The IES Abroad Barcelona Center is located in the center of Barcelona near the Plaza Catalunya. Features include:

  • High-speed and wireless Internet access
  • Multimedia classrooms
  • Study lounges with printers
  • Large outdoor terrace with social and study space
Center staff: 

Dr. Cèsar Alegre Alsina
IES Abroad Director
Originally from Barcelona, Dr. Alegre speaks Spanish, Catalan, and English fluently. He brings more than twenty years of experience in higher education to IES Abroad, including a distinguished teaching career in the United States, experience in student services, and a strong research portfolio. Dr. Alegre is a linguist specializing in second language acquisition, pedagogy, bilingualism and sociolinguistics. Previously, Dr. Alegre served as the Dean of Spanish for IES Abroad Barcelona, where he distinguished himself as the coordinator of language teaching by implementing numerous curricular and technological improvements. Notably, Dr. Alegre launched internet-based teaching tools and an on-line language placement test. Student evaluations of the Spanish language courses and the language faculty have been consistently high under his direction.

IES Abroad Staff

Jane Ewart
Head of Registration and Advising

Francesc Fontes
Administration Coordinator

Pilar Gracia
Administration Coordinator

Salvador Ortiz
Outside Courses and Customized Programs Coordinator

Noemí Polo
Student Affairs Coordinator - Health and Safety, Homestays 

María Romero
Assistant Dean of Faculty 

Olga Sánchez
Student Affairs Associate - Health and Safety

Beatriz Taberner
Coordinator of Educational Resources and Publications

Ferran Teres
Student Affairs Coordinator - Apartments 

Betsey Tufano
General Manager and Director of Administration

Alex Walker
Director of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty   

Margherita Mangini
Center Administrator

Matthew Clear
Area Faculty Advisor

María Mejías
Language Faculty Advisor

Ignasi Pérez
Area Faculty Advisor

Ataúlfo Portela
Language Faculty Advisor

Laura Vázquez
Language Faculty Advisor
 

Faculty
Cèsar Alegre
Spanish Language
Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics, University of Massachussets and Amherst

John Frederick Anderson
Master of Arts in Documentary Photography, University of Wales College Newport, UK  Sandra Becerril
Spanish Language

Nieves Borrego
Spanish Language

Rosa Brion
Spanish Language
Ph.D. (in progress) Linguistics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra 

Luis Cardona
Oceanography
Ph.D. in Biology, Universitat de Barcelona 

Laura Cervi
PhD. in Political Science, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain- Università degli Studi di Pavia, Italy

Alistair Charles
Internships
MBA, University of Brighton 

Matthew Clear
Art History
Ph.D. in Mediterranean History, University of Sussex 

Josep María Contreras
Spanish Language

Xavier De Pedro
Environmental Studies, Sociology
Ph.D. in Biology, Universitat de Barcelona 

Gemma Draper
Master in Fine Arts. Cranbrook Academy of Art. Bloomfield Hills, MI 

Alexander Walker
Urban Studies
Ph.D. in Planning Studies, University College London

Marina Díaz
History
Ph.D. in History, Tufts University 

Verónica Fajardo
Literature

Laura Vázquez
Spanish Language
Ph.D. (in progress) in Teaching of Language and Literature, Universitat de Barcelona

Josep Grau
History
Ph.D. in History, Universitat Pompeu Fabra 

Dawn Hiscock
Anthropology, Sociology

Jeannine Horowitz
International Business
Ph.D. in Genetics/Biochemistry, University of East Anglia/John Innes Institute

Sinan Hosadam
Political Science
Ph.D. (in progress) in Political and Social Science, Graduate Center, City University of New York 

Pep Inglés
Catalan
Ph.D. (in progress) in Spanish as a Second Language, Universitat de Barcelona 

Christopher Kennet
PhD of Philosophy in Sports Management, Loughborough University, UK

Beth Kuhnlein
Management
Ph.D. (in progress) in Management Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull 

Camila Loew
Literature
Ph.D. in Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra 

Raúl Lozano
Spanish Language
Ph.D. in Hispanic Philology, Universitat de Barcelona

Marga García Bolivar
Spanish Language
Ph.D. in Spanish Literature and Linguistics, Temple University

Meritxell Martín
Religious Studies
Ph.D. in History of Religions, University of Virginia 

James McGlade
History, Archaeology
Ph.D. in Archaeology, Cambridge University

María Mejias
Spanish Language
Ph.D. (in progress) in Education Studies, Universitat de Barcelona 

Wim Mellaerts
History
Ph.D. in History, University of East Anglia 

Laura Mier
Ph.D. in Literature, 15th Century Spanish Literature, University of Salamanca

Mauricio Molina
PhD in Philosophy Music, City University of New York 

Jay Moran
International Business
MBA, Emory University

Iolanda Nieves
Spanish Language

Nuria Plaza
Spanish Language
Ph.D. (in progress) in Philology, 17th Century Spanish Literature, Universitat de Barcelona

Ataúlfo Portela
Spanish
M.A. Spanish, Miami University, Oxford Ohio 

Ignasi Pérez
History, Political Science
Ph.D. in Political Science with European Honors (Doctor Europeo), Universitat de Barcelona/University of Florence

Adil Qureshi
Psychology
Ph.D. in Counceling Psychology, University of Southern CA 

Montserrat Suárez
Environmental Science
M.S. Marine Environmental Sciences, Stony Brook University, New York

Carles Roca
Communications
Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Manchester

Daniel Rodriguez
Máster Spanish Teaching as a Foreign Language, University of Granada

Carme Ruiz
Communications
Ph.D. in Archaeology, University if Texas at Austin 

F. Javier San Julián Arrupe
PhD in History and Civilisation, European University Institute, Firenze

Isabel Sanchez
Art History

Nuria Silvestre
Spanish Language

Karen Smyth
Psychology
Ph.D. in Mental Health, Trinity College, Dublin

Anna Solé del Barrio
Master Degree in Economic History, Universitat de Barcelona 

Ian Stephens
B.A. Sports and Recreation Studies, Madeley College of Physical Educattion, Staffordshire University, UK 

Suzanne Strum
Urban Studies
Ph.D. (in progress) in Architectural Theory and History