With the support of Banco Santander through its Santander Global Universities Division, Pompeu Fabra University will foster a visit by internationally acknowledged scholars, as well as an exchange involving outstanding students, graduates, teaching staff and researchers with American universities, especially the UCLA. Both initiatives also take part within the CEI UPF - Icària project.

These lines of cooperation are set out in the agreement signed by Josep Joan Moreso, rector of Pompeu Fabra University, and Emilio Botín, chairman of Banco Santander, strengthening the ties that have existed between both institutions since 2000.

The agreement was signed in the context of an event held on this day at the auditorium in Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), attended by delegations from managerial teams of the UPF and Banco Santander. In his speech (PDF document, 98 kb), the rector emphasised that the agreement with Santander would enable UPF to strengthen two of its primary goals: talent attraction and internationalisation.

Prior to the event, the chairman of Banco Santander paid a visit to the Flow Cytometry and Cellular Signalling Unit laboratories at the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, where he was informed about the areas of research conducted by the institution.

University mobility for promoting academic excellence

Part of the funds contributed by Banco Santander will be allocated to implementing the "UPF - Banco Santander Distinguished Visiting Professors" programme as of the 2011-2012 academic year, which will enable UPF to invite internationally acknowledged scholars, academics and researchers to carry out their teaching and research activities at the institution for a certain period of time.

UPF also benefits from the support of Banco Santander when it comes to organising the "UCLA - UPF Summer School" programme in conjunction with the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA). This programme will begin in summer 2012 and will be given by teaching staff from both universities. It envisages two and three week stays at both institutions and is intended for students, graduates and researchers who have made outstanding academic achievements.

Moreover, the "Aurora Bertrana - Santander Universities International Grant" programme will foster the international mobility of UPF students in cooperation with other universities, especially US institutions. Fifty UPF students will benefit from this mobility programme each year.

By engaging in these initiatives, UPF strengthens its international outreach and calling, and continues with its globally-oriented talent attraction and retention policy.

Technology serving the university community

On account of the agreement signed today, UPF acknowledges Banco Santander as the only institution authorised to issue the Smart University Card (TUI), which is used as a means of identifying all the members of the university community.

The TUI incorporates the latest developments in chip technology and its functionalities can adapt to the specific needs of the university. In addition, it can also be used for other purposes such as the library loans service and for restricting access to certain areas.

Banco Santander has extensive experience in providing this service. At present, nigh on five million university students from over 200 institutions worldwide use a card produced by the bank in cooperation with each centre.

The bank will also maintain its support and cooperation in relation to the project for digitising and cataloguing the bibliographic collection granted to the University by Barcelona Chamber of Commerce in 2002, comprising some 120,000 volumes of monographs and issues from serial publications.