The Principal of the Universitat de València M.ª Vicenta Mestre and three members of the Executive Council (the vice-principal of Degree Studies of Language Policy Service, Isabel Vàzquez, the vice-principal of Equality, Diversity and Sustainability, Elena Martínez and the manager of the institution Juan Vicente Clement) have been welcomed this morning by the director of the Podology Clinic of the UV Lluís Alcanyís Foundation, Cecili Macián, aiming at a holding a meeting in which students of the Degree in Podiatry, the Valencian Association of Students of Podiatry, Teaching and Research Staff (PDI) and Administration and Services Staff (PAS) took part. Also the director of the Lluís Alcanyís Foundation, José Manuel Almerich, was present in the meeting.

In the interventions of the PAS and PDI members and the students, the importance of improving the facilities of the clinic referring to its size has been highlighted, considering that the increase of podiatry students seems to outgrow the clinic.

As a response of the raised problems, the Executive Council has mentioned the infrastructure plan that is being implemented. This plan is addressed to the rationalization of spaces as a policy of immediate increment and to the use of spaces for teaching and research, through the rationalization of services of this and other centres, in order to find the better location for them, thus achieving an increase on the efficiency of the infrastructures and services, in spite of the current financial problems.

Moreover, students have also claimed that podiatry needs to be recognised as an area of specific knowledge. The UV executive team has expressed their support and the desire of joining forces to make this happen and doesn’t affect research and PhD programmes, as it is at present.

Finally, they tackled the issue of renewal of the range of courses of the degree in Podiatry to extend the competences. In this respect, the vice-principal of Degree Studies Isabel Vázquez has manifested that she will monitor this issue, which will be tackled on the appropriate commission of the centre.