This is the sixth consecutive year the UIC, with the support of Banco Santander through its Santander Universities Global Division, has awarded the Alumni-Banco Santander fellowships. To be eligible, students must be members of the Association of UIC Alumni and Friends or must meet a series of requirements regarding criteria such as their academic record and economic and family situation (large families, families on unemployment, disabilities, orphans, etc.). With this financial aid, the UIC aims to improve students' welfare in areas that go beyond academic training.

The ceremony was presided over by UIC Rector Pere Alavedra. Also in attendance were Luis Herrero, the Assistant General Director of Banco Santander and Regional Director for Catalonia; José María García de los Ríos, the Director of Santander Universities Agreements; Jordi Mabras, the Director of Institutional Banking in Catalonia; Míriam Hernández, the Director of the University Office; and Xavier Amat, the President of the UIC Alumni Association.

Mario Hernández Pérez-Calvo, a student from the Degree in Audiovisual Communication, said a few words of thanks on behalf of the students awarded fellowships. The fellowships were widely distributed, with the recipients representing the majority of the UIC's degree courses.

Since 2004, Banco Santander has collaborated on this and other UIC initiatives through its Santander Universities Global Division, which maintains more than 1,100 partnership agreements with universities and research centres around the world. You can find out more at www.santander.com/universidades and www.becas-santander.com.