The statue of the famous philosopher and humanist Luis Vives stands in the center of the cloister. From this privileged position, he greets all those who visit our Universitat.

Born in 1492, Luis Vives was one of the first students of the recently founded Estudi General de Valencia. Because of his Jewish-Converso origins, his father sent him to study in Paris in 1509 to protect him from the persecution of the inquisition that his entire family would later suffer. He spent most of the remainder of his life in the Netherlands and England. Luis Vives was an illustrious member of the European humanist movement, together with Erasmus of Rotterdam and Tomas Moro.

The dean José Montserrat commissioned the Valencian sculptor José Aixa Íñigo to create the sculpture in 1880. It measures 239 cm in height and was cast by Vicente Ríos from a single piece of bronze at La Primitiva Valenciana foundry. The figure of Vives represents a reference and model of the university spirit.

The full-body effigy portrays the humanist as an adult, standing and wearing the typical 16th-century academic regalia. In his left hand he holds a book, and offers his right hand in greeting. The philosopher extends a welcoming gesture to students and visitors alike, calling all to respect the civic and social values upheld by the Universitat. The wisdom and knowledge embodied by the figure of Vives are a driving force, illustrating the aspirations of new generations of university students and scholars.