School of Mathematics and Statistics (UPC)

The School of Mathematics and Statistics at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), also known as FME (from its Catalan acronym), is the faculty responsible for teaching and research in the fields of mathematics and statistics, as its name suggests. The faculty offers undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Statistics, the latter being jointly offered with the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Barcelona (UB). Additionally, FME provides Master's programs in Applied Mathematics and Mathematical Engineering (MAMME), as well as a Master's in Statistics and Operations Research (MESIO).

Located under Barcelona's Diagonal Avenue, the faculty is part of the South Campus of UPC. Along with other faculties, such as the Faculty of Physics and Chemistry at the University of Barcelona, FME is located in an area known as the University Zone (Zona Universitària in Catalan), a ibrant academic district that hosts several higher education institutions and research centers.

History

The School of Mathematics and Statistics was founded in the Olympic year of 1992, following a letter from the then President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Jordi Pujol, to the then Rector of UPC, professor Gabriel Ferraté Pascual, dated April 11, 1987:

Ferraté, I know that Hewlett-Packard has complained about not finding "business mathematicians." What is a business mathematician? Is it serious that we don't have them? Should we create these programs of study? Can we do it?

The President's concern about the lack of specialized education in mathematics and statistics in Catalonia even reached the Parliament of Catalunya, aligning with the growing needs and perspectives of the university itself.

Professor Jaume Pagès i Fita, who was then the Vice-Rector for Academic Organization at UPC, played a key role in driving and solidifying the project. This effort resulted in the official establishment of the faculty in October 1992, with the launch of the Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and the Diploma in Statistics. Over time, the faculty expanded its academic offerings, adding the Bachelor's degree in Statistical Science and Techniques, as well as the joint degree in Telecommunications Engineering and Mathematics, which would later evolve into the current CFIS academic excellence program.

List of all the deans of the school

The deans of the faculty to date have been:

Joan Solá-Morales Rubio (1992 - 1997), Pere Pascual Gainza (1997 - 2003), Sebastià Xambó Descamps (2003 - 2009), Jordi Quer Bosor (2009 - 2015), Jaume Franch (2015 - 2023), Jordi Guàrdia Rúbies (2023 - present).