Rector Lafuente ends Campus Ítaca encouraging participants to return to the UAB as university students

This year, 325 third-year secondary school students from 66 schools in Vallès Occidental participated in the Campus Ítaca, consisting of a stay at the UAB to carry out pedagogical and recreational activities with the aim of encouraging them to continue their studies after completing compulsory education. The rector highlighted the contribution of this initiative to reducing the number of students leaving school and stimulating creativity and talent, as well as promoting the values of coexistence.

At the closing ceremony, the students who participated in the Campus Ítaca 2025 showed their families the results of the work carried out during their stay at the UAB. The rector put specila emphasis on the “fundamental role” of families in transmitting “the value of a solid education”. He also praised the work done by the instructors who accompanied the students during their stay at the University, as well as the collaboration of the secondary school teachers and towns involved.

Rector Lafuente also wanted to highlight the coordination of the Fundació Autònoma Solidària (FAS), organiser of the Campus Ítaca, of PIUNE and the support of the UAB Social Council, all of which contributed to the success of this project, which this year reached its 22nd edition. According to him, the Campus Ítaca is “an example of the UAB's vocation to serve society as a public university committed to the areas surrounding it”, as well as an inclusive initiative that aims to promote equal opportunities in access to higher education. In this sense, in addition to encouraging them to continue their studies, the rector recalled that, as participants, students have the opportunity to apply for an Ítaca-UAB salary grants if they enrol in university studies.

The closing ceremony, in the conference hall of the Rector's Office, was also attended by the president of the Vallès Occidental Regional Council, Xavier Garcés, who described Campus Ítaca as “a tool for social and educational transformation” and praised its “impact on the community”; and by director of the FAS, Jordi Prat, who led the presentation of the projects and the awarding of diplomas. In addition, Sara Essahili, a student of the bachelor's degree in Primary Education who participated in Campus Ítaca as a secondary school student and now is enrolled in her university studies with the help of the Ítaca-UAB salary grants, also spoke at the ceremony. For reasons of capacity, the closing ceremony was divided into two spaces, and speaking at the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Law were Virginia Luzón, vice-rector for Communication; Montserrat Capdevila, director of the Territorial Services of Education and Vocational Training in Vallès Occidental; and Àlex Márquez, coordinator of the Ítaca Campus.

A space for coexistence

The profile of students targeted by the project is that of someone with good study skills but who, due to their socioeconomic situation or the lack of close adult references with higher education, are in a situation of educational disadvantage. In addition to encouraging them to continue studying, Campus Ítaca aims to become a space for coexistence between boys and girls from different social backgrounds and to promote the use of Catalan as a language of communication.

The students participating in this year's Campus Ítaca, divided into two rounds, come from secondary schools in the Vallès region, specifically from the towns of Badia del Vallès, Barberà del Vallès, Castellar del Vallès, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Montcada i Reixac, Palau-solità i Plegamans, Polinyà, Ripollet, Rubí, Sabadell, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Sentmenat, Terrassa, Ullastrell and Viladecavalls.

Campus Ítaca has been held at the UAB since 2004. In these 22 editions, nearly 7,500 secondary school students have participated. Students who finish upper secondary school in one of the centres that participate in the initiative and who enrol in the first year of any bachelor's degree taught by the UAB will be eligible for an Ítaca-UAB salary grant. The grant includes the payment of 500 euros per month for ten months, renewable during the years of duration of a bachelor's degree, and free enrolment of first-time credits. Since its creation, more than 300 young people have benefited from these grants. In addition, this year the FAS will also offer 30 Argó grants so that former participants of the Campus Ítaca can enrol in the summer courses of the UAB Argó programme and in other courses.