A land with a great winemaking tradition
Most of the wine regions recognized as designations of origin (DOs) in Catalonia are located in the province of Tarragona and its surrounding area, and one of them, the Priorat region, is one of only two qualified DOs in Spain. The climate and orography have made the wines from this land a prized asset: a valued product that has attracted the interest of businesspeople and consumers all over the world.
And it is around this traditional sector that a benchmark centre has been created, a centre that includes unique knowledge generation and transfer structures in the viticulture and oenology sector as a major key to success.
A solid structure for training professionals in the world of wine
The Campus of International Excellence Southern Catalonia (CEICS) features:
- The first faculty of oenology in Spain
- The Tehcnology Innovation Centre, VITEC, the first building block in the creation of the Science and Technology Park for the Wine Industry
- The Catalan Institute of Vines and Wines (INCAVI)
- The Institute for Research and Technology in Food and Agriculture (IRTA)
- Seven monitoring boards for Tarragona province Designations of Origin
- The support and participation of companies in the wine sector
- The Innovative Wine and Cava Producing Companies Group (INNOVI)
Together, the participants form a solid knowledge transfer and teaching structure.
The Faculty of Oenology of Rovira i Virgili University (URV) offers undergraduate and postgraduate education in oenology and biotechnology. Adding to the attractiveness and prestige of this field of study, the faculty boasts its own experimental winery for teaching and research purposes where students can create their own wines.
Training in this area is a crucial component in the availability of qualified professionals to work in and develop a sector that faces an enormously competitive market.