Banco Santander continues to be firmly committed to creating fairer, more inclusive and sustainable societies, with a long-standing commitment to higher education, employability and entrepreneurship over the last more than 27 years.

Valencia 2023 (Spain), Salamanca 2018 (Spain), Rio de Janeiro 2014 (Brazil), Guadalajara 2010 (Mexico), Seville 2005 (Spain)... Every Universia International Rectors' Summit forms part of Banco Santander's support for universities as drivers of social and economic development, from education to research and innovation. These events have become one of the biggest rectors' summits in the world.




Under the slogan "University and Society", the 5th Universia International Rectors' Summit was held in Valencia with nearly 700 university leaders from 14 countries invited, representing more than 14 million students.

They discuss the role that universities should play in taking on various global challenges, in pursuit of a fairer, more prosperous, more inclusive society.

Just like the previous four summits, the 5th Universia International Rectors' Summit has provided new lines of action so that universities can meet the demands and needs of society today and for the future.


All the summits

Encuentro Internacional de Rectores Universia 2018

2023 | Valencia · Spain

Held in Valencia, Spain, on 8, 9 and 10 May, the 5th International Rectors Summit brought together nearly 700 university leaders from 14 countries, representing 14 million students, together with personalities from politics, business and beneficiaries of the Santander Scholarship and Santander X programmes.

Encuentro Internacional de Rectores Universia 2018

2018 | Salamanca · Spain

The 4th Universia International Rectors' Summit took place in the city of Salamanca (Spain) on 21 and 22 May 2018. More than 700 university leaders from 26 countries participated at the event. The gathering provided the opportunity to reflect on the main challenges facing universities, in relation to the digital world, university research and the contribution of universities to social and territorial development.

Encuentro Internacional de Rectores Universia 2014

2014 | Río de Janeiro · Brazil

The 3rd Universia International Rectors' Summit saw the participation of more than 1,100 rectors from 33 countries and took place in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil) on 28 and 29 July 2014.

The rectors discussed ten critical issues for transforming the university of the 21st century. In particular, the future of universities, their ability to respond to the needs and the role of Brazil in an international context were analysed.

2010 | Guadalajara · Mexico

The city of Guadalajara (Mexico) was the location chosen for the 2nd Universia International Rectors' Summit, on 31 May and 1 June. More than 1,000 university rectors from different countries took part.

These academic leaders discussed the social commitment of universities in Ibero-America and the main challenges they face in fulfilling their missions.

2005 | Sevilla · Spain

The 1st Universia International Rectors' Summit made Seville (Spain) into the world capital of higher education during 19 and 20 May.  

The main themes of the sessions were: the construction of a new Ibero-American university model, the creation of a common Ibero-American space in a globalised world, the university as a factor for economic and social development and the university-company relationship for promoting innovation.