New Director at the ETSEIB (UPC)
Professor Amaia Lusa was recently appointed as the new Director of the Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB), a center that has long supported innovative initiatives such as the Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technologies and Economic Analysis, developed in collaboration with the BEST Foundation.
Academic background and career
Amaia Lusa is a full professor in the Department of Business Organization at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). She holds a degree in Industrial Organization Engineering and a PhD from the same university. She has been affiliated with ETSEIB since 1997, where she has taught subjects related to quantitative methods, organization engineering, and logistics. Before becoming Director, she served as deputy director and head of studies for the later phases of undergraduate programs and the Master’s in Industrial Engineering.
Election process and program
Her appointment was made official on March 12, 2025, in a ceremony presided over by Rector Daniel Crespo, succeeding Enric Fossas, who held the position since December 2021. In the elections held from February 17 to 20, 2025, her candidacy “Futur ETSEIB” received 64.9% of the weighted votes, surpassing Joan Gabriel Bergas, professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, who received 35.1%.
As director, Amaia Lusa leads a team committed to the comprehensive review of academic programs, transforming ETSEIB into a modern and welcoming space, and strengthening collaborations with institutions and companies. She also aims to integrate sustainability and social commitment principles into all degrees, enhance high-quality research, and support activities that contribute to students’ holistic development.
The new leadership and the BEST Foundation
One of ETSEIB’s most notable projects is the Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technologies and Economic Analysis, jointly offered by UPC and Pompeu Fabra University. Launched in the 2018–2019 academic year, this program combines core engineering knowledge with fundamental courses in economics. Its interdisciplinary training, international mobility opportunities, and close ties with industry are key features.
The Barcelona Education in Science and Technology (BEST) Foundation, established in summer 2017 by UPC, UPF, Barcelona Global, and FemCAT, supports this degree. The Foundation serves as a bridge between companies interested in promoting, attracting, and developing talent and the universities. Through its scholarship and support programs, it has consistently provided substantial funding—for example, €60,000 in scholarships in 2022 alone.
Under Amaia Lusa’s leadership, ETSEIB is expected to continue supporting initiatives like this one, which combine academic excellence with business collaboration to train professionals ready to face the challenges of tomorrow’s industry.
