First Social Responsibility Report of the University of Navarra published
The document shows data on the economic, environmental and social impact of the center and its commitment to various stakeholders and the Autonomous Community.
The University of Navarra has published its first Social Responsibility report, the result of the analysis carried out by an interdepartmental team that has worked over the last few months. This report is preliminary in nature and has focused on a diagnostic task, which will be developed in successive editions.
With these premises, the document is structured into ten major areas for engagement. Five of them have to do with some of the University's stakeholders: students, professionals, graduates, Navarra and society in general. Three others have a bearing on the institution's main activity: teaching, research and transfer. The remaining ones seek to provide solutions to two essential dimensions of social responsibility: the environment and sustainability.
This structure responds to the idea that the social responsibility of a university does not only lie in its solidarity activities and care for the environment, but also permeates each and every one of its daily activities, the efforts of professors, researchers, professionals and students to put science and knowledge at the service of society.
From the methodological point of view, the analysis is based on the recommendations and prescriptions of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), a collaborating center of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), responsible for the main world standard on Social Responsibility. The latest available version of this guide, identified as GRI G3, has been adopted. In addition to the indicators established by the GRI G3, other indicators have been developed by the University itself in order to account for its teaching and research activity, and other singularities of its nature.
This first edition of the report covers only the economic, environmental and social activity of the campus of the University of Navarra in Pamplona during the 2008-2009 academic year; it does not include the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, nor the campuses of Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastián.
A citizen space for the enjoyment of art and culture
This report, in addition to collecting some diagnostic data, also looks to the future. Specifically, it includes some of the points contained in the Horizon Project 2015, which was created within the framework of the "Campus of International Excellence" call, promoted by the Ministries of Education and Science.
This Project reinforces the socially responsible culture of the University of Navarra, as it includes medium and long-term objectives in several areas. In the field of social and environmental involvement, Horizon 2015 points to the goal of a sustainable campus with zero C02 emissions, conceived as a true civic space for the enjoyment of art and culture through the activities of a new Museum of Contemporary Art.
The Social Responsibility Report is available to all interested parties in electronic format on the website of the University of Navarra(DOWNLOAD REPORT).
AREAS OF COMMITMENT: SOME KEYS
1. Committed to our students:
One third of the students received some type of financial aid during the 2008-2009 academic year, for a total amount of 23.7 million euros.
2. Committed to our professionals:
The external firm that manages the accreditation as a Family-Responsible Company confirmed that there are no wage inequalities between men and women. Nor is there any precariousness in employment, since 70% of workers have permanent contracts.
3. Committed to our graduates:
The Alumni Association has 25,000 members from 90 countries. In the 2008-09 academic year, it organized 162 programs and events in which 8,500 people participated. Of particular note was the Alumni Scholarship Program, which benefited 161 students with a total of 804,677 euros.
4. Committed to teaching:
During the last three years, 37 academics obtained the national qualification of professor granted by ANECA, and 105 obtained the qualification of tenured. Sixty percent of the professors are PhDs.
5. Committed to research:
800 PhDs were dedicated to the 690 research projects underway, 153 of which were initiated during this academic period, with an investment of 12.35 million euros.
The University of Navarra collaborates with the training of doctors from developing countries, with agreements to reduce tuition fees for doctoral programs by up to 90%.
6. Committed to transfer:
In 2008, the Fundación Empresa-Universidad de Navarra collaborated in the management of 3,301 national and 101 international internships. The Scientific and Technological Institute of Navarra maintained contact with 340 companies and signed 130 contracts. The ICT has also managed a total of 78 active inventions -6 in this academic year- which have given rise to 322 patent applications currently active worldwide.
7. Committed to Navarre:
More than 28,000 graduates from Navarre have passed through the University's classrooms and, from their respective professions, contribute to the development of the region.
The Chair of Navarrese Heritage and Art has developed 40 lecture series, 13 courses, 12 sessions and published 8 books. Alumni also works to promote the Camino de Santiago: 2,700 university Jacobean accreditations were awarded and more than 6,000 pilgrim credentials were stamped.
The University participates in the "Plan Moderna" committee to place Navarra among the most innovative regions.
8. Committed to society:
The Universitarios por la Ayuda Social (UAS) association had 400 volunteers working in six areas: disability, elderly, hospitalized patients, prison, homeless and school support.
9. Committed to the environment:
In the 2008-09 academic year, the Sustainable Campus project was created, which proposes a sustainability plan based on five initiatives: completing the bicycle path, efficient and clean management of urban waste and water, improving the efficiency of lighting, reducing noise pollution and reducing CO2 emissions.
10. Committed to transparency:
Future editions of the report will track progress on the various commitments, as they include the targets set for the various parameters within the framework of the Horizon 2015 project.
The University of Navarra is gradually adopting the Quality Assurance System (SGIC) which, among other aspects, obliges higher education institutions to regularly publish information on the programs and degrees they offer.
Interview with Elisa Montserrat on 98.3 Radio: