Within the framework of the Universia 5th International Rectors’ Summit, Santander Universities and the University of Valencia offered 60 scholarships for a 5-day stay in the city of Valencia.

Out of 35,000 applications, 500 were selected to submit a concrete proposal that finally allowed the classification of 60 students, of which 58 were able to attend the Valencia meeting.

The selection and training programme was designed by the University of Valencia in collaboration with Santander Universities and it was developed jointly between Uvemprèn and the Information and Promotion Service for Students (SeDi), which was responsible for the administrative management of the scholarship programme.

The online training allowed the selected students to acquire competences and skills in one of the three axes of the Universia International Summit that each student had previously selected: lifelong learning, entrepreneurship and innovation or networking and interconnections.

In addition, the 58 participants were eligible for a prize of 1,000 euros for each of the axes. They received training in communicative and pitching development techniques, and presented together with the documentation of their contribution to the International Rectors’ Summit, a video defending their proposal.

This training was offered by the Audiovisuals Workshop (TAU) of the University of Valencia, where a training program was also developed on Sunday, 7 May to perfect their skills for the presentation and discussion of ideas.

During their stay in Valencia, the selected students could visit the city and enjoy an exhibition of  ‘Valencian pilota’ at the ‘trinquet’ of Pelayo.

They also visited the Science Park of the University of Valencia (PCUV) and could get to know first hand the innovation that develops in PCUV as well as at the Research Institute on Robotics and Information and Communications Technologies (IRTIC) of the University of Valencia.

The same day (8 May), before the start of the Universia Rectors’ Summit, they participated in a meeting with a young valencian businessman, educated in the University of Valencia, that commented on his experience as an entrepreneur and the development of a diversified business structure in traditional sectors where technology is applied to gain additional competitive advantages in their business model. In addition to being able to talk and debate with him, they were able to visit some of the businesses that had been presented at the conference.

The scholarship holders of the programme 'Young Leaders' also attended the global premiere of the documentary ‘El Kapo’, co-produced by the University of Valencia and the National University of Cuyo (Argentina), screened at the Docs València Documentary Film Festival.

After that, the students had meetings with the principals of their countries’ universities, as well as with the president of the Santander Bank and the Managing Director of Santander Spain, and participated in the sessions of the Summit in the City of the Arts and the Sciences.

The scholarships ‘Young Leader for Education’ covered the travel costs from their countries and the stay and maintenance during the days of activities.

The programme design was developed from Universia, Santander Universities, the Principal’s cabinet, the Office of the Deputy General Manager for Economic Coordination and Services of the University of Valencia, with the collaboration of the Delegations of the Principal for Students.

The students were, at all times, accompanied by students of the University of Valencia that supported them during their visit and were coordinated by the general coordinator of the Student Council and the Delegate of the Principal for Students.

The winners of the 1.000 euros prize were Pablo Salvador (Spain) from the Loyola University Andalusia; Paola Reynoso (Mexico) from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM); and Rossmery Atarama (Peru) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.