The death of Claudi Alsina, at the age of 73, leaves a deep void in the mathematical and educational community of Catalonia. The professor, tireless disseminator and reference in pedagogical innovation, passed away after a career that made him one of the most beloved and respected figures in academia. His work was recognized in 2024 with the Creu de Sant Jordi, one of the highest institutional honors in the country, awarded for his vast contribution to knowledge and education.
“The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya deeply regrets the death of Professor Claudi Alsina,” the UOC announced in a statement on the social network X. The institution recalled his role as a member of the first management team and as academic vice-rector, where his vision and leadership were decisive in consolidating a pioneering university model based on online training. “His commitment to educational innovation and to the promotion of a pioneering university model contributed decisively to shaping the project that is today the UOC.”
The UOC also wanted to express “His condolences to his family, friends and all the people who have shared his career with him. May he rest in peace “summarizes a common feeling among colleagues and students who saw him grow as a teacher, researcher and disseminator.
The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, also wanted to dedicate a few words to him. “I had the honor of awarding the Cross of Sant Jordi in 2024 for his work in the scientific field and his important contribution to educational innovation and the dissemination of mathematics. His legacy lives on in today’s Catalonia, at the forefront of science in Europe. “, he wrote.
A total mathematician: researcher, disseminator and educator
Born in Barcelona in 1952, Claudi Alsina i Català specialized in fields as diverse as functional equations, mathematical visualization, fuzzy logic, Catalan metrology, mathematical education and geometry inspired by Gaudí, one of his best known passions. His work included more than 50 books, more than 200 research articles and a wide repertoire of pedagogical texts that influenced entire generations of teachers.
D. in Mathematics from the Universitat de Barcelona, he also completed graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts, which enriched his international outlook and didactic approach.
At the university level, he excelled as a professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and as director of around twenty doctoral theses, making a decisive contribution to the training of new researchers.
A key figure in Catalan university management
Beyond his academic profile, Alsina held positions of great institutional relevance, serving as secretary general of the Consell Interuniversitari de Catalunya, member of the Departments of Economy and Knowledge, member of the Consell Superior d’Avaluació del Sistema Educatiu, director general of Universities and also coordinator of the PAU (Selectividad) of Catalonia during the 2000s.
His influence on Catalan educational policy was profound and transversal. His ability to bring science closer to society was already reflected in 1999, when he received the Jaume Vicens Vives Distinction, recognition of university teaching excellence.
A singular work: Gaudí’s geometry
One of his most celebrated contributions was the article “La geometría y mecánica en el obrador de Gaudí” ( 2004), written together with the architect Josep Gómez and Jordi Faulí, assistant architect of the Sagrada Familia. In it they analyzed the geometric and technical elements that the modernist architect used in his work. A study that demonstrated his ability to build bridges between mathematics, art and engineering, and which became an international reference.
