The chairman of Universia and Banco Santander, Emilio Botín, opened this morning the 3rd Universia International Meeting of Presidents 2014, with the theme: ‘The university of the 21st century: a reflection from Ibero-America”.

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Global Santander Universities Communication
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Press release
Emilio Botín opens the 3rd
Universia International Meeting
of Presidents with 1,103 universities from 33 countries
- Emilio Botín said that the Meeting “is a unique event in the University’s modern history
as such an important meeting of top representatives from such diverse countries had
never been held before”.
- The Meeting is the culmination of an intense process of reflection and previous
discussion in which 100,000 students, presidents and professors worldwide have taken
part.
- Banco Santander has invested 594 million euros in university programmes over the last
four years through the Santander Universities Global Division.
Rio de Janeiro, 28 July 2014.- The chairman of Universia and Banco Santander, Emilio Botín,
opened this morning the 3
rd
Universia International Meeting of Presidents 2014, with the theme:
‘The university of the 21
st
century: a reflection from Ibero-America”.
The opening was attended by the authorities in charge of higher education from Brazil, the United
Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and the United States.
Botín described the event as historic for Universia and for Brazil: “Universities are gathered in this
city to reflect on the present and their future”; a space for discussing the challenges that the Ibero-
American universities face, fostering the dialogue and cooperation with the university systems in
other countries across the world.
In his speech, he stated that “Ibero-America is a young and talented region with a huge potential,
going through a crucial time to set a sustainable model of social and economic development; the
essential requirement for a strong foundation on which to build a bright future is to have a high-
quality education, providing access to all citizens and responding to the demands of the emerging
digital society”.
In the context of the meeting, Emilio Botín reported on the commitments made during the 2nd
International Meeting of Presidents held in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2010: Banco Santander has
invested 594 million euros (801 million dollars) in university projects worldwide over the last four
years and has implemented a programme consisting of 18,000 mobility grants in Ibero-America
that was announced in Guadalajara, 15,000 intended for students, and 3,000 for professors and
researchers.
Goals

2. Banco Santander Brazil Communication
(11) 3553-5157 / 7061 / 5244 / 5106 / 5259 / 5282
imprensa@santander.com.br
Global Santander Universities Communication
Ana Núñez | Sonia Pérez | Marta Gallardo | Ignacio Marín
+34 615 90 29 46 | +34 615 90 74 04 | +34 615 371 838 | +34 615 901 256 V3
comunicadgsu@gruposantander.com
Corporate website: www.santander.com/universidades
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bancosantander
The 3rd Meeting has four main goals: promote the modernisation of the University; foster its
internationalisation and the university entrepreneurship and innovation; identify the levers that
strengthen the social leadership role of the University and enhance its importance as a producer of
knowledge and a key lever for the countries’ social and economic development.
According to Emilio Botín, “those societies able to develop themselves in line with this change of
era with the benefit of the technological and digital revolution will create skilled jobs, increased
competitiveness, internationalisation, progress and welfare.
The Universia chairman encouraged all the participating universities to shape together the
University Charter of Rio 2014, with conclusions that serve as a reference to continue to advance
towards the consolidation of the Ibero-American space of knowledge and the modernisation and
internationalisation of the higher education institutions.
Participation of the university community
Around 100.000 members of the university community have taken part in the preparation of the
content of the 3
rd
Meeting of Presidents. Forty vice-chancellors and presidents are part of three
committees: International committee, chaired by Carlos Antônio Levi, president of the Federal
University of Rio de Janeiro; Academic committee, chaired by Carlos Alexandre Netto, president of
the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; and the Organising committee, chaired by Ignacio
Berdugo, ex-President of the University of Salamanca.
About 500 presidents are involved through the network in choosing the subjects to be addressed at
the Meeting, such as the University interaction with the university community, teaching and
research, adaptation to new social trends, the stance to be taken regarding new technology,
internationalisation strategies and other issues such as university funding.
Universia
Universia is a project born 14 years ago on the Internet, at the service of the Ibero-American
university community. Today 1,290 universities from 23 Ibero-American countries are partners,
connecting with 16.8 million university students and professors to offer a common space for
exchange of knowledge and cooperation, promoting projects with universities, companies and
students, and catering to the needs of pre-university students, undergraduates, postgraduates and
teaching staff.
Santander Universities Global Division
Universia is one of the flagship projects of the Banco Santander’s Santander Universities Global
Division, holding partnership agreements with more than 1,100 universities and research centres
worldwide (www.santander.com/universidades). Since 1996, Santander Universities has invested
more than 1 billion euros in university projects and its aim is to continue supporting higher education
in the countries where it is present.
Pictures available in: www.dellarocca.com.br
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