|
Support for higher education is a firm part of Banco Santander’s commitment to communities. In 2014 the bank earmarked €187 billion for social investment, of which €146 million was invested in higher education projects.
“We have a clear purpose to contribute to the progress of people, companies and society as a whole,” says José Antonio Villasante, senior executive vice-president at the bank and director of Santander Universities. “We are convinced that support of higher education, not just universities but their students, is the best way to demonstrate our long term commitment to the communities in which we are present.”
The bank’s work with universities involves collaborative agreements implementing academic, financial and technology projects and developing international inter-university programmes to foster mobility of students, teachers and researchers.
|
“Our most important achievement is that universities consider us one of their best allies”
Santander
|
Scholarship programmes form a large part of the efforts. Last year over 28,000 students and teachers from 658 universities benefitted.