The Universitat de València launched a solidary initiative with the goal of helping both members from the university community and educational centres affected by the DANA to retake their activities. This campaign was specially necessary, since the loss of computer equipment left many families and institutions uncommunicated and without access to essential tools for education and daily life in this digital era.
To confront this situation, the University began a campaign to recollect computer equipment, that then was reconditioned by the School of Engineering (ETSE), that put in value their technological capacities and their IT engineering excellence.
Thanks to the work of expert staff and students from the ETSE, the devices recollected had a second life, promoting sustainability and adapting to necessities from members of the university community and schools that need resources in order to continue with their education and reconnect with the world.
Without computers nor other digital devices, many people affected by the DANA were uncommunicated and with serious difficulties to retake their normal activities. Assuring the access to technology was fundamental to reconnect them with society and assuring their education was no longer interrupted.
Contributions could be computers, tablets, monitors or peripherals no longer used, but that could still be useful. The collecting points were the concierges at the School of Engineering (avenida de la Universitat, s/n, Burjassot), the Faculty of Physiotherapy (calle Gascó Oliag, 5, València) and the Faculty of Social Sciences (avenida dels Tarongers, 4b, València).
The Vice-Principal for Sustainability, Cooperation and Healthy Life, Pilar Serra, pointed out that through this campaign, the University “not only answers to an emergency, but also promotes sustainability, giving a second life to technological devices and reducing electric waste”. For the Vice-Principal, restabilising the access to technology for the families and schools affected by the DANA was key in order to avoid more interruptions in the educative process and assuring equal opportunities on learning.
