He holds a PhD in political science (UAB), a MPhil in public policy (Univesity of Strathclyde, Glasgow) and a master degree in urban and regional studies (UAB). He has been visiting fellow at the University of Warwick (1994-1995) and at the University of Bath (1998 and 2002). He has also a large teaching experience in postgraduate and doctoral programmes at several European and Latin American universities (England, Italy, México, Brazil, Argentina). Ricard is a research fellow at the IGOP (Institute of Government and Public Policies), and he is currently director of the IERMB (Institute of Regional and Metropolitan Studies), a research consortium between UAB and the Metropolitan Government of Barcelona.