Marull (PwC): "UPF-BSM is essential for our development due to its academic level, its proximity to the business world and its different values"

"The UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM) is essential to our development. We value its academic level, its proximity to business world and its differential values". These were the words of Ignacio Marull, partner responsible for PwC in Catalonia and Andorra, during the opening lecture of the 2022-2023 academic year. The event was held in the Balmes Auditorium in the presence of students and faculty from the school, primarily from the Master in Accounting and Financial Management and the Master in Auditing and Financial Management, although it was also streamed for the entire UPF-BSM community.

Ignacio Marull, partner responsible for PwC in Catalonia and Andorra, calls on students to put "all their talent at the service of society and commit themselves to social projects"

In his speech, Marull called on the students and asked them to put "all your talent at the service of society" and to commit themselves "to projects of a markedly social nature". "The business world tends towards association and the same goes for leadership", warned the partner responsible for PwC in Catalonia and Andorra, who encouraged them to "be brave and take risks". "The old bossy way of command and control no longer works in organisations, only listening and confronting ideas does", he reminded them, and insisted on the need to "apply leadership that is permeable to people". In this sense, Marull admitted that "attitude is a differential actor" and, for this reason, "it is crucial to cultivate humanism, awareness and continuous training".  

UPF-BSM: a unique, quality school

"The UPF-BSM is a unique example of public-private collaboration: it stands out for its values, for its commitment to research and for its close relationship with people", said the Rector of the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Oriol Amat, who also praised the fact that it is a business school linked to a public university. Amat, who is fully familiar with the school of which he was dean, underlined its evolution in terms of knowledge transfer, with the creation of up to 14 business chairs, as well as the confidence that the UPF-BSM places in humanism and culture. "If you want, once you start the programs, the UPF and the UPF-BSM will accompany you forever", he concluded. 

In turn, the Director General of the school, José M. Martínez-Sierra, thanked the Rector for his path and explained the UPF-BSM's desire to "grow together and globally". "The reason why this school is unique is also because it pay attention to the little things", said Martínez-Sierra, who went on to say that "it is very difficult to achieve this level of excellence in a public centre". A level of quality certified by the achievement of two of the three major international accreditations which, he admitted, was already promoted in "times before me, such as the one led by the Rector".

The Dean pointed out that students will be the main beneficiaries of international accreditations, as "their degrees will be enhanced"

"We have taken the decision to put ourselves in the hands of international organisations and our goal is the triple crown", said the Dean of the UPF-BSM, Llorenç Bagur, who reminded all the students who will be the beneficiaries of these certifications: "your degrees will be enhanced". However, Bagur insisted on the fact that a master's degree "does not only entail knowledge", but that the aim of the school's programes "is to transform those who attend them and provide them with management skills and values that are often lacking in the business world".

More than 40% of international students

During the 2022-2023 academic year, nearly 1,700 students –more than 40% of whom are international– will pass through the classrooms of the UPF-BSM to study some of the 74 programs on offer. This is the case of  Fleur Obdeijn, student of the MSc in International Business;  Robert Orteu, student of the Executive MBA, and Wei Zhang, student of the Master of Arts in Communication Management. 

These three representatives of the 2023 class also took part in the opening ceremony and, in the words of Obdeijn, expressed their desire to have "space to improve personally and also to develop critical thinking in business". "Many of us do not come from a business background and I think this is good for diversity in the classroom", added the MSc in IB student, who celebrated the fact that the UPF-BSM "has brought business to the classroom from the very first minute, with the help of professors and leading companies".

Nearly 1,700 students will attend UPF-BSM during the academic year, more than 40% of whom are international

Orteu, who has a broader business background than his colleague, considers that the Executive MBA "is a step forward" in his career and a "breathing space". "Now I will be able to learn proactively and receive a lot of feedback from my colleagues, which will be ideal to get ideas in terms of team management".

"Be efficient, brave and kind. Work hard and play hard", said Zhang to her classmates, and especially to her fellow Chinese, whom she addressed in Mandarin to thank them for "their wholehearted support to participate in the event".