The FAS Celebrates 25 Years of Social Action at the University
On 17 June, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Fundació Autònoma Solidària (FAS), a gathering was held with the operational staff and members of the Board of Trustees and Advisory Council to reflect on the Foundation’s upcoming challenges. The event was chaired by UAB Rector Javier Lafuente and FAS Director Jordi Prat.
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In his opening address, the Rector highlighted the fundamental role of the FAS as a cornerstone of UAB’s social commitment, stating that the Foundation has been key to shaping a university that is more engaged in building a fairer and more inclusive society. Lafuente recalled the origins of the FAS, created in 1999 as a continuation of the university’s previous offices for volunteering and social action, and emphasised its trajectory: more than 8,000 volunteers and over 60,000 beneficiaries of its programmes. Regarding the newly formed Advisory Council, he noted the inclusion of UAB alumni and leading figures who will help strengthen the FAS’s capacity to address current and future social challenges.
For his part, Jordi Prat paid tribute to Professor Arcadi Oliveres, who inspired both the project and the new advisory body, explaining that it was born from the desire to build bridges between the university, social movements, and public institutions. Prat took the opportunity to introduce the members of the new Advisory Council, the details of which can be found at this link.
After the speeches, a commemorative video was screened that reviewed the FAS's journey since its inception, through the first-hand accounts of people who were involved in its programmes.
Next, a participatory activity called World Café took place, during which attendees split into three working groups to discuss three key areas of the FAS's work: access to university for vulnerable groups, transformative educational experiences, and the university’s commitment to teaching, research, and knowledge transfer. The FAS operations team facilitated these groups, gathering collective reflections and formulating proposals and future challenges that the Foundation will take on in the coming years.
The event concluded with remarks from UAB Secretary General Esther Zapater, who recognised the Foundation’s achievements and encouraged it to continue working with the same commitment and social responsibility in the years to come.
New Board of Trustees and Approval of 2024 Accounts
Earlier in the day, before the main event, the FAS Board of Trustees met with two items on its agenda: to confirm the board members for the upcoming year and to approve the accounts and audit for 2024. Several changes were made: Enric Marín Otto stepped down from the Board to join the Advisory Council and Xavier Such Martí also stepped down. Núria Garcia and Juan José Donaire were appointed as new members of the Board of Trustees.
During the same session, the Board approved the FAS's adherence to the UAB Climate Policy and Commitments, which were passed by the Governing Council on 24 April 2024. This policy outlines a strategy for mitigating and adapting to climate change, setting out clear medium-term goals and commitments with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2030.