
Letter from the President and the Director
Narcís Serra & Jacint Jordana
The year 2022 has been a year of consolidation for IBEI, during which several large research projects were initiated, and the number of master’s students has significantly increased, particularly compared to a few years ago. Currently, IBEI has two Erasmus Mundus programmes running, which have also played a crucial role in the Institute’s institutional consolidation. Additionally, IBEI has been continuously building extensive scholarly networks in Europe and beyond.
However, IBEI is not just about numbers; over the years, it has evolved into a dynamic community with diverse voices. Within this vibrant community, we foster a culture of rich and intricate conversations, nurturing shared discourses and mutual understanding on pressing issues within the realm of international affairs.
The persistence of war in Europe, a growing world polarization and regionalization, or the multiple challenges of international security and development are highly debated topics. Pursuing the master’s programmes at IBEI has given students the opportunity to contrast these issues from different perspectives and values with fellow students and teaching staff from around the world. In this sense, we encourage diverse interactions at IBEI concerning current world challenges and the nuances of addressing international politics and globalization challenges. These interactions will substantially support and enrich students’ professional careers in the future.
Promoting excellent research lies at the core of IBEI’s aims, and 2022 has witnessed a significant expansion of research productivity, with an increase in the number and quality of articles and books published by IBEI researchers. We anticipate this trend to continue in the coming years, enabling our researchers to gain broader visibility and take a leading role in significant research topics. Moreover, we aim to facilitate the transfer of knowledge to policymakers and concerned citizens more generally. Consequently, we expect IBEI faculty to be even more engaged in global conversations and to make relevant contributions that enhance the understanding of global governance, security, and development.
IBEI’s internal diversity, focusing on relevant problems cutting across different academic disciplines while maintaining connections with a large number of international scholarly and professional networks, will likely contribute positively to achieving this purpose.

Jacint Jordana
IBEI Director
Narcís Serra
IBEI President


Graduate Programmes
A community of just over 300 students,
in which there is a real possibility to forge lasting friendships and professional contacts.
The Master’s degrees are accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Education
and are awarded by renowned Barcelona universities:

Other Programmes
4
Summer
Schools
Combining a graduate school
and research institute, IBEI unites research,
education, and policy engagement.
3
Online
programmes
Jointly offered by IBEI and Universitat
Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)
Specialization Course
New Challenges of
Global Governance
Specialization Course
International Relations, Geopolitics and Global Governance
Postgraduate Diploma in
Geopolitics and Global
Governance
3
Executive
programmes

Alumni

Annika Gostowski
Master’s in International Relations 2012-2013
Gender Equality and Private Sector Partnerships Specialist,
UN Resident Coordinator’s Office
Montevideo (Uruguay)
“Be patient and keep an open mind. Building a career in the field of international development or diplomacy is not easy. Take the opportunity to learn about different topics from the wide range of courses at IBEI and from fellow students from different backgrounds and world views. Doors may open in the most unexpected places and ways.”

Bastian Koop
Master’s in International Relations 2020-2021
Policy Officer, Directorate-General for
International Partnerships, European Commission
Brussels (Belgium)
“I greatly appreciate the time I spent studying at IBEI, especially the high level of flexibility to design the MIR program exactly according to your individual interest and thus optimally prepare for your future career path. Additionally, I was very happy to study alongside open-minded and intelligent fellow students, some of which have become very dear friends of mine.”

Marija Obradovic
Master’s in International Security 2014-2015
Head Legal Analyst, Tamarind Intelligence
Barcelona (Spain)

Austin Ruckstuhl
Master’s in International Relations 2015-2016
Messenger Policy Manager, Meta (formerly Facebook)
Remote (USA)
“My experience at IBEI was very positive. Professors are very knowledgeable, and the majority has good instruction skills and a way of keeping the lectures and discussions interesting. I enjoyed IBEI’s guest lectures and discussions on their respective papers. I miss the interesting daily conversations and debates in classes. The world has changed since 2014, and often I wish to be a fly on the wall in IBEI classrooms and hear the contemporary exchanges. The admission office and student coordinators were always extremely nice and helpful.”
“The program taught me how to think through formal theoretical approaches and conduct rigorous research, which I still use today. I also learned how to think deeply about complex issues while considering diverse perspectives. It also opened doors for me that I had previously not been able to access. The year before IBEI, I was managing a restaurant in Los Angeles. Now I work on one of the largest Tech Policy teams in the world.”

Diego Redondo Cripovich
Master’s in International Relations 2017-2018
Legal Officer, International Organization for Migration
Erbil (Iraq)

Susana Gonzalez Ruiz
Master’s in International Relations 2004-2005
Director of Knowledge & Foresight, AMEC
Barcelona (Spain)
“The Master programme gave me the opportunity to learn how to think and express ideas in a structured and scientific manner; a skill much useful when designing, implementing, and reporting on humanitarian projects. Moreover, the support and freedom provided to me while conducting the final dissertation helped me further dig into human rights frameworks, specifically how LGBTQI+ rights and colonialism intersect. These frameworks have shaped the way I understand humanitarian work, institutions, and development.”
“After having studied Sociology, I realized that what really appealed to me was the difference among different cultures and societies. The IBEI Master’s in International Relations offered me a wide approach to this from economics, politics, culture, and law. Apart from learning all these different aspects of international relations, I’d like to highlight the experience of working with students from many other countries and learning from teachers who are experts in their respective fields.”

Rebekah Quixano Henriques
Master’s in International Development 2020-2021
Communications and Engagement Coordinator, Tzedek
London (UK)

João Lobo
Master’s in International Relations 2008-2010
Project Analyst, Union for the Mediterranean
Barcelona (Spain)
“The professors I had always seemed open to debate and appreciated input. They were demanding but also understanding. The support provided by my personal tutor(s) were exceptional. On the whole, they did their best to make their classes engaging and up-to-date. The courses I took gave me the vital knowledge needed to teach young people about topics of social justice. The capacity approach, Colonialism, Development models, writing proposal forms, migration, poverty, sustainability, governance and GDP are now all topics I can confidently discuss.”
“At 40 years old I arrived at Barcelona wanting to make a radical change in my personal and professional career. I was looking for a wide-open programme. Since I was a kid, I had been passionate about international relations. IBEI programme’s curriculum seemed fascinating, and the part time option looked perfect, as I had a part-time job at the time. It gave me a proper framework to work on international relations’ matters. Furthermore, courses such as those on Euro-Mediterranean Relations and European Policies, in particular, were very much related with what I am currently doing.”

Faculty & Research
Faculty & Research
Researchers 2022
10
University Associated & Full Professors
6
Associate Professors
5
Tenure-track Professors
9
Research Fellows & Senior Research Fellows
Male 52%
48% Female
62
Faculty & Researchers
22+
Nationalities
15
Postdoctoral Fellows
17
Research Assistants & PhD Trainees
+80
16
12
Affiliated Faculty
Faculty & Research Visitors to IBEI
IBEI Researchers visiting other institutions
Training & Scientific events
42
Research Seminars
12
6
2
Lectures
Workshops
Workshops
Events during 2022
62
Events
48
International Speakers
25
Ongoing
Research Projects
Publications 2022
47
Papers published in high impact
peer-reviewed journals (Q1-Q2)
5
11
9
4
Papers published in other
peer-reviewed journals
Agency for Management
of Universities
and Research
Grants (AGAUR)
Spanish
Research
Agency
(AEI)
European
Commission
8
Books and monographs
7
Books chapters
Scientific Council
Director, IBEI. Professor, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Senior Research Associate, IBEI. Professor, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Professor, Universitat
Oberta de Catalunya
Senior Research Associate,
IBEI. Professor, Universitat
de Barcelona
Juan Díez Medrano
Senior Research Fellow,
IBEI. Professor, Universidad Carlos III Madrid
Caterina Garcia
Professor,
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Research Professor, IBEI. Professor, University of York
Research Coordinator &
Associate Professor, IBEI
Robert Kissack
Head of Studies &
Associate Professor, IBEI