Dr. Santos Gracia
Santos Gracia, President of the Ibero-American University Foundation (Funiber) and full member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (READ), is the subject of two reports published on 2 and 3 July, respectively, in the digital publications El Trapezio and iymagazine, following his recent admission to the Royal Corporation. The information channels of Funiber and the International Ibero-American University of Mexico also covered the news. Gracia joined the READ with the speech “University Education as an Instrument for the Development of Peoples and the Formation of Multinational Communities: The Funiber Project”, in which he presented Funiber’s work, from its beginnings almost three decades ago promoting accessible higher education to its current achievements, having become established as the leading university platform within the so-called Ibero-speaking world, with a presence in 35 countries.
El Trapezio highlights that this admission constitutes recognition both of the new member’s scientific and professional career and of the ambitious and innovative project he has promoted over recent decades through the Ibero-American University Foundation. “The admission of Santos Gracia has represented significant institutional recognition of his long and impeccable professional career, which for almost three decades has been devoted to transforming higher education into an ideal vehicle for the development of peoples and international cooperation,” the publication states.
For its part, iymagazine emphasises Funiber’s achievements in facilitating access to higher education regardless of economic or geographical barriers and in promoting excellent education capable of fostering both personal and social development. “In his speech, the President of Funiber recalled that, since the emergence of universities, higher education has been fundamental in preparing individuals and strengthening societies. He stressed that millions of people today seek access to high-quality higher education to improve their lives and contribute to community well-being. Santos Gracia also explained how the Internet has revolutionised the educational landscape since the end of the 20th century, creating new opportunities to broaden access to higher education. In this context, Funiber was founded by integrating technology to combine the best aspects of face-to-face education with the advantages of distance learning,” the publication explains.
Finally, the International Ibero-American University of Mexico, as a member of the International University Network of the Ibero-American University Foundation, welcomes a distinction that it also regards as its own. “This appointment represents recognition of a career devoted to promoting higher education as an instrument for the development of peoples, international cooperation and the formation of multinational communities. For the International Ibero-American University of Mexico, this event has special significance, as it highlights the model of university cooperation it shares with the institutions that form part of Funiber’s International University Network,” the institution states.
A pioneer in the design and implementation of distance and blended-learning models, Santos Gracia has adapted academic programmes to the technical needs of numerous developing countries and consolidated international cooperation networks across Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, promoting the creation of university networks that share an ecosystem of mutual collaboration. He is the author and co-author of numerous scientific articles published in high-impact journals and of technical books. He has received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic in recognition of the Foundation’s social commitment and his work in promoting access to higher education through an extensive scholarship programme throughout Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries.
