Santander (EFE).- The University of Cantabria (UC) has completed half a century of life this Thursday, reviewing its history and defining the future of the institution, which involves its greater internationalization, the renewal of its methods and continuous training in all the ages.
The University has held a massive event in its Auditorium in Santander, attended by half a thousand personalities such as the Minister of Universities, Joan Subirats and the President of Cantabria, Miguel Ángel Revilla, as well as parliamentarians and representatives of the Santander City Council, and rectors of other universities, such as the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP).
In his speech, the rector of the UC since 2016, Ángel Pazos, recalled the beginnings of the institution, from its first centers, dependent on Valladolid to its origins as the University of Santander until its current “internationalization”, although without renouncing its estate.
For the future, Pazos has stressed, the university will not “die of complacency” and has indicated as challenges to abound in this internationalization, to continue being a “social elevator”, the adaptation to the new university law or the renewal of teaching activity and its methodologies for all ages and taking into account new employment trends. “We can no longer think only of young people from 18 to 30 years old, we have to reach those of 99”, he pointed out.
SUBIRATS ASKS TO ADAPT
The Minister of Universities has congratulated the center, which he has asked to continue working on “access for all people” to higher education, which he has considered “continues to be an obligation”.
Subirats has exposed his vision of what the public university of the future should be like, which in his opinion and following the criteria of the UC, should intensify training “throughout life” without “so rigid” academic courses that allow workers “retrain” and adapt to “new realities”.
He has asked teachers to be able to “be more innovative in methods” to be “more attractive” while still vindicating the face-to-face and socialization of teaching, in the “Chat-GPT” era.
The minister has insisted on strengthening the transfer capacity of universities, so that it has “more impact” at a social level and has asked the UC “to continue to be as important as they are.”
In addition, the minister addressed the attendees, Miguel Ángel Revilla, who closed the event, sharing his memories with the university, where he worked as a professor for twelve years and opined that the UC gives “a plus of quality” to the region. “Thank you all, for many more years of success for this exemplary UC”, said the president of the regional Executive.
A TRIBUTE TO ITS HISTORY
The UC wanted to thank its ten former rectors for their work in the institution with the delivery of the commemorative medal of the 50th anniversary, a silver gift that has also been collected by other institutions.
In this way, the 4,000 students who have passed through the university, its teaching staff and administration and service workers have been valued; as well as several institutions that have gone hand in hand with the UC in its history, highlighting the patronage of Banco Santander or the “special” connection with the Hospital de Valdecilla.
In addition, there has also been space for debate, with a table focused on the role of women in the university or the UC’s commitment to research.
The event was also attended by the regional vice president, Pablo Zuloaga, and the mayoress of Santander, Gema Igual.
“Long live the University of Cantabria!”, exclaimed Zuloaga, who stressed the need to give “good funding” to research so that “hand in hand with science” “the best news” arrives. to the region.
The mayoress has celebrated the role of the university as “benchmark of knowledge, growth and development” of the city.
