Under the title Imagine the Universe, IFAE researchers design and deliver a course for first-year baccalaureate students centred on the origin and evolution of the Universe. The activities run from October to December and consist of 14 sessions held at the CCCB, complemented by a visit to the Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE), where students experience first-hand a research environment in fundamental physics.

The programme proposes an alternative way of approaching physics: instead of equations, it relies on conversation, drawing and shared questioning as the main tools to think about space, time and our place in the cosmos. The methodology encourages students to build knowledge collectively, starting from what they already know and turning questions into the driving force of learning. The sessions are designed to foster critical thinking, creativity and confidence, while presenting physics as a shared cultural activity rather than a purely technical discipline.

As a final outcome, students create a comic book about the Universe in collaboration with the comic artists La Gossa . The comic combines scientific ideas with visual storytelling and serves as a public presentation of the work carried out throughout the course.

This project forms part of a broader line of action by IFAE’s Department of Communication and Outreach, which develops science education programmes for schools in contexts of high complexity. By adapting its science communication methodologies to sustained, in-school formats and working with cultural and educational institutions, IFAE seeks to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable approach to science education.