As has occurred since 2015, the UNESCOMED Center hosted the students of the Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability Master (SAES) of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) for the inauguration of the academic year on October 6^th.

The students were welcomed to Castell de Castellet, headquarters of the UNESCOMED Center, by Georgina Flame, director of the Abertis Foundation, Roser Maneja, scientific coordinator of the UNESCOMED Center and research deputy director of the Forestry Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Mari Carmen Romera, technical coordinator of the UNESCOMED Center, and Professor Marc Parés, form the geography department at UAB.

During their visit, the master students had the chance to learn about the work of the UNESCOMED Center, particularly about applied research in Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves, and to reflect on professional and research opportunities linked with biosphere reserves, UNESCOMED, and the CTFC through the experience of the alumnus of the SAES Master program.  The highlight of the event was the inspiring conference “Promoting resilient landscapes: biorefineries and bioeconomy implementation,” delivered by Neus Puy, head of the Bioeconomy, Health, and Governance program at the CTFC.