Born in Barcelona in 1992, Laia Gemma García Fernández is an international PhD candidate in Architecture and Urban Planning (XXXIV cycle) at Ferrara University. She started studying architecture at Granada University, Spain, and then moved to Ferrara University after taking part in an Erasmus mobility programme there. Her master graduation thesis entitled ‘Old Habits, New Ideas: cooperation project to build a working dispensary’ was based on a collaboration with architectural NGO C-re-a.i.d. to introduce innovative building techniques to a remote Maasai area in northern Tanzania. Laia had started her research in Africa in 2016, when she first participated in a C-re-a.i.d. Groundwork Project for architecture students consisting in designing and managing the construction of a women's meeting centre. Since the project was completed, it has been published in several international architectural magazines and websites. She firmly believes universities can play a very important role in the field of international cooperation. Therefore since 2018 she has also held workshops and seminars on sustainable architecture in developing countries for the students of Granada University with a hands-on follow-up in Tanzania. As an international PhD candidate Laia hopes to continue her research into alternative building techniques for the sustainable urbanisation of developing countries in a rapidly changing modern world.