University of Surrey forges partnership with Banco Santander

Thursday 11 December 2008

Under the partnership, forged with Santander Universities Global Division, the University of Surrey will join the ‘Santander Universities’ network of over 700 universities in Spain, Portugal, Latin America, China, the United States and the United Kingdom.

With an agreement focusing on international exchange, entrepreneurial activities and the mobility of students and researchers within the network, Santander Universities Global Division will fund a number of initiatives at Surrey. This includes scholarships for incoming and outgoing students, research mobility support for Surrey faculty, language training and a ‘Dragon’s Den’ competition. The support could not be more opportune as Surrey‘s Global Partnership Network of top-ranking, research-intensive universities worldwide develops. Surrey’s international network is set to include the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil in a triangular collaboration with North Carolina State University.

Professor Christopher Snowden, University of Surrey Vice-Chancellor, comments: “I am delighted that Banco Santander has agreed to generously support the University of Surrey in its international agreement, benefiting students and staff and building links with other world-leading universities.”

Since 1996, through ‘Santander Universities’, almost half a billion euros has been distributed and over 700 universities worldwide have been supported in areas such as teaching and research, international cooperation, knowledge and technology transfer, entrepreneurial initiatives, student mobility and innovation. ‘Santander Universities’ was introduced in the UK in 2007 through Abbey National plc.

Luis Juste, Santander Universities Director in the UK, comments: This long-term partnership with the University of Surrey is a significant step for ‘Santander Universities’ groundbreaking programme in the UK. We look forward to working together in promoting international collaboration and the exchange of knowledge in Surrey’s areas of expertise, and contribute to enhancing the University’s excellent work for the community.”

Editors' Notes

About Santander Universities

Banco Santander, one of the largest banks in the world, created ‘Santander Universities’ in 1996 to support the Higher Education sector in such areas as teaching and research, international cooperation, knowledge and technology transfer, entrepreneurial initiatives, student mobility and innovation.

Santander Universities Global Division has signed co-operation agreements with 700 universities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

‘Santander Universities’ was introduced in the UK in 2007 through Abbey National plc and the bank is already collaborating with twenty-nine British Universities and Higher Education Institutions, with agreements focused in promoting international exchange, entrepreneurial activities and the mobility of students and researchers within the network.

‘Santander Universities’ initiatives include:

• the granting of over 12,000 scholarships a year to promote study, research and initial professional work experience and bursaries to facilitate student and staff mobility between universities in the network
• aid to 2,500 research groups
• the issue of 3.7 million university smart cards in 185 universities, with a high level of functional and financial features for teachers and students
• support for two major global projects: the ‘Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library’ (www.cervantesvirtual.com), the largest of its kind for Hispanic works; and Universia (www.universia.net), the biggest university co-operation network in the world, that includes 1,070 universities.

For Banco Santander, investing in education is the most powerful means of promoting the development and prosperity of society.

Media Enquiries

Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 689191, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk