The Santander Bank (http://www.santander.com/), is a founding aggregate of Cantabria International Campus, according to the framework agreement signed by the institution in 2009. This agreement was re-launched in September 2011 with the signing of a new agreement that summarized and expanded partnerships between Santander and the UC as part of CIC.
The Santander Bank has been a strong contributor to the University of Cantabria (UC) for more than a decade. Working together, which has been productive for both organizations, has steadily increased and they currently develop international reference projects in various fields of knowledge.
Since 2006, the UCEIF Foundation has been teaching a Master’s Degree in Banking and Financial Markets in Santander, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Casablanca (headquarters opened in 2011) *. This Master’s Degree is now integrated in the area of excellence in “Banking, Finance and Business” of Cantabria International Campus.
The implementation of the Santander Financial Institute, which is a training and research center of excellence in banking and finance, as a UC- UCEIF Foundation joint institute will be an international benchmark in training and banking processes research, at the same time as it is a new strategic commitment * .
As a starting point, a new edition of the “Augusto GonzálezLinares Programme” has been launched for the recruitment of international talent to select two senior researchers to form their own research teams in banking processes and global markets. These will be the initial areas of its “scientific” activity.
The researchers in the areas of excellence in “Physics and Mathematics” and “Technology” of Cantabria International Campus are also planning to support the research and training activities arising from the Data Processing Centre of the Santander Bank (CPD) to open in December 2011. This work may open new ways of collaboration with these areas, such as the creation of programs related to the direction and management of Data Processing Centers.
The UC and the Santander Bank are also committed to enhance the Smart Card Technological Observatory, which is a project in the area of technologicalexcellence that followed the creation of the University Smart Card used by tens of thousands of Latin American university students in Cantabria *.
Both the UC and the Santander Bank are members of the board of the Comillas Foundation, one of the strategic guidelines of the “Language and Heritage” area of excellence of Cantabria International Campus. Through the Comillas Foundation, the UC and the Santander Bank foresee the establishment of Mobility Programmes with Wharton University (USA) to implement and develop mobility programs related to learning Spanish *. In the field of heritage, the Santander bank supports the International Institute for Prehistoric Research in Cantabria, which is governed by the UC, the Santander Bank and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of the Cantabrian Government. This support has been renovated and updated in a recent agreement (September 2011)
The Santander Bank has also claimed its share in the “Water and Energy” area of excellence by supporting the establishment of a Cantabrian Sustainability Center at the University of Cornell (USA), as part of Cantabria International Campus.
The Santander Bank support to the UC is embodied in other important initiatives such as several scholarship programs or the training program in English language for students.
(*) Action that corresponds to the one reflected in the Strategic Plan for conversion to Campus of International Excellence (CIE) in 2009.
NOTE: This text has been prepared by the University of Cantabria on the basis of agreements reached with the Santander Bank and is subject to review by this institution.