Fundación Telefónica, the Barcelona City Council, and the Government of Catalonia have renewed their collaboration agreement, signed in 2021, for another three years. This agreement will continue to offer a high-quality training alternative, fully funded by the project’s sponsoring organizations, that promotes professional career development and generates social and economic impact through talent, specialized training, and community engagement.

This renewal consolidates the 42 Barcelona programming campus as a gateway to the digital job market, reinforcing Barcelona’s position as one of Europe’s most dynamic technology ecosystems. Furthermore, in 2026, the Department of Business and Employment of the Government of Catalonia will join the Department of Research and Universities to continue collaborating on the deployment and growth of the 42 Barcelona project. This innovative initiative provides training in advanced digital skills and serves as a key infrastructure for developing the talent necessary for the country’s technological transformation.

Raquel Gil, Fifth Deputy Mayor and President of Barcelona Activa; Núria Montserrat, Minister of Research and Universities, and Miquel Sàmper, Minister of Business and Labor, both from the Government of Catalonia; and Isabel Salazar, General Manager of Fundación Telefónica, signed the document outlining the commitment of all parties to continue promoting digital training and talent development with the aim of strengthening Barcelona’s position as a leader in innovation and technological entrepreneurship.

During the signing, Raquel Gil, President of Barcelona Activa, the initiative that owns the technology park where 42 Barcelona is located, stated that the renewal of the agreement is “an example of how public-private collaboration allows for the promotion of projects with a significant impact on citizens.” “From the City Council, we remain committed to digital talent, which over the last four years has allowed us to generate job opportunities in Nou Barris in a sector that is strategic for Barcelona: the digital sector. Through training, we offer access to quality employment, thus contributing to what we call the right to remain in the city,” and have developed a life plan.

On behalf of the Catalan Government, the Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, highlighted the importance of the initiative, noting that “the future of the country is also built on the capacity to innovate, adapt, and lead in the digital age. In a globalized and constantly transforming world, digital talent is not an option but a strategic necessity for our economic sovereignty, the well-being of citizens, and collective progress.” Montserrat emphasized the importance of promoting digital talent to ensure full digital inclusion for all citizens and create an innovative ecosystem that generates quality opportunities: “Digitalization must be a tool for a fairer society with a greater capacity to decide its own future. Therefore, investing in digital talent is, today, investing in the progress of Catalonia.”

After five years, 42 Barcelona has become a leading hub where training, entrepreneurship, and businesses have connected to promote skilled employment and drive professional development.

Since its opening, the programming campus has implemented 24 “pools,” a 26-day in-person selection process where more than 3,350 candidates begin their journey, not only in the world of programming but also in a new, disruptive training model. To date, 1,555 applicants have successfully completed the pools, almost 25% of whom have been women.

Currently, 42 Barcelona has around 500 active students; nearly 24% of them are women, a higher percentage than that of undergraduate or advanced vocational training programs in computer science, which are 13% and 10% respectively, according to the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

As a hub for technological talent, in the five years since its inception, the campus has hosted over 1,000 events with approximately 33,500 participants; it has welcomed visits from nearly 200 educational institutions—roughly 60% of which are Vocational Training centers—and around 70 companies have hired individuals who have trained or are currently training on campus for their teams.

In 2025, 42’s educational model was recognized by the WURI ranking as the third most innovative university in the world, ahead of prestigious institutions such as Princeton and Harvard, improving and consolidating its position in this ranking for the fifth consecutive year. The project currently boasts over 50 campuses across five continents and more than 21,000 students who, under a free, disruptive, and practical educational model, are training to become the digital talent that will develop future technologies.

The renewal of this agreement reinforces the commitment of Fundación Telefónica, Barcelona City Council and the Government of Catalonia to promote 42 Barcelona as a center of reference for people to acquire new knowledge and skills that allow them to start their professional career or remain active in the labor market, thus generating a positive social and economic impact.