Honorary Member
Social Sciences: Doctor in Innovation
Date of admission: 6 May 2026
Admission speech: De la universidad que produce conocimiento a la universidad que crea valor. La Universidad de Tercera Generación (U3G) como nuevo arquetipo institucional desde América Latina (From the university that produces knowledge to the university that creates value. The Third-Generation University (U3G) as a new institutional archetype from Latin America)
Response by: His Excellency Dr Rafael Urrialde de Andrés, Doctor in Biological Sciences
Outstanding career: Academic and manager in science and innovation, recognised for promoting the transformation of higher education and fostering opportunities for university access for talented young people through initiatives with a high social impact.
He served as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia, leading the strengthening of the National Science, Technology and Innovation System and the consolidation of policies aimed at generating knowledge, training scientific talent and developing capacities in research and innovation.
For more than 16 years as General Rector of the Corporación Universidad de la Costa (CUC), he led processes of institutional transformation, high-quality accreditation and international positioning. He is the founder of the “Opción Atlántico” programme, an initiative that has facilitated access to higher education for young people with limited resources.
He has managed more than 400 million euros in science, technology and innovation resources. Currently, as Executive Director of Cientech, he leads technology transfer processes, with more than 190 technologies managed and 46 transfer agreements.
He is the author of books and more than 40 scientific articles in indexed journals, with more than 1,300 citations, and has contributed to the training of more than 100,000 young people in emerging technologies. He has participated as a speaker in high-level academic and multilateral forums, including spaces associated with UNESCO, where he has contributed to the international debate on the role of education, science and innovation.
His career has been distinguished with the Order of San Carlos in the rank of Grand Cross and the Order of the Congress of the Republic in the rank of Grand Cross with Gold Plaque.
Father of Julieta, Emma and Tito Pablo, he embraces a vision of knowledge as a tool for social transformation, grounded in rigour, innovation and commitment to new generations.
