Eduard Soler Foundation

The Fundació Eduard Soler (FES) is a private, non-profit foundation based in Ripoll, in the Catalan comarca of El Ripollès, Spain. It was created in 1996 by Eduard Soler under the name Escola del Treball del Ripollès, Fundació S.F., with the aim of establishing a school for vocational training and retraining that would offer technological education to anyone who wished to study. From the outset the foundation also set itself the goals of providing technological support to local companies — in engineering services and prototyping — strengthening the competitive capacity of businesses in the fields of technology and innovation, and fostering entrepreneurship both in education and in business activity. It also decided to create a Technology Centre and a Metal Entrepreneurs' Initiatives Centre. Today FES describes itself as a private non-profit institution located in Ripoll that offers higher-level vocational training cycles (cicles formatius de grau superior), continuing education, technology services for innovation, and support for entrepreneurship. Its stated specialisation is technology. Its academic offer includes higher vocational cycles in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, a new higher vocational master's programme in study-and-work mode, and sectoral training in plastics, alongside continuing-education courses. It also runs technical sessions and open days for prospective students. The foundation is closely tied to the Escola del Treball de Ripoll, which in 2023 was distinguished by the Generalitat de Catalunya with the #FPCAT award. FES collaborates with research institutions such as the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) on the development of prototypes for research data collection, and it participates in local initiatives such as the Ripoll 2030 agenda. Its founder, Eduard Soler, died in January 2000; that same year the Ripoll town council posthumously named him Fill Il·lustre (Illustrious Son) and awarded him the Medalla de la Vila with gold distinction. In 2009 the Generalitat de Catalunya awarded the foundation the Placa al Treball Francesc Macià. As a private non-profit entity, FES is not listed on any stock exchange and has no parent company or commercial owner. Its activity is concentrated in Catalonia, where it operates as a training provider, a technology-services partner for regional industry, and a promoter of entrepreneurship.

The Fundació Eduard Soler was established in 1996 by Eduard Soler as the Escola del Treball del Ripollès, Fundació S.F. It was created as a private, non-profit foundation with the mission of promoting the creation of a school for vocational training and retraining that would offer technological education to all who wished to study. From its foundation, it also set out to provide technological support to surrounding companies — in engineering services and prototyping — to strengthen the competitive capacity of businesses in technology and innovation, and to foster entrepreneurship in both education and business. It decided to create a Technology Centre and a Metal Entrepreneurs' Initiatives Centre. Eduard Soler died in January 2000. That same year, the Ripoll town council posthumously awarded him the title of Fill Il·lustre (Illustrious Son) and the Medalla de la Vila with gold distinction. In 2009, the Generalitat de Catalunya awarded the Fundació Eduard Soler the Placa al Treball Francesc Macià. Over the following decades the foundation developed into a provider of higher-level vocational training cycles (FP Dual), specialised training, technology services for innovation, and entrepreneurship support, with technology as its specialisation. Its Escola del Treball de Ripoll became a recognised centre within the Catalan vocational training system. In 2023, the Generalitat de Catalunya distinguished the Fundació Eduard Soler with the #FPCAT 2022 award. In the same year, FES collaborated with the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) on a prototype for collecting research data, held its graduation ceremony for the 2020-2023 cohort, and received a visit from Dr. Antón Costas, President of Spain's Economic and Social Council, within the framework of the Ripoll 2030 agenda. Its current course catalogue includes higher vocational cycles in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, a new higher vocational master's in study-and-work mode, and sectoral training in plastics, alongside continuing education and technical sessions.

• 2023

  The Generalitat de Catalunya distinguishes the Fundació Eduard Soler with the #FPCAT 2022 award.

• 2023

  FES and IBEC collaborate on developing a prototype for collecting research data.

• 2023

  Graduation ceremony held for the 2020-2023 student cohort.

• 2023

  Dr. Antón Costas, President of Spain's Economic and Social Council, visits FES facilities under the Ripoll 2030 agenda.

• 2009

  The Generalitat de Catalunya awards the Fundació Eduard Soler the Placa al Treball Francesc Macià.

• 2000

  Eduard Soler dies in January; the Ripoll town council posthumously awards him the title of Fill Il·lustre and the Medalla de la Vila with gold distinction.

• 1996

  Eduard Soler creates the Escola del Treball del Ripollès, Fundació S.F., a private non-profit foundation for technological vocational training and retraining.

A technology-focused, non-profit vocational training and innovation hub serving the Ripollès region and Catalan industry.

• Cicles de grau superior en Indústria 4.0

  Higher-level vocational training cycles in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing.

• Màster d'FP en Estuda i Treballa

  A new higher vocational master's programme in study-and-work mode.

• Formació Sectorial Plàstic

  Sectoral training in plastics.

• Cursos de Formació Contínua

  Continuing education courses.

• Serveis tecnològics per a la innovació

  Technology services for innovation, including engineering and prototyping support for companies.

1. 1Fundació Eduard Soler official websitefes.cat
2. 2Fundació Eduard Soler — Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Fundació Eduard Soler — Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org