private investors.
had no more physical space to accom-
companies, family office managers and
The format chosen for the 4th Business
modate them.”
new private investors (business angels)
Angels School included five workshops,
Besides the success in terms of attend-
high-level knowledge in order for them
one each week, organised as follows:
ance, Garriga also remarks that “we
to successfully embark on a process
introduction, analysis of real case studies,
have become the benchmark school
of direct investment in entrepreneurial
working groups and active participation
for business angels. This is the result
companies that are not quoted on the
resolving the practical case studies.
of our background and especially the
stock exchange.
As Ricard Garriga, coordinator of the
quality of both the speakers and the
To achieve this, the La Salle Entrepre-
Business Angels School and member of
participants.”
neurship Program planned this Busi-
the Entrepreneurship Program, explains,
ness Angels School as a way of foster-
“the workshops were a joint initiative
A new tack
ing this type of investment, showing
between CIDEM and La Salle.” He also
The previous workshops had focused
the potential business angels that they
recalled that in 2005, “it went pretty well
on analysing the international status of
should stop being afraid of investing in
and around thirty people signed up.” But
business angels, with experts from the
new entrepreneurs, promoting practi-
this edition far outstripped all expecta-
United States, France and the United
Innova La Salle
ENTREPRENEURS
Kingdom, the most advanced coun-
offering a more social vision of private
tries in this area. The coordinator of
investment. This module finished with
the workshops explains that “although
talks by two famous American business
it was quite successful, it did not quite
angels, Judith Iglehart, Vice President
manage to gel, because there is a great
of International Chapter Development
deal of difference between these coun-
and Operations at Keiretsu Forum, and
tries and our reality here.”
Tapan Monroe, CEO of Low & Econom-
Nevertheless, Garriga adds that “in one
ics Consulting Group.
year people were much more aware and
The module entitled Investment oppor-
wanted to learn more about the figure
tunities and analysis was devoted to
of the business angel.” For this reason,
finding investment opportunities on
the latest edition focused on a more
the market. “We explained which
practical, domestic approach. “You can
projects are appropriate and where to
find the theory in books, but our main
find them,” says Garriga. One interest-
goal was to provide the tools needed to
ing part was the importance of people
professionalize this field. For this reason
in this point. The two speakers were
we chose speakers who could give a
two private investors with longstanding
more pragmatic vision of the situation,”
careers: Jordi Robert i Ribes, Manager
explains the La Salle supervisor.
of Inversions Portals Mòbils, SL, and
The profile of participants included both
Francesc Robert i Ribes, Vice President
new private investors and those who
of La Seda.
had already closed two or three trans-
The coordinator of the Business Angels
actions and were wondering whether or
School explains that “the speakers
not to venture into others.
made it clear that there are many ways
of valuating a company, but that the
The workshops were a success,
and the number of assistants
far outstripped the organisers’
expectations
most important thing is the people.”
And he added that “a good idea with a
mediocre entrepreneurial team may not
be successful, but a mediocre idea with
a good entrepreneurial team will most
likely work.”
The third module, Valuation of compa-
The latest edition was organised into five
nies and due diligence, dealt with how
modules: Introduction to the market of
to assess these emerging companies,
private investment, Investment oppor-
especially the ones with a high tech-
tunities and analysis, Valuation of com-
nological component, and with finan-
panies and due diligence, Investment:
cial and market due diligence. The
legal and tax factors, and Monitoring
speakers were Carles Trenchs, Head
and the exit process.
of Emprendedor XXI at “La Caixa”, and
Eduard Mendiluce, Director of Desen-
Developing the workshops
volupament Immobiliari Port Aventura.
The first workshop, Introduction to the
The next workshop, called Investment:
market of private investment, was an
legal and tax factors, dealt with how to
overview of the issue. It discussed the
draft the new company’s bylaws. The
figure of business angels, a network of
speaker was Ignasi Costas, a founding
private investors in Catalonia. In this
member of Rousaud Costas i Duran.
session, the general manager of Skype
Ricard Garriga pointed out that “it is
España spoke, as an example of an
quite a complex issue because if clear
entrepreneurial company that has been
entry conditions are not set, the exit
successful thanks to help from this type
process will not be trivial.”
of capital. Secondly, the journalist and
The last module, Monitoring and the
sociologist Manuel Campo Vidal spoke,
exit process, dealt with how once a
Innova La Salle
Different points in the workshop
53
ENTREPRENEURS
business angel has entered a company
and helped to shape it, he leaves it in
the hands of venture capital. This is
called the ‘exit process’ and it comes
when the investor wants back the
money he has injected into the company. In this case, the speakers were
Àngels Roqueta, General Manager of
Suma Capital, and Marc Lloveras, CEO
of Invertec.
The main goal of the school was
to professionalize the figure of
the business angel
Basically, our goal was to professionalize this world. As it is on the rise, we
wanted to provide tools so that these
THE UniBA NETWORK
The UniBA Network aims to be a benchmark
for private investors. Participants include
La Salle and the four other most prominent
Catalan universities: the University of
Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of
Barcelona, the Autonomous University of
Barcelona and the University of Girona.
The idea emerged at La Salle two years ago
with the La Salle Investors’ Club, which
sought private investors interested in highly
innovative projects. Every month it organised a
luncheon with 35 active business angels. Two
or three innovative companies would come,
and their entrepreneurs would present their
projects. The investors would then study these
projects to decide whether or not to invest.
was clear that this made no sense, because
investors were obliged to get in touch with all
the institutions in order to study the projects
coming from different networks.
For this reason the decision was taken to
create a single private investors network,
which would bring together the leading
Catalan university.
Thus the UniBA Network was formed. From
then on, a very heterogeneous group of private
investors that analyses highly innovative and
varied business plans was created..
It was seen that the network worked. As
every university already had or was starting
the process of creating their own network, it
people could work successfully.
54
Assessments
ment.” The coordinator of the Business
networks focused on different types
“The result was excellent,” claims Garriga.
Angels School proceeded to analyse the
of projects. Currently the one of most
“In addition to professionalizing this world,
situation with our neighbours on the
active ones is the UniBa Network,
we want these people to join the UniBA
European continent: “Europe is more
which specialises in innovative tech-
(University Business Angels) Network.”
conservative, and Spain is at the tail
nology and biotechnology projects at
As for the overall situation, he explains
end. England and France are the most
the university. With regard to Spain as
that “the global point of reference is
advanced, as they already have private
a whole, the process of creating private
Silicon Valley, where many companies
investor networks.”
investor networks is just getting under-
are created. For that reason there is
With regard to the situation in Cata-
way, with models very similar to the
extremely high level of private invest-
lonia, there are some private investor
Catalan ones. x
Innova La Salle
GETTING TO KNOW LA SALLE
MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES
During the past election campaign, La
­students at the school is not necessar-
Historically, roads, water channels, rail-
Salle became a meeting point of the
ily finding a job. This phase has already
ways, electricity and the like have been
different professional and business
been passed. Now the main concern
considered basic infrastructures. How-
associations of La Salle Engineering,
is professional development, either by
ever, these are now the infrastructures
in both the first and second cycles of
being able to grow within large compa-
of the 20th century.
study. The association and the school
nies with headquarters in Catalonia or
The infrastructures of the 21st century
served as hosts at a total of six gath-
by creating our own ­companies.
must include telecommunications as
erings with the representatives of the
The main concern is professional
a key factor in competitiveness, and
main political parties.
development, either by being able
in the near future, with the inclusion
ICV attended with Lluís Postigo, CiU
to grow within large companies with
of telecommunications in the health-
with Miquel Teixidó, PPC with Santiago
headquarters in Catalonia or by crea-
care and security sectors, they will
Rodríguez, PSC with Jordi Valls and ERC
ting our own companies.
be equally if not more important than
with Joan Puigcercós.
From a constructive standpoint, our
goal was to participate in developing the
political parties’ action plans by contributing what we think you as alumni are
asking of our representatives.
We also had another goal: to strive to
turn the La Salle Schools of Engineering
and Architecture into a neutral meeting
roads or electricity.
The main concern is professional
development, either by being
able to grow within large
companies headquartered
in Catalonia or by creating our
own companies
point where the representatives of our
The majority of political parties have
begun to include this language in their
discourses, and we are confident that
after these gatherings this will become
even more common. However, when
will we have a clear and formally communicated policy on telecommunications infrastructure? When will we have
a strategic telecommunications plan
society, both professionals and politi-
In order to accomplish this, we need
for our country? And, above all, when
cians, can discuss their proposals with
telecommunications to be given a
will specific actions be taken aimed at
the security and trust provided by a set-
prominent position as it is strategic
developing
ting that is politically neutral yet utterly
both in the sense of developing our
and telecommunications as both a ver-
committed to the professional develop-
current infrastructures as in attracting
tical and horizontal sector at the same
ment of students in the different degree
companies from the sector that will
level as those taken for the healthcare
programmes offered at the school.
also help to launch auxiliary compa-
and aeronautics sectors, which, by the
As an association, we believe that the
nies and indirectly create thousands
way, are hampered if they do not have
main concern of our members and
of jobs.
the proper telecommunications? x
Innova La Salle
information
technologies
55
CULTURE AND LEISURE
BILBAO: AN ECLECTIC, NUANCED CITY
The grey city. This is the cliché that weighed on Bilbao like a tonne of bricks until the Guggenheim was
built. The museum has become the symbol of a revolution in urban planning. But this modern image can
also become a reductionist vision of the capital of the region of Biscaia if we do not take into account
another architectural gem: the old part of town.
Text and images: Ivan Sànchez
“Bilbao is getting more interesting by
or this reason, one of the most interest-
The vestiges of this ancient village can
the day.” This sentence by author Pio
ing routes for visitors consists of follow-
be found in the old town, which you
Baroja has once again become valid.
ing the river from the old quarter to the
can easily reach via one of the most
While the energy crisis in the early
most modern area. By doing so, we can
advanced underground systems in
1980s left a desolate scene of indus-
travel through the city’s entire history
Europe. The stop leaves you at Una-
trial ruins in its wake, the architectural
from its mediaeval origins to its most
muno square, where your first impres-
transformation in the late 1990s has
futuristic expressions.
sion will be that you have left the city
catapulted the city onto the interna-
only to find yourself deposited in the
tional scene.
The old town
most rustic of villages. A bust of the
Its toponym comes from the term bi
Bilbao was founded in 1300 by Diego
writer and philosopher predominates
albo, which in Basque means ‘two
López de Haro, lord of Biscaia, who
just a few metres away, on Ronda
sides’. Indeed, the most populous city
granted the category of village to what
street.
in the Basque Country spans both
until then had been a small fishing and
A stroll through the narrow streets of the
banks of the Nerbion river.
farming village.
old quarter says everything: the shops
have names like the old butcher’s,
hat shop, grocer’s and ball’s, amongst
others. Right at the heart of this quarter,
where the city’s seven centuries of history is palpable, you can find the Santiago cathedral, a Gothic church built in
the late 14th century featuring a large
arched portal.
The spot where the old town meets the
river is scenic. A series of purely bourgeois-style houses with expansive windows seem to lean out over the water to
catch a glimpse of it.
Welcome to today’s Bilbao
Following the Nerbion, you will reach
the Uribiarte walkway designed by
architect Santiago Calatrava. It is like
a huge signal announcing that you are
entering the most futuristic facet of
Bilbao. If you leave it behind, you will
enter Abandoibarra, the former industrial port which has now become the
epicentre of this Basque city’s transformation.
56
Innova La Salle
CULTURE AND LEISURE
Futurism and modernity
in calcareous stone, others curved and
glass and titanium were computer-
Your eyes will inexorably be lured by an
twisted covered by a metallic titanium
designed. The glass curtain walls
imposing transatlantic steamer trapped
skin. These volumes are combined with
have been specially treated so that
on the banks of the Nerbion. The Gug-
glass curtain walls that make the entire
the daylight does not harm the works
genheim Museum, the masterpiece of
structure transparent.
of art inside, while the metallic panels
American architect Frank O. Gehry, is
Because of their mathematical com-
covering much of the building like fish
the unquestionable symbol of Bilbao’s
plexity, the sinuous curves of stone,
scales are titanium plates measuring
urban revitalisation. Its 3,300 pieces
of titanium make an outer covering
in which light and shadow clash in
an utterly anarchic battle. This scene
is not a frozen image, rather it is full
of dynamism, in which the undulating parts of the building twist in the
process of gestating a vast heap. This
apologi for chaos is completed by the
curtain-shaped windows, which form a
striking kaleidoscope.
The Guggenheim Museum,
the masterpiece of American
architect Frank O. Gehry,
is the unquestionable symbol
of Bilbao’s urban revitalisation
All these sensations are due to the
fact that the building is composed of
a series of interconnected volumes,
some of them orthogonal and covered
TENTH ANNIVERSARY
This year the Guggenheim Museum in
Bilbao is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Since it was opened on 19th October 1997,
more than nine million people have visited
it. Throughout this decade, the works of
Picasso, Andy Warhol, Eduardo Chillida,
Alexander Calder, Willem de Kooning and
Mark Rothko have been exhibited there. The
events commemorating this anniversary
include exhibitions by artists such as Pablo
Palazuelo, Anselm Kiefer and Albrecht Dürer.
Since October, the exhibition called Each
in their own Taste has displayed a set of
works commissioned to a group of emerging
Basque artists just for the occasion.
Innova La Salle
57
CULTURE AND LEISURE
a mere one millimetre thick, a mate-
flower from which a warm, cosy light
from the outside by their stone cladding.
rial that it easy to maintain and is quite
emanates to fill the space.
In contrast, there are nine more halls
durable.
The terrace, which can be reached
that feature a unique irregularity and are
The main entrance to the museum is
from the atrium and boasts views of
identifiable from the outside by their tita-
reached via Iparraguirre street, one of
the river and the water garden, is cov-
nium cladding.
the main streets in the city that cuts
ered by a canopy resting on a single
The largest works fit inside a gallery
through Bilbao on the diagonal, in an
stone pillar which serves a twofold
measuring 30 metres wide by 130
attempt to extend the city centre right
function: protection and aesthetics. A
metres long, which is totally devoid of
down to the very door of the museum.
broad ramp of stairs that sets out from
columns and has a floor covering that
By a broad staircase going down – a
the rear façade goes up to a sculptural
is especially made to withstand heavy
somewhat uncommon design on insti-
tower that was designed to absorb
traffic and the weight of the works it
tutional buildings – you can reach the
and integrate the Salvi bridge into the
showcases. x
museum lobby, which thus resolves the
architectural complex.
difference in height between the river
The three stories of galleries in the build-
and the street level. It also makes it pos-
ing are arranged around this central
sible for a building measuring 24,000
atrium and are connected via curved
square metres of surface area and over
walkways, glass lifts and towers of stair-
50 metres tall not to exceed the height
cases, like a metaphorical city. The
of the structures around it.
walkways that go up the inside walls are
like vertical motorways, and the plaster
58
Inside
curves crowning the atrium seem like
Once you have gone through the lobby
the nerves of this giant.
and entered the exhibition space, you
The building has a total of 11,000
will find yourself in an atrium, one of the
square metres of exhibition space dis-
most characteristic features of Gehry’s
tributed into 19 galleries. Ten of them are
designs. This lofty space is crowned
orthogonal in shape and more classical
by a skylight in the guise of a metallic
in appearance, and they are identifiable
EUSKALDUNA PALACE
The Euskalduna Palace of Congresses,
designed by architects Federico Soriano
and Dolores Palacios, was built using naval
technology. It symbolises the last ship built
in the former Euskalduna shipyards. The
building occupies 53,000 square metres,
and it features an auditorium with 2,164
seats and the largest stage in Spain and
the second largest in Europe (measuring
1,770 square metres). Montserrat Caballé
said that it was the most wonderful hall she
had ever sung in.
Innova La Salle
CULTURE AND LEISURE
CONSTANT EVOLUTION
The 3GSM World Congress brought together the main manufacturers and operators in mobile telephony
in Barcelona. Right now, integrating interactive multimedia services is these companies’ main challenge
By Abel Sierra
Until now the talk about integrating
The operators want each text message
Video also raises high hopes. Telefónica
interactive and multimedia services
sent to cost the same as current short
is developing video sharing, a hybrid
in a mobile telephone has been more
messages, although they are studying
option between traditional calls and
like a wish than a reality. At this edition
the possibility of offering a flat rate and
video calls, it is allows you to begin a
of the 3GSM World Congress, which
reaching an agreement with Messenger,
voice conversation
took place in Barcelona, it became
in which computers and mobile phones
images, if one of the users wants to
clear that many of the companies in
can share contacts and exchange
show the other something (while keep-
the sector have unveiled projects that
instant messages.
ing up hands-free conversations), and
achieve this goal and will shortly be on
the market. This is the case of Messenger for mobiles, which is about to be
commercialised. Telefónica and Vodafone are preparing to launch on the
Spanish market an alternative to this
and then shift to
then later go back to a voice call. For
Messenger for mobiles will
begin to be commercialised
in the near future
instant messaging programme, called
the time being, the terminals that can
support video sharing are the ones that
have the most features on the market,
while the sms 2.0 can be used on any
terminal that can support Java, which
now includes the majority.
sms 2.0, which is especially targeted
Finger-tip technology
towards young people, the group that
The Japanese multinational Toshiba
Nokia keeps innovating
uses it the most from both computers
has achieved fingerprint recognition on
For its part, Nokia has decided to focus
and mobile phones.
mobile telephony, and it has included
on GPS and has introduced this posi-
Nokia and Motorola have also launched
this is a safety feature in its new Portégé
tioning system into both its upcoming
models that include a keyboard on their
G500 and Portégé G900 models. There
cutting-edge terminal for business
terminals in order to use sms 2.0, which
is no doubt that this was one of the most
people, the I90 Communicator,
works as a messaging system in which
outstanding novelties presented at the
the specific Nokia 6110 Navigator.
users can see whether their contacts
congress. Toshiba has chosen Windows
Both devices will come with the Nokia
have the mobiles on and are available
Mobile as its programming platform for
maps application which allows you
or busy. The system of communication
these two new devices, which offer syn-
to plan routes, pinpoint restaurants,
is the usual sms or short text message.
chronisation between laptops and tel-
check travel guides or check the
One of the problems when commercial-
ephones in aspects such as e-mail and
weather forecasts.
ising this product is the fare system.
lists of contacts, amongst others.
What is more, the company is also
and
focusing on the use of Internet in its
mobile devices, with improved options
for email in its terminals and voice
over IP, the foundation of its three new
Eseries models.
The Finnish manufacturer was also the
focal point when it unveiled its new N77
model, which includes live TV and is
added – albeit in a smaller model – to
model N92 launched in 2005 with an
integrated antenna for mobile DVB-H
television signal technology. x
59
CULTURE AND LEISURE
Books
‘A SARRIÀ-SANT GERVASI: LES COTXERES’
Early in 2005, the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
de Sarrià by J. A. Coderch. Based on
headquarters of the Barcelona chapter
this exhibition, the book A Sarrià-Sant
of the Official Architects’ Association
Gervasi: Les Cotxeres was published.
of Catalonia (Col·legi d’Arquitectes de
This book is the culmination of the efforts
Catalunya) organised an exhibition
undertaken over the years and recalls
on the row of houses in Les Cotxeres
the value of an architect who produced
affordable works with international repercussions and has become a reference
point for many architects until today.
What makes this book interesting is
that it does not just compile information
about the Les Cotxeres de Sarrià project, rather it also includes texts from
lectures, conversations and reflections
dating from the time of the project and
about J.A. Coderch in general.
Each of them gives his vision of the
The authors of the book are Federico
importance of Coderch’s works in gene-
Correa, Carles Rochs and Josep M.
ral, and of this particular work, both
Rovira, and the editors are Julio Garnica
when it was constructed and how it has
and Josep Maldonado.
fared over time.
La Salle Architecture presents
a guide to the architecture of Mataró
The project originated from a study by students about the architecture
in their town. The faculty noted the quality of the study and suggested
that a series of guides be co-written by students and Magda Mària,
director of the project.
The architectural guide, called ‘Guia d’Arquitectura de Mataró’, was produced with
economic support from the Generalitat de Catalunya’s Department of Education. Two
previous projects published by the La Salle Architecture School include the guides to
L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Campdevànol. All three share a desire to educate and
get the most of architecture from Catalan towns, regardless of how many inhabitants
they have.
60
Innova La Salle
CALENDAR
INTERNET
‘Metges Catalans a l’exili’
Construmat 2007
Useful websites
In its 15th edition Construmat will continue being faithful to its innovative
policy in the areas of public housing,
avant-garde architecture and sustainable construction. This time it will also
include new activities and spaces to
The exhibition entitled ‘Metges Catalans
promote communication in the sector
a l’exili’ (Catalan doctors in exile), spon-
and generate opinions that help to find
¬ www.asfes.org/article61.html
sored by the Official Doctors’ Association
solutions for the future.
Arquitectes Sense Fronteres (Architects
of Barcelona (Col·legi Official de Metges
It will feature a new edition of APTM (this
Without Borders) is a non-governmental
de Barcelona) aims to pay homage to,
time, however, its discourse will revolve
organisation for development (NGOD).
and reclaim the historical memory of, the
around
This
university professors who were obliged to
housing), as well as Casa Barcelona,
professionals in the field of construc-
flee from the country to achieve a new
where you can see the outcome of the
tion that voluntarily work in cooperation
professional position after the Civil War.
work of a group of prestigious architects
projects in the fields of archaeology,
The exhibition focuses on the study by
and leading manufacturers in the sector.
urban planning, infrastructures, build-
professors in the Faculty of Medicine at
The International Construction Fair,
ing and the environment. You can find
the University of Barcelona, and through
organised by Fira de Barcelona, will be
information on its activities and projects
materials rescued from the past, it shows
held at the Montjuïc and Gran Via trade
on the website.
the degree of professionalism of these
fair grounds. Until 19th May 2007.
multi-habitats:
multipurpose
association
primarily
includes
doctors and the irreparable loss that
their exile meant to our country.
At the Col·legi Official de Metges de Barcelona, Pg. de la Bonanova, 47 – Sarrià
Sant Gervasi. Until 21st May 2007.
‘Offjectes. Concepts i dissenys
per a un canvi de segle’
¬ www.sidmar.es
This is a website devoted to spreading
Nowadays, emerging objects follow new
studies and services in the field of ocea-
models of experimentation which are
nographic engineering, which helps
often remote from enterprise and insti-
you to get an idea of and enjoy this
tutions, and design is revealed to be a
‘Leonardo, geni curiós’
transversal act. The exhibition entitled
With the exhibition entitled (Leonardo,
closer to nature. On this page you can
‘Offjectes. Concepts i dissenys per a
Curious Genius) the Museu Marítim de
learn about this engineering speciality
un canvi de segle’, (Offjects. Concepts
Barcelona is aiming to show the public
and find out about the main disciplines
and Designs for a Change in Century)
Leonardo da Vinci’s Atlantic Codex. This
and aspects making it up.
aims to be a tool for discovering items,
is an important compilation of drawings
creators and ways of doing things in the
and projects by the Renaissance genius
post-Olympic generation in the realm of
gathered together after his death. What
object design in our country.
is more, the show also displays a total
The show gathers together 104 items
of 23 models of the machines that da
from 70 different designers, a jumble of
Vinci designed.
all types of objects ranging from house-
The models exhibited include works
¬ www.rrhhmagazine.com
hold items and furnishings to lights and
of military art – like a rescue bridge,
RrhhMagazine is an online medium
rugs, toys for adults, installations, etc.
a wooden cannon and a tank – as well
specialising in information aimed at
At the Museu de les Arts Aplicades
as models for architecture and instru-
furthering knowledge about human
– Museu de les
ments for measurement and hydraulic
resources and business management.
Arts Decoratives,
engineering.
The website is an integrated working
Av. Diagonal, 686,
The exhibition, which opened on 15th
tool that is comprehensive, user-friendly
Les Corts. Until
March of this year, will be open to the
and effective, which human resources
15th April 2007.
public until 2nd September.
professionals can use on a daily basis.
Innova La Salle
academic discipline in a different way,
61