The Universidad Internacional Ibeoamericana (International Ibero-American University, UNIB), a member of the International University Network of the Ibero-American University Foundation (FUNIBER), highlights the recent induction of His Excellency Mr. Santos Gracia Villar, president of FUNIBER, as a Full Member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (RAED), during a solemn ceremony held at the headquarters of Foment del Treball, in Barcelona, Spain.
This appointment recognizes a career dedicated to promoting higher education as a tool for the development of peoples, international cooperation, and the integration of multinational communities. For UNIB, this event holds special significance as it highlights the model of university cooperation it shares with the institutions that make up FUNIBER’s International University Network.
The event was presided over by His Excellency Dr. Alfredo Rocafort Nicolau, president of the RAED, who holds a Ph.D. in Economic Sciences and a J.D. The ceremony brought together prominent figures from the academic, scientific, and institutional spheres.
As part of the induction ceremony, Dr. Santos Gracia delivered the speech “University Education as a Tool for the Development of Peoples and for the Coordination of Multinational Communities: The FUNIBER Project”, in which he outlined the vision that has guided the Foundation’s development since its inception and reflected on the role of the university as a driving force for social progress, international cooperation, and understanding among peoples.
The University as a Driving Force for Societal Development
The president of FUNIBER began his remarks by noting that, since the founding of the first universities, higher education has been an essential tool for preparing individuals and strengthening societies. In this context, he emphasized that access to quality higher education today represents an aspiration shared by millions of people seeking to enhance their professional, academic, and personal development, while simultaneously contributing to the well-being of the communities to which they belong.
Dr. Santos Gracia noted that the advent of the Internet in the late 20th century profoundly transformed the educational landscape and opened new opportunities to expand access to higher education. It was precisely in this context that FUNIBER was founded, harnessing the potential of new technologies to combine the strengths of in-person instruction with the advantages of distance education.
From its inception, he added, the project embraced two essential objectives: to facilitate access to higher education regardless of students’ financial means or place of residence, and to promote excellence in education that contributes to the development of individuals and societies.
A Model Based on International Cooperation
The speech traced FUNIBER’s evolution from its founding in 1997 to its consolidation as one of the leading international networks for university cooperation in the Portuguese-speaking world.
Over the course of nearly three decades, this model has made it possible to establish an International University Network with a presence in more than 35 countries, comprising universities, research centers, and partner institutions that jointly develop academic, scientific, and cultural projects. Within this framework of cooperation, UNIB participates in an international initiative dedicated to education, research, innovation, and the creation of educational opportunities through FUNIBER’s International Scholarship Program.
The University as an Instrument for Coordinating the Iberophone Space
One of the central themes of the discussion was the cultural and strategic dimension of higher education. Dr. Santos Gracia explained that, from its inception, the FUNIBER project has sought to leverage the linguistic and cultural affinities between Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking peoples to develop shared academic programs.
In this context, he highlighted the value of the Pan-Iberian Space, or the Iberophone Community, comprising the community of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries and peoples, which brings together 900 million people spread across some thirty nations. This geolinguistic space constitutes one of the largest linguistic communities in the world and represents a unique opportunity to promote university cooperation, foster the exchange of knowledge, and develop joint projects in education, research, and innovation.
From this perspective, he noted that the university can play a decisive role as an instrument for coordinating this multinational space, promoting stable networks of academic collaboration and contributing to shared development through the training of professionals, scientific research, and the transfer of knowledge. In this way, he affirmed, FUNIBER has helped consolidate a form of university cooperation that transcends national borders and strengthens ties between institutions united by a common linguistic and cultural heritage.
Full speech by Dr. Santos Gracia Villar.
Response Speech by the Royal European Academy of Doctors
The response to the speech was delivered by the president of the RAED, Dr. Alfredo Rocafort Nicolau, who welcomed the new academician by highlighting the scope of his career and the significance of the project developed by FUNIBER.
During his remarks, he described Dr. Santos Gracia as a true “university builder”, capable of transforming a vision into solid and enduring institutions. He also emphasized that FUNIBER’s evolution demonstrates how higher education can become a true infrastructure for the development of societies by fostering the training of professionals, educators, and researchers, strengthening academic institutions, and generating opportunities for economic and social progress through knowledge.
The RAED president also highlighted the Foundation’s social dimension, reflected in its International Scholarship Program, in the training of thousands of students, and in its contribution to strengthening universities and educational institutions. Likewise, he acknowledged FUNIBER’s contribution to the construction of the Pan-Iberian Space and the Iberophone Community, as well as to the promotion of academic and cultural diplomacy as a tool for fostering understanding, cooperation, and dialogue among societies on different continents.
He also highlighted the Foundation’s work in the areas of science outreach, cultural promotion, and the organization of international academic activities, which serve as tools for bringing knowledge to society and strengthening ties between universities and institutions.
Full speech by the president of the RAED, Dr. Alfredo Rocafort.
The ceremony, held with great solemnity, was attended by authorities, numerous academics, family, friends, and members of the Ibero-American University Foundation, and concluded with a reception.
The Ibero-American International University (UNIB) extends its most sincere congratulations to His Excellency Dr. Santos Gracia Villar on his induction as a Full Member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors, a recognition that honors a career dedicated to strengthening higher education, international university cooperation, and the development of academic initiatives with an impact across multiple countries. The university community wishes him every success in this new academic role and reaffirms its commitment to continue contributing, through its institutional mission, to the international educational project promoted by FUNIBER.
Complete report on the induction ceremony for Dr. Santos Gracia Villar into the RAED.
Watch the full video of Dr. Santos Gracia Villar’s induction ceremony: