Rovira I Virgili University - University Institutes

University Institutes

• Institute of Education Sciences of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (ICE)

The Institute of Education Sciences (ICE) is a university institute that provides such services as teacher training, educational innovation and technical consultancy at a variety of educational levels.

At the moment, the ICE focuses on the fields of lifelong learning for non-university teaching staff, language normalization for primary- and secondary-school teachers, the training of university graduates who wish to teach in secondary education and the organization of preparatory courses for students.

The ICE is very aware of the importance of lifelong learning based on the new information technologies for academic staff.

• Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC)

The Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology is a public research centre created in the year 2000 by the Catalan Government and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, with the participation of the Inter-university Council of Catalonia. It aims to carry out research, teach advanced courses and provide information about classical civilization and culture. It is housed in a building belonging to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and the Tarragona City Council.

As well as organizing various lines of research in classical archaeology, the Institute also provides a master’s degree in classical archaeology in conjunction with the Universitat Rovira I Virgili and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

• Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ)

The Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ), which aims to become a referent for chemistry in the European Research Area, is the research institute that provides the talent and the leadership to improve quality of life by applying chemistry at the cutting edge of knowledge.

Its mission is to use molecular science to drive cross-sectional strategies and solve socially and economically important problems, thus contributing to the implementation of a knowledge-based economy and an improvement in the quality of life of the population.

• Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES)

The Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution is a transdisciplinary, advanced research institute that was founded in 2006. Its objectives are to carry out scientific research programmes in the earth and life sciences, promote their socialization and use the results in prospective social research of an evolutionary nature.

Human palaeoecology is human ecology over time. This way of understanding reality allows us to anticipate the evolution of human societies.

On the basis of the Institute’s research, third-cycle courses are taught at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. The Institute’s main activities, then, are research, teaching and the socialization of knowledge.

The IPHES aims to contribute to the merger of the earth and life sciences with the social sciences. We hope to transform information into education, and knowledge into thought with a holistic approach to reality.

• Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV)

The Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV) promotes, conducts, manages and communicates health and biomedical research, and research training. To achieve this last objective, IISPV organizes a programme in research training and it has entered into collaboration agreements with health institutions and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili to share initiatives and resources.

The Institute conducts various lines of research. One of them is nutrition and health, a field in which it has leading groups in both hospitals and the University. There is a project underway to link the research and business activity that is taking place within the Tecnoparc, in Reus, to which the IISPV will contribute all of its human and technical potential.

Another field of study is obesity, metabolic disease and cardiovascular risk, which involves leading national and international groups from the Sant Joan University Hospital (Reus), the Joan XXIII University Hospital (Tarragona) and the URV. These groups belong to CIBER and they carry out basic, translational and clinical research.

Professionals from a variety of hospitals collaborate in the area of oncology: the Verge de la Cinta Hospital in Tortosa (basic research into lymphomas), the Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus (clinical and epidemiological research into cancer) and the Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona (clinical research).

The area of neurosciences and mental health collaborates with the Pere Mata Psychiatric University Hospital in Reus. They are national pioneers in the study of genetic determinants of various psychiatric diseases. Some groups from the Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona lead the field in research on pain.

The area of health and environment analyzes the impact of various components in the environment (toxics, microorganisms) on people’s health. It includes groups that specialize in toxicology and others that research into microorganisms and infectious diseases, belonging both to the University and the health institutions.

Finally, there is the area of clinical innovation, which includes all specialist staff who work in research that does not belong to the areas described above.

• Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC)

The URV is a member of the IREC board, the aim of which is to contribute to the sustainable development of society and increase the competitiveness of companies through innovation and the development of new technological products. It is also involved in medium- and long-term research, and scientific development and technological knowledge in the field of energy.

At the same time, the Institute aims to become a centre of excellence and an international benchmark organization in the established technological areas through research, technological development, innovation and work in coordination with the government, companies and universities.

The main goals of IREC, then, are to - promote and carry out research into energy to obtain results of high scientific and technological value in the medium and long term; - drive the development of the research lines in energy technology approved by the Institute and adapt them to the demands of the sector; - provide engineering services with high added value to companies in the energy sector; - act as a strategic consultant for the government on energy issues; - construct a collaboration network with the major national and international energy technology and research centres; - provide companies and entrepreneurs with the technological innovations resulting from the Institute’s research; - take part in the specialized training of Catalan university students; and - make the Institute’s laboratories and equipment available to university departments.

The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) was created to contribute to the objective of creating a more sustainable future for energy usage and consumption, bearing in mind economic competitiveness and providing society with the maximum level of energy security.

The research requires long-term vision if the energy challenges of the future are to be identified. The Institute also works on developing technologies that will enable companies to implement immediate innovative solutions.

The technological and research areas of IREC are lighting, thermal energy and building, bioenergy and biofuels, offshore wind energy, power electronics and electrical networks, and advanced materials for energy.