Barcelona Study Abroad Experience

Mission

Barcelona Study Abroad Experience (SAE) is the leader in Barcelona Study Abroad. We provide superior quality study abroad program options in Barcelona always with a strong intercultural element for our students.  All aspects of the program incorporate experiential learning and cultural immersion in order to open the eyes of the next generation of leaders to a global world.

Barcelona SAE provides the opportunities for students to grow personally, academically and globally utilizing the city of Barcelona and its components as the classroom.

Model

Barcelona SAE combines the preeminent aspects of U.S. higher education with the empirical cultural elements imbedded with life in a different country to provide top services to our clients. In this sense, our clients include the students, their parents, and the sending universities.

Program Types

Barcelona SAE currently offers an academic semester or year of direct enrolment at local universities; 4 or 6-week summer terms, internship placements, and customized programs of all lengths.

The Barcelona Semester

This flagship program provides university students with a plethora of options to receive credit towards their major, minor or general education requirements while studying in Barcelona. Additionally, students will take part in multiple cultural excursions and activities both in and outside of Barcelona. The living arrangements, support staff, and intercultural development activities are all aimed to enhance the Study Abroad Experience.

Barcelona SAE Staff

Rich Kurtzman, Site Director

Rich grew up in Chicago, IL, studied Spanish and Russian language and culture for undergrad before earning a Masters degree in Spanish Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition in Chicago.  His passion for everything Spain grew while studying abroad in college, but solidified when leading groups of students every summer around the country.  He has been working in Study Abroad for 12 years and in International Education in Barcelona since 2002.  Rich has taught several undergraduate courses on Spanish Culture and Global Competence and also works as a freelance Intercultural Consultant for business executives moving to Spain. He has presented at multiple intercultural conferences on the field of intercultural integration, acquiring second languages abroad and published materials on Spanish Language Learning.

"As a U.S. American living in Barcelona, I can relate to what our students experience while in Barcelona. I truly enjoy helping students learn about Spanish and Catalan culture, expand their horizons, and realize how much the world has to offer when you start looking."

Laura Moliné, Student Services Coordinator

Laura grew up in a small town in Catalonia, in the middle of the Pyrenees mountains, but when she went to Barcelona to study her BA in English and German Translation and Interpretation, she fell in love with the city and decided to stay there, where she’s been living for more than 10 years. Laura’s international experiences include studying abroad in Dublin (Ireland), Cambridge (UK) and Stockholm (Sweden), and visiting various countries in Europe and Africa, as well as spending one month in the USA working as an international education representative. In addition to globe-trotting, Laura enjoys trekking, reading, trying new foods and attempting to dance to several kinds of music.

 “I consider studying abroad one of the greatest experiences you can have, and that’s why I’m thrilled to help you make the most of your experience in Barcelona and learn as much as you can about my country and the local traditions.”

Margita Hupkova,  Institutional Relations

Margita comes from a little country hidden in the heart of Europe, called Slovakia. Since her childhood she has been curious about the world and longed for adventure. That is probably why she has ended up as a student of International Economic Relations at one of the most prestigous universities of the country spending some of her university semesters in Russia and Spain. A European exchange scholarship brought her to Catalonia and then her professional experience directly to Barcelona where she profoundly enjoyed its unique atmosphere. Since then she has never completely recovered from a diagnosis "Spain-positive" and has been returning to Barcelona over and over again over the last 5 years.

"Going through various study abroad experiences myself with all its ups and downs and especially living in Barcelona for few years already I believe I can understand your feelings, emotions and worries and advise you on your best options. Be open-minded and corageous and the world will be yours!"