Laura Arnau Sabates

Laura Arnau Sabates is a Professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), affiliated with the Department of Educational Theories and Social Pedagogy and the Grup de Recerca en Infància i Adolescència en Risc Social (IARS). Her work focuses on youth development, social pedagogy, and education policy, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education. She holds a PhD in Pedagogy (2006) and a University Diploma in Social Education (2003), both from UAB.

Research interests include youth transitions, care systems, employability, and social support frameworks. Notable projects include the FLeD initiative (2022–2025) on flexible education designs and FOSTER YOUTH PATHWAYS (2020–2024), a longitudinal study optimizing social services for youth transitioning to adulthood. She collaborates internationally, particularly in Europe, focusing on social pedagogy and online education.

• Education:
  • PhD in Pedagogy, UAB (2006)
  • University Diploma in Social Education, UAB (2003)
• Key Projects:
  • Learning Design for Flexible Education (FLeD)
  • Youth Pathways Longitudinal Study
  • Competence Development in Teacher Education

Her research emphasizes evidence-based approaches to youth welfare and education systems, with over 109 publications and a robust h-index of 36. She actively participates in interdisciplinary teams, addressing issues like unaccompanied migrant youth and foster care dynamics.