Universia

Universia is an open and free digital platform that enables students and graduates from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal to advance their professional careers by accessing job and internship opportunities. It provides access to internships, job fairs, employment portals, competitions, and events.

It is a large international network of universitie serving as a space for collaboration, cooperation, and joint reflection among universities within the Ibero-American Higher Education Area.

Throughout its trajectory, Universia has expanded its areas of activity, participating in various initiatives and events that promote employability and innovation in the education sector.

It comprises more than 500 universities from 8 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Portugal and Spain).

Universia is an initiative of Banco Santander. Ana Botín is the President of Banco Santander and Universia, while Javier Roglá has been its CEO since 2018.

History

Universia was founded in the year 2000 with a clear Ibero-American focus. Its creation was driven by Banco Santander, in collaboration with Spanish universities, with the support of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (Crue) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

In its early years, Universia focused on creating a digital space that enabled knowledge exchange between universities, fostering collaboration among academic institutions. Over time, its approach has evolved towards promoting employability, facilitating access to better job opportunities for students and young graduates with up to two years of experience.

Today, Universia drives consulting and talent selection projects in partnership with universities and businesses, as well as virtual fairs, talent competitions, employability workshops, and networking events.

Areas of activity

Universia operates more than 150 job portals within universities, managing thousands of job offers annually and hosting a network of over 35,000 registered companies.

Its main activities focus on:

* Student Support: Assisting students in designing and optimising their CVs through artificial intelligence, enhancing their impact in selection processes. It also facilitates access to job fairs, talent competitions, and career-related events.
* University Collaboration: Helping universities and educational institutions connect their talent with companies, streamlining the management of internship and job offers through digital processes.
* Business Engagement: Enabling companies to access students across Ibero-America, attracting top talent with cutting-edge HR technology for job posting and recruitment.

In recent years, Universia has strengthened its role as a talent-driven employment portal, particularly in the STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

Universia continues to adapt to the evolving job market, focusing on digitalisation and innovation to remain a key bridge between talent and professional opportunities.

Initiatives and programs

Universia organises and participates in various initiatives aimed at enhancing employability and fostering collaboration between universities and businesses, including:

* Jobs Together: A space for dialogue between businesses and employment services to discuss strategies for developing inclusive and diverse employability programs.
* Talent Race: A gamified, diverse, and inclusive talent competition aimed at students and recent graduates in STEAM disciplines, in collaboration with some of Spain’s leading companies.
* Top Talent: A platform where participants get firsthand insights into job opportunities from top employers.
* Participation in Job Fairs: Representing Universia at various career events and job fairs, offering guidance and opportunities to young professionals seeking career development.

One of Universia’s key milestones is the organisation of the '
International Rectors’ Meetings
'', among the largest gatherings of university leaders worldwide. These meetings bring together hundreds of academic leaders to discuss the role of universities in driving social and economic development through education, research, and innovation.

* Valencia 2023 (Spain) – Hosted 700 university leaders from 14 countries, representing 14 million students, alongside political figures, business leaders, and beneficiaries of Santander Open Academy and Santander X programs.
* Salamanca 2018 (Spain) – Over 700 university leaders from 26 countries engaged in discussions on key university challenges, including the digital world, research, and contributions to social and territorial development.
* Rio de Janeiro 2014 (Brazil) – Attended by 1,100 rectors from 33 countries, focusing on the future of universities, their responsiveness to global needs, and Brazil’s role in the international education landscape.
* Guadalajara 2010 (Mexico) – Gathered over 1,000 rectors to discuss universities’ social responsibility in Ibero-America and the key challenges they face.
* Seville 2005 (Spain) – The first international meeting, which centred discussions on building a new Ibero-American university model, establishing a common higher education space, the university’s role in economic and social development, and strengthening university-business relations.

Universia around the world

* '
Universia
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* '
Universia Argentina
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Universia Brazil
* '
Universia Chile
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* '
Universia Colombia
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Universia Mexico

Universia Peru
* '
Universia Portugal
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Universia Spain

References

{{Networks of European universities

Academic computer network organizations