The Universidad de Cantabria (UC) is a modern public institution characterized by the quality of its teaching, its high level of research, and its strong service ethos. In the 2009-2010 academic year it is offering 36 official degrees, seven of which are already fully adapted to the European Higher Education Area.

The University of Cantabria (UC) came into being in 1972 with the creation of a Faculty of Medicine, the incorporation of various undergraduate colleges and two centres that had previously been affiliated to the University of Valladolid: the Faculty of Sciences and the School of Civil Engineering. Since then, the institution has steadily increased the number of degrees on offer, has incorporated new centres, and has broadened its teaching and research activity. In 1985 the University's process of consolidation took another step forward with the approval of its Statutes, which were in force until 2003, when a new set of statutes were passed in accordance with the 2001 Universities Act. Since the central government transferred competence for educational matters to the Autonomous Regions 1996, the institution has depended on the Community of Cantabria.

The UC’s 13 faculties and schools teach a wide range of degrees in all the areas of knowledge: arts and humanities, sciences, health sciences, social and legal sciences, engineering, and architecture. The UC’s research potential is recognized internationally in fields such as astrophysics, archaeology and coast engineering, and it has many leading scientists among its academic staff. The teaching methods are based on a balance between theory and practice. In fact, the UC organizes a full program of practicals in companies to allow students to apply the knowledge they have acquired in the laboratory to real-life situations. In addition to learning a profession, UC students have the chance to complete their training with activities to suit all tastes: language courses (English, French, German, Italian and Chinese), programs of subjects in English on Business and Economics, Advanced Applied Technologies for Industry, Experimental Physics and Civil Engineering Fundamentals, more than a hundred summer courses, technical and scientific meetings, lectures and many other cultural events such as theatre workshops, cinema, and music.

One of the UC’s main features is its potential for research, development and innovation. Scientific excellence is a key indicator because it is one of the most objective reflections of the quality of a university’s academic staff and of its vitality. The UC is an unusual case inside the Spanish university system: despite its comparatively small size, the University is among the highest-ranking universities in the country in terms of its research capacity and productivity. Several official studies of scientific quality place the University of Cantabria among the top Spanish universities for research competitiveness: in the last call for applications for the National Fundamental R+D Plan, 81% of the projects that the UC presented were successful. The UC is also one of the most successful Spanish universities in securing funding for research, having obtained 38 million euros in 2008 – an increase of 39.5% on the 2007 figure – of which 22.9 million were from competitive public funding projects and 15.1 million from research contracts. And according to the report The Spanish University in Figures 2008, produced by the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE), which presents data up to 2006, the UC headed the ranking for net funding from research: 23.86% of its budget, followed by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (22.98%) and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (22.29%). The UC has numerous R+D+i groups working in close cooperation with important research centres all over the world. These groups belong to the University’s 32 departments, four units associated with the CSIC, and four university research institutes, two of them created recently. The research staff’s scientific production is impressive, and several UC researchers and research groups have been awarded international prizes.

The UC offers numerous university extension activities through its 'Aulas' for Science, Cinema, Sound and Image, Arts, Music, Cultural Heritage, Theatre, Theology, Women’s and Gender Studies and International Cooperation, and the Area of Exhibitions: cycles, concerts, plays, exhibitions, workshops, guided visits, conferences, competitions and information sessions. Students at the UC are represented on the campus management committees and therefore have a say in the decision-making processes. The University Ombudsman defends the rights of all members of the university community. The Students’ Council (CEUC) and the students’ delegations at the faculties and schools channel a great deal of information, and the university associations offer another way of participating in projects such as cultural, musical and scientific programs. University members interested in taking part in solidarity projects may join voluntary groups, sign up for courses in development cooperation, or join the ecological campaigns organized by the Office for Solidarity and Voluntary Work.

The UC’s international promotion of its teaching activity is reflected in a broad program of language learning (courses in English, French, German, Italian, Chinese and Portuguese are available) and the more than 300 cooperation agreements it has signed with universities all over the world, covering exchanges of students, lecturers and administration and services staff, and the joint organization of economic activities such as dual degrees and postgraduate courses. The Vice-rectorate of International Relations coordinates the UC’s involvement in training and exchange programs inside the European Union: Jean Monnet, PAP-Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus, Atlantis, Tempus and Vulcanus, among others. The UC has also signed numerous cooperation agreements with universities in Europe (235 agreements), Latin America (90), the United States (11) and Australia (1). Via Erasmus and other made-to-measure exchange and mobility programs, around 400 foreign students come to Cantabria every year, and around 300 UC students study part of their degree abroad. The students are not the only ones who benefit from agreements with other universities, the University also promotes mobility among teachers, researchers, and administration and services staff. To advertise these exchange programs, each year in December the UC holds an International Day for all university members. The event includes an International Students’ Fair for foreign and Spanish students, and encourages mobility and the European spirit. In the area of postgraduate studies, the University is the site of a Jean Monnet Chair in European Union and Community Law, it teaches several international programs, including a European master’s degree in Construction Engineering, an international master’s in Banking and Financial Markets and a master’s in International Economics and European Integration. UC students may also carry out professional in-company placements abroad. The University welcomes students on postgraduate courses under the framework of agreements with the Carolina Foundation, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and also the EU Program Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window.

The University Library is divided into sections and enables students and lecturers to access information of all kinds. As well as thousands of books, journals, and other documents, it provides access to electronic information and to the Emilio Botin Electronic Library, which is equipped with the latest technologies. All the faculties and schools have computer rooms where students may consult e-mail, keep up to date with university news via the institutional website (www.unican.es) and access the Virtual Campus. Students wishing to buy a portable computer may apply for financial help to do so, and the Wi-Fi network provides free internet access anywhere on campus. The UC has a comprehensive information and guidance system that helps students with their studies or with personal matters. The welcome events, personal tutorials, courses on study techniques and social skills and the mentor program all aim to help the students settle in and make the most of their time here. Services available Scholarships and grants Students at the UC can opt for a variety of scholarships, offered by the University or by other institutions: for example, the grants system of the Ministry of Education and Science, the introduction to research programs, mobility grants and grants for sportsmen/women. The University Smart Card (TUI) is extremely versatile: it is an identity card and a credit card, and it accesses the services available via the computers in the computer rooms. Using the TUI, students can consult their grades and their academic records, take books out from the Library, order and pay for certificates, and withdraw money. The TUI also offers advantages and discounts at businesses throughout Cantabria: cinemas, travel agencies, clothes and sports shops, computer services, and restaurants. Another card, the Sports Card, entitles students to special rates on courses and activities and free use of tennis and squash courts. Trips to the mountains, gymnastics classes, dancing, pilates, surf, yoga, swimming, five-a-side football, basketball, handball are among the sports and outdoor activities available. The Pabellón Deportivo (Sports Centre) has a multi-use court and several covered courts, among them a weights room and a sauna. In May the Sports Day is held on the campus and throughout the academic year numerous competitions are organized. The Sports Service also channels the participation of UC sportsmen and women in the Spanish University Championships and competitions in athletics, badminton, basketball, handball, caving, squash, triathlon, men’s rugby and women’s volleyball.

A balanced campus: the University’s manageable size makes for a friendly atmosphere and means that each student receives individual attention.

The lecturer-student ratio is one of the best in Spain: one lecturer for each 8.7 students.

A reputation for research: the UC has an excellent research record, and is one of Spain’s leading universities in terms of scientific production.

Teaching of excellence: the University of Cantabria continuously assesses its activities and participates in all the nationwide quality assurance plans.

Personal guidance: the UC’s information and guidance and system helps students with problems relating to their academic progress, university services and activities, and their future careers.

An international campus: the UC’s international vocation is reflected in its exchange and cooperation agreements with nearly 300 universities from all over the globe – Europe, United States, Latin America, Australia – and in its wholehearted support for language learning.

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