A strong commitment is needed over the next five years to consolidate Barcelona as University World Capital.

• UNESCO's World Conference on Higher Education is held every 10 years. This year it leaves Paris for the first time and we are hosting it in Barcelona.

• UNESCO trusted ACUP/GUNi to make this event possible in our country.

The digital media of the Barcelona City Council have interviewed the Executive Secretary of ACUP and Director of the GUNI network, Josep Maria Vilalta. They have talked with him about the state of the Catalan Public Universities and the UNESCO Conference on Higher Education that will take place from 18 to 20 May in Barcelona.

But the interview also reflects on other issues that have an impact on universities, such as gender inequalities, professional opportunities for graduates, the link between the university system and other models of education, and lifelong learning.

The publication also points out what will happen after the Conference, where UNESCO wants to approve a roadmap with objectives and strategies for the future of education, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

If you want to read the whole interview, you can follow this link: "We aspire to be an international benchmark in university matters".