Historic agreement between the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia and the University of Barcelona to promote research, training and dissemination of archaeological heritage

News | Culture | Institutional
(09/07/2024)
On 9 July, the University of Barcelona and the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia (MAC) signed a framework collaboration agreement. This agreement, formalized by the rector, Joan Guàrdia, and the director of the MAC, Jusèp Boya, has as its main objective to promote research, training and dissemination of Catalonia’s archaeological heritage.
News | Culture | Institutional
09/07/2024
On 9 July, the University of Barcelona and the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia (MAC) signed a framework collaboration agreement. This agreement, formalized by the rector, Joan Guàrdia, and the director of the MAC, Jusèp Boya, has as its main objective to promote research, training and dissemination of Catalonia’s archaeological heritage.
The agreement covers several areas of action, including research in nautical and underwater archaeology, as well as research at archaeological sites managed by the MAC. The UB, through its Institute of Archaeology (IAUB), and the MAC have established a close collaboration to develop joint projects that include organizing exhibitions, talks, courses and conferences aimed at bringing archaeological knowledge to the public.
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In addition, priority will be given to the practical training of UB undergraduate and master’s degree students in archaeology, who will be offered opportunities to participate in excavation and museology projects. This collaboration will give students access to the MAC’s collections and sites, thus enriching their academic and practical training.

Both institutions have agreed to contribute their human resources and infrastructures to ensure the success of the joint projects. The IAUB accepts the MAC as an affiliated institution for research purposes, while the MAC facilitates access to its resources for UB researchers. In addition, a monitoring committee is to be set up to coordinate and evaluate the activities arising from this agreement, to ensure its proper development and maximize the benefits of the collaboration.
The agreement marks a new chapter in academic and cultural collaboration, promoting research, training and the dissemination of Catalan archaeological heritage.
This agreement represents a step forward in the dissemination and conservation of Catalan archaeological heritage, as it places the UB and the MAC as leaders in archaeological research. The synergy created between these two institutions will not only enrich scientific knowledge, but will also contribute to a greater dissemination of Catalonia’s cultural and scientific heritage among the public.
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This initiative also reaffirms the commitment of the UB and the MAC to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage, as it creates new opportunities for researchers and students, and adds value to Catalan society as a whole.

During the signing ceremony, the director of the IAUB, Miguel Ángel Cau, stressed the “strategic importance of the agreement with the aim of turning Barcelona into a centre of archaeological attraction”. Likewise, the director of the MAC, Jusèp Boya, stressed the historical importance of the Museum, “founded in 1932, under the encouragement of the fathers of political Catalanism”, and the fact that “the UB and the MAC once again share their history of love for Catalan heritage”. The rector of the UB, Joan Guàrdia, recalled the figure of the archaeologist and rector Pere Bosch i Gimpera, “a key figure in both institutions”, and pointed out that “in the university imaginary no one can conceive of a first-rate university without powerful archaeological research”.

Last April, the Government of Catalonia approved the award of the Narcís Monturiol Medal for scientific and technological merit to ten researchers in the Catalan knowledge system (six men and four women), and the Narcís Monturiol Plaque, which recognizes MAC’s work.
 

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