The Melilla University Campus, part of the University of Granada (UGR), is hosting the II National Conference of Peripheral Campuses on Tuesday, October 27, and Wednesday, October 28. The event brings together representatives from 19 Spanish universities in the autonomous city, including the three public Galician universities: the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), the University of Vigo (UVigo), and the University of A Coruña (UDC).
The main objective of these conferences is to share experiences, identify common problems, raise awareness of good practices, and contribute to building an alliance of peripheral campuses. The aim is to place this reality on the strategic agenda of the Spanish university system. This second edition follows the meeting held last year at the Ponferrada Campus, organized by the University of León, and seeks to advance in diagnosing shared challenges and developing joint proposals and action lines.
The representation from the Galician public universities includes the Vice-Rector for the Ferrol Campus, Equality, and Social Responsibility of the UDC, Ana Ares Pernas; the Vice-Rector for Teaching Staff and Teaching Innovation at the USC, Pablo Taboada Antelo; the Vice-Rector for the Ourense Campus of the UVigo, María Montserrat Cruz González; the Director of the Campus Auga, Alberto Vaquero García; and the Vice-Rector for the Pontevedra Campus of the UVigo, Marián Fernández Villarino. The Secretary General of Universities, José Alberto Díez de Castro, also attended.
The Industrial Campus of Ferrol, belonging to the UDC, was the first campus to obtain accreditation as a specialization campus within the Galician University System (SUG). In December 2023, it renewed its seal of excellence for four years, a recognition of quality promoted by the Xunta de Galicia to strengthen non-central campuses and enhance their competitiveness.
Since its inception in 2015, the Industrial Campus of Ferrol has focused on six strategic lines: industrial robotics, materials, process optimization, naval and offshore engineering, industrial management, and product development. Future challenges include incorporating new research areas in electrical and electronic engineering, telecommunications, and computer science, as well as leading national research in additive manufacturing and Industry 4.0.
