Universia, the largest network of Spanish and Portuguese speaking universities, is holding the 3rd Universia International Meeting of Presidents, where over two days (28 and 29 July) representatives from over 1,200 universities will analyse the future of universities, their capacity to respond to society’s current demands and the reach of Ibero-American universities in a global context. The list of participating universities and their countries of origin can be found at: http://www.universiario2014.com/paises/?culture/es-es/.

1. Santander Universities Global Communication
Ana Nunez | Sonia Perez | Marta Gallardo | Ignacio Marin
+34 615 90 29 46 | +34 615 90 74 04 | +34 615 371 838 | +34 615 901 256
comunicacionsantanderuniversidades@gruposantander.com
Corporate website: www.santander.com/universidades
Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/bancosantander
Santander News Universities
Rio de Janeiro, world capital of higher education as
it hosts the 3rd Universia International Meeting of
Presidents
• Over 1,200 academic institutions will meet next week in Rio
de Janeiro to debate the present and future of universities
and their ability to respond to society’s demands.
Rio de Janeiro, 24 July 2014. Universia, the largest network of Spanish and Portuguese
speaking universities, is holding the 3
rd
Universia International Meeting of Presidents, where
over two days (28 and 29 July) representatives from over 1,200 universities will analyse the
future of universities, their capacity to respond to society’s current demands and the reach of
Ibero-American universities in a global context. The list of participating universities and their
countries of origin can be found at: http://www.universiario2014.com/paises/?culture/es-es/.
The meeting, which has the theme ‘The university of the 21st century: A reflection from
Ibero-America’, was announced at a press conference in November 2013 by Emilio Botin,
Chairman of Banco Santander and Universia. There, he stated that ‘More education and more
people in universities mean greater progress for countries. Rio will be the world summit for
higher education in 2014.’
Universia, promoted by Banco Santander through its Santander Universities Global Division, is
the most important network of universities in the world, bringing together 1,290 universities from
23 countries representing nearly 17 million people at universities (teachers, students, and
administrative and services staff). The first meeting was held in Seville in 2005 and was
attended by 500 chancellors. Five years later, the second meeting of chancellors took place in
Guadalajara, Mexico, attended by 900 chancellors and representatives from Ibero-American
universities, with their conclusions being brought together in the so-called ‘Guadalajara
Agenda.’
This 3rd Universia International Meeting of Chancellors will, with the face-to-face meeting to
take place in Rio, be the culmination of a participative process of over 20 months of work and
activities undertaken online, through which over 100,000 people at universities have enriched
the face-to-face debate taking place on 28 and 29 July with their contributions.
Over the two days, chancellors from universities in Ibero-America and other continents and
regions will contribute to placing the vision and reach of Ibero-American universities in a global
context through debates on ten tables about different issues: ‘Universities today: how are we
seen? How do we see ourselves?’; ‘Universities and students: do our universities meet
students’ needs?’; ‘Universities and lecturers: what do lecturers need? Which lecturers do we
need?’; ‘Organisation, government and finance: what do we need to change?’; ‘Universities and
ICT: to what extent do we need to reinvent ourselves?’; ‘Teaching quality and development:
does it meet social needs?’; ‘Research, innovation and transferral: is a leap forward feasible?’;
‘Universities, society and environment: do we engage in the challenges of our time?’;
‘Universities and social context: how can we contribute to the development of our
communities?’, and ‘Internationalisation: what goals? How fast? With what strategies?’
The participants in the debate tables can be found at:

2. Santander Universities Global Communication
Ana Nunez | Sonia Perez | Marta Gallardo | Ignacio Marin
+34 615 90 29 46 | +34 615 90 74 04 | +34 615 371 838 | +34 615 901 256
comunicacionsantanderuniversidades@gruposantander.com
Corporate website: www.santander.com/universidades
Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/bancosantander
http://participa.universiario2014.com/debates/debatesrio.
Given the key role of technology in facilitating learning and teaching, and as an innovation in
relation to previous meetings, a digital application has been developed to facilitate the creation
of a large academic network for communication and collaboration at an international level. All of
the preparation of the meeting issues and sessions has been done online and through social
networks. In addition, the chancellors attending the meeting will be able to access the different
debates on tablets, which will be available to facilitate activities and contact between
participants.
The meeting is supported by Banco Santander through its Santander Universities Global Division
(www.santander.com/universidades), which has supported Universia in all its activities since it was
created in the year 2000. All the information on the meeting is available
at: www.universiario2014.com.