Promoting good training and employability, challenges for the University
The rector, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero, emphasizes that during this academic year the works of the Museum, "the gateway to the University for the citizens of Navarre", will be completed.
One of the main tasks of the University, together with research, is to provide students with the best possible education. This was stated by the rector of the University of Navarra, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero, during the opening ceremony of the 2013-2014 academic year. "Good training tends to make people more creative, more innovative, more supportive, more able to understand each other; good training is also very useful for finding a good job," he said.
Faced with the current situation of deterioration in the labor market, the president emphasized, "the University of Navarra feels the responsibility to contribute what it can to alleviate this problem. We must strive in two directions: first, to continue working to enhance the employability of our graduates; second, to increase the number of jobs that arise in the University's environment by promoting new spin-offs and encouraging initiatives driven by entrepreneurs trained at the University of Navarra.
On the other hand, he indicated that in recent years some projects have been born in the University that constitute examples of university work at the service of people, especially those most in need. "University work makes it possible to participate in large-scale projects; to contribute -together with many other people and institutions- to make life in a miserable economic situation become part of History".
In this regard, he referred to the work of the research group on Poverty and Development, which is part of the Culture and Society Institute, the work on palliative care that seeks to preserve the quality and dignity of human life in the final moments; research on global law; or the studies of the Tropical Health Institute on dengue, malaria or leishmaniasis.
On the other hand, he focused on the fulfillment of the objectives set last year: to promote research with the start-up and strengthening of new centers; to strengthen the international dimension; and to consolidate the postgraduate offer. "In the first objective, we have been able to make progress despite the fact that we are affected - as we all are - by the economic uncertainty in our environment". In this way, he highlighted the start of the activities of the Nutrition research center, the reinforcement of the ICS staff with young researchers from prestigious institutions and the appointment of Dr. Jesús San Miguel as director of Clinical and Translational Medicine at the University.
"On the road to a more international University," emphasized the rector, "we already have 15% of foreign students and all the centers have drawn up their internationalization plans.
Museum, hub of campus cultural life
Regarding the novelties for the next academic year, he highlighted the completion of the work on the Museum of the University of Navarra. "We intend for it to be the hub of the cultural life of the campus, to become a place of research and artistic experimentation, to serve as a gateway to the University for the citizens of Navarre and to attract visitors from many other regions and countries."
Another new feature of this academic year is that the first year students of the Management Assistant degree, taught by ISSA, will have their classes in Pamplona. The Rector welcomed them and pointed out that on its fiftieth anniversary, "ISSA has established itself as a highly valued academic center in society, as evidenced by the high number of job offers received by its graduates".
Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero also mentioned the academic novelties of this academic year, among which are the double degree in Philosophy and Law, the Governance and Leadership Program as an international itinerary for the degree in Economics, new international programs in Architecture, Medicine and Nursing, and the itinerary in cultural management for the degree in Humanities.
"Person, freedom, gift"
The opening ceremony began with a Eucharistic concelebration presided over by the Archbishop of Pamplona and Bishop of Tudela, Francisco Pérez González. After the academic parade of doctors, the ceremony began with the intervention of the Secretary General, Gonzalo Robles, who summarized the most relevant research and teaching data of the Academic Report of the academic year 2012-2013. Next, Professor of Metaphysics Ángel Luis González gave the inaugural lecture, entitled "Person, freedom, gift".
Also in attendance were the vice-rector of University Projection of the UPNA, Eloísa Ramírez; the director of the UNED Pamplona, José Luis Martín Nogales; and the director of the UNED Tudela, Luis Jesús Fernández Rodríguez.