Today, November 3rd, the International Day of Biosphere Reserves is celebrated around the world, a date meant to recognize the essential role of these territories in conserving biodiversity, promoting sustainable ways of life, and fostering research and education.
“Biosphere Reserves are demonstrative spaces of the transformation the world needs to move toward a more sustainable future.”
— Antonio Abreu, Secretary of UNESCO’s MAB Programme.
To mark this occasion, the International Center for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves, with the support of the Abertis Foundation, anticipated the celebration with a very special event: the inauguration of the Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies on Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability (ICTA-UAB), which took place on October 24, 2025, at the Castellet Castle (Castellet i la Gornal, Barcelona).
The event, organized within the framework of the International University Campus on Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves, brought together more than forty students beginning their training in sustainability, with the aim of recognizing the value of Biosphere Reserves and the importance of applied and participatory research as a driver of transformation.
The opening session featured the participation of Alessandra Besana (Manager of the Abertis Foundation), Núria Pou (Coordinator of the International Center), and Alaitz Zabala (Coordinator of the master’s program at the UAB), who highlighted the value of public-private collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches to advance toward a more sustainable future.
During the event, Núria Pou and Alba Bonàs, Coordinator of the Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves Network (MedMAB), presented the operational framework of Biosphere Reserves and the MedMAB network collaboration platform. The role of the Reserves as true living labs was emphasized—living spaces where science, management, and local communities converge to co-create innovative solutions to the challenges of global change.
The conference “Resilient Landscapes: Integrating Science, Bioeconomy and Territorial Management” was also presented by Olivia Cason, researcher at the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC). Within the framework of the RES-MAB project, and through the creation of participatory digital mapping, Cason showed how data analysis, knowledge exchange, and field experimentation make it possible to generate useful tools for decision-making. These tools help model and visualize future scenarios, fostering integrated territorial management where ecological, economic, and social dimensions converge to build more resilient landscapes.
The event concluded with remarks by Eduard Ariza, professor of the Interdisciplinary Concepts module, who underscored the importance of diversity and collaboration in the transformation toward more sustainable societies, and highlighted the opportunity this represents for students to learn about initiatives such as those of the International Center and the MedMAB network.
With this event, the International Center for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves strengthens its commitment to training future professionals and highlights Biosphere Reserves as spaces of innovation and learning where local solutions to global challenges are generated.
Watch the video summary of the event to commemorate the International Day of Biosphere Reserves:
8 October 2026
The International University Campus for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves brings together students and researchers at Castellet Castle
19 May 2026
A Geography student from the Autonomous University of Barcelona carried out fieldwork in Morocco within the framework of the International University Campus on Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves.
The research explores socio-ecological resilience in the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve in response to climate change and sustainable development challenges.
Visits to rural communities and WEFE Nexus-based initiatives helped connect academic research with local knowledge on sustainable resource management.
18 March 2026
Students, experts, and supervisors of the International University Campus for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves came together on March 12 for a vibrant research seminar.
The session sparked new collaborations, aligned methodologies, and strengthened links with ongoing research lines at the Center and across the MedMAB network.
On March 12, the International University Campus for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves hosted a collaborative seminar bringing together all students currently developing their Bachelor’s and Master’s Theses, or PhD research. The event was also attended by the Center’s scientific and technical team, along with the supervisors guiding each academic project, creating a rich environment for dialogue and co-learning.
The aim of the seminar ...
