STUDY TRIP TO BILBAO: A CITY IN TRANSITION
- 04.08.2025
- International
Students from University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao - an architectural highlight and symbol of the city's successful transformation.
Bilbao as a living laboratory for the urban future: students at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol immersed themselves in pioneering urban development - with a focus on sustainable architecture, energy efficiency and smart mobility. A glimpse into the practice of tomorrow.
As part of an exciting study trip, students from the Bachelor's and Master's programmes Facility & Real Estate Management and Energy & Sustainability Management at University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol explored the northern Spanish metropolis of Bilbao. The excursion provided in-depth insights into one of the most impressive urban transformations in Europe - and combined theory and practice in an impressive way.
Bilbao, the capital of the province of Bizkaia in the Spanish Basque Country, is today regarded as a prime example of successful urban development characterised by sustainability and innovation. Characterised by economic decline and structural change in the 1980s, the city has consistently reinvented itself in recent decades. The once industrial conurbation has been transformed into a modern urban centre with a high quality of life through targeted urban development and infrastructure measures - a process that has also attracted international attention as the Bilbao effect.
EXPERIENCING URBAN DEVELOPMENT: THE PRACTICE OF URBAN CHANGE
Accompanied by Prof. (FH) Dr Miroslav Despotovic, the students intensively explored the architectural, social and ecological aspects of this development. Visits to municipal institutions, neighbourhood tours, expert discussions with local planners and insights into innovative mobility and housing concepts characterised the extensive travel programme. Particularly impressive was the visit to the iconic Guggenheim Museum - a key urban development project that today symbolises Bilbao's renaissance worldwide.
The trip offered the students of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol numerous practical learning opportunities: How can brownfield sites be transformed into liveable neighbourhoods? What role does sustainable mobility play in urban areas? And how can social, ecological and economic requirements be harmonised?
The Facility & Real Estate Management and Energy & Sustainability Management degree programmes at University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol both pursue an interdisciplinary approach that combines technical expertise, business management skills and sustainable planning. The study trip to Bilbao offered students from both disciplines the opportunity to experience the core content of their curriculum directly in practice - from the revitalisation of former industrial sites and energy-efficient neighbourhood developments to sustainable mobility and infrastructure concepts. The direct dialogue with local experts made it tangible how sustainable urban development can function as an interface between economy, ecology and society - and what role strategic management and integrated solutions play in this.
BILBAO AS A ROLE MODEL: STRATEGIC CHANGE WITH RADIANCE
Bilbao impressed not only with its architecture and urban planning, but also with its strategic determination: with clear visions, a coordinated masterplan and the active involvement of the population and the economy, a transformation was created here that has had an impact far beyond the urban area.
The study trip was therefore not only a professional enrichment, but also an inspiring outlook on possible professional fields of action. It impressively demonstrated how sustainable solutions can emerge from structural change - through integral planning, strategic management and the courage to innovate.
