La Salle Campus Barcelona, a founding member of the Universitat Ramon Llull, consolidates the growth of its School of Business through the integration of business, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship from a humanistic perspective. Business & Management studies began more than 25 years ago and have since experienced exponential growth. The natural evolution of these programmes, originally embedded within the School of Engineering, led to the creation of the La Salle-URL International Faculty of Digital Commerce and Economy (FICEDLS) in 2020, with Francesc Miralles as its first dean and Chris Kennett as its second and current dean.
Our Business & Management programmes were born within a School of Engineering on a high-tech campus, which underpins an educational model based on the integration of business and technology, key to staying at the forefront of the digital landscape. Over the past decade, undergraduate programmes have grown to exceed 1,000 students and have established themselves as a benchmark in Spain. In the coming years, we will strengthen social impact, attract international faculty, and reinforce alumni engagement with the aim of fostering lifelong learning
Chris Kennett, Dean of the School of Business
Internationalisation and excellence accreditations
The School of Business is the largest centre on campus in terms of student numbers. It currently has more than 1,000 undergraduate students. The programmes with the highest enrolment are the Bachelor’s Degree in Business for Technology Management, the first degree in Spain accredited by EFMD, and the Master’s Degree in Project Management, recognised by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and featured in several rankings.
The growth in the number of undergraduate students in recent years reflects increasing confidence in the Business School’s academic project. It is not just about numbers: behind each new student there is a commitment to rigorous education, closely connected to the business world and with a clearly international outlook. This growth motivates us and, at the same time, challenges us to continue improving the learning experience in every respect
Imma Pallejà, Academic Director of Undergraduate Business Programmes
The excellence of Business & Management programmes is combined with a strong commitment to internationalisation, reflected in the diversity of student and faculty nationalities. In this regard, the School promotes double degree programmes with partners in Europe, Asia, and the United States, such as Tilburg University, and is a founding member of the La Salle Business School Alliance, together with 30 business schools from the International Association of La Salle Universities (IALU). Chris Kennett currently serves as Vice President of this alliance.
At the postgraduate level, always at the forefront of societal needs, the School is launching a new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence for Business Management and celebrates one of the key milestones of the academic year: the 40th anniversary of the MBA. The programme began in 1985 as a result of La Salle’s experience in the United States, derived from its long-standing presence in the business school sector, and features a technological approach focused on global leadership, entrepreneurship, and the ethical application of AI.
Remaining relevant for four decades means not only having a history, but also having been able to adapt to highly diverse business contexts, changes in management, and profound transformations in the global economy. This trajectory provides us with credibility, experience, and a solid foundation on which to continue evolving. Our MBA is a well-established academic project, yet dynamic, with a real capacity for adaptation that is materialising today, and with a future focused on further strengthening its connection with major technological changes. The challenge is no longer just to train managers with technical knowledge, but professionals capable of integrating strategic vision, judgement, adaptability, leadership, and initiative in complex contexts. Our proposal is to move towards an increasingly experiential programme that fully leverages Barcelona’s potential as a hub for innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, and prepares our graduates to lead the future with confidence
Juan Pablo Castells, MBA Academic Coordinator
Entrepreneurship and innovation; research with social impact
La Salle-URL encourages all students to adopt a proactive attitude towards the world, to be creative, determined, and entrepreneurial. In fact, ACEEU awarded it the Entrepreneurial and Engaged University labels in the 2024-25 academic year. The campus innovation ecosystem includes assets such as La Salle Technova, a technology park with 25 years of experience, and Innova Institute, which hosts academic research and R&D&I projects that advance knowledge generation in innovation, entrepreneurship, and ICT management. Additionally, Business & Management research at La Salle-URL spans several lines within the Smart Society group and promotes research with social impact.
The consolidation of research projects and lines reflects our commitment to leading digital transformation through robust and interdisciplinary research, where synergies among researchers and international collaboration act as the driving force positioning the Business School as a benchmark in the knowledge economy. In recent years, there has been a shift from fragmented output to a more focused research agenda centred on digital transformation and innovation ecosystems, increasing both scientific productivity and the connection between research, teaching, and business impact
Hugo Zarco, Head of Research of the School of Business
Leadership within a transdisciplinary knowledge ecosystem
Transdisciplinarity defines the campus model, located in Barcelona, a city recognised for innovation and creativity at both European and global levels. The School of Business leads cross-cutting initiatives involving the four schools and faculties on campus, such as the National Model United Nations (NMUN), the largest, most prestigious, diverse, and longest-running university-level Model United Nations in the world, and SDG Challenges, the practical activity within the core course Thought and Creativity, where first-year undergraduate students present real and innovative projects linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The School of Business also promotes the creation and development of clubs and organisations aligned with its academic model, supporting student entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership. Examples include La Salle Finance Society, La Salle Sports Association, and Technova Young, which are an essential part of campus life. Finally, the School of Business remains closely aligned with social changes and labour market needs and has long supported and led programmes delivered by Professional & Executive Education, the campus area specialising in training for executives, professionals, and organisations.
The present and future of the School of Business lie in technology and innovation; entrepreneurship and transdisciplinarity; the integration of artificial intelligence and humanistic leadership; creativity and sustainability; and above all, in remaining faithful to its mission of educating professionals with value and values for business and society, committed to transforming organisations and contributing to a more just and sustainable world through their management capabilities.
