CUNEF Universidad participates in the Universia Spain General Shareholders’ Meeting in Madrid

Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander and Universia, chaired the Universia Spain General Shareholders’ Meeting, held in Madrid last 13 May. The event brought together rectors and representatives from Spanish universities, including CUNEF Universidad. In her address, Botín warned that Europe has reached a crossroads, stressing that future competitiveness will hinge on its strength in education, innovation and talent.

CUNEF Universidad was prominently represented at the meeting by its Rector, Ana Fernández, alongside other university leaders from across the Universia network. Furthermore, alumnus Alfonso Sepúlveda was selected for his academic excellence to participate in a debate with three other students and the Executive Chair of Banco Santander and Universia. Sepúlveda, who graduated in 2025 with a bilingual Bachelor in Business Administration and a Minor in International Finance & Banking, was awarded the Santander 360º Scholarship for academic excellence.

According to Alfonso, it was Adoración Álvaro, Dean of the School of Business, Economics and Law, who first told him about these scholarships and encouraged him to apply. “I am incredibly grateful; I wasn’t aware of the opportunity at the time, and it was a brilliant experience,” he recalls.

CUNEF Universidad Alumnus 

During the debate, Alfonso, who is originally from Mexico, shared his perspective as an international student. Although he admitted to feeling “somewhat daunted at first” by the prospect of debating with the Executive Chair of Banco Santander, he quickly felt at ease. He even took the opportunity to ask for her advice on “how to stay motivated during critical moments when you need to make life-defining decisions.”

At the event, Ana Botín advocated for a genuine single market for knowledge, placing universities at the heart of economic growth, in line with the European competitiveness frameworks proposed by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi.

Additionally, she stressed the need to help young people develop three essential pillars: resilience, to adapt to changing environments; innovation, to use technology more efficiently; and culture, in the broadest sense of the word. Against the backdrop of ever-increasing use of artificial intelligence, she also emphasised the importance of boosting employability by strengthening the ties between universities and the business world.

In 2025, Universia managed more than 75,000 job vacancies globally, including 13,000 in Spain, cementing its position as a leading job platform for students and recent graduates.