In the XXI century, universities have to compete between one another, in order to achieve the prestige that they need to attract students. This can be done by improving the teaching quality and by the social visibility provided by research.

A good level of professors and their teaching, important researchers, high impact publications and outstanding research projects, are key elements for making a positive assessment of a university institution.

We know that at the moment, the University of Salamanca is a distinguished for its Teaching, however we should not drop our guard.  After years of implementing new study plans for European convergence, it is necessary to optimize teaching and deliver an educational offer to the society that is oriented at and applies to the needs. In order to continue improving we have to make sure that we have the best teaching and human resources, professors and PAS (administration and services personnel), what will allow progress at all levels; Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctorate. For this reason, we believe that the prime lines of action should be the following:

  • Develop plans for the support of teaching activities, disseminate science-teaching and practices in centers and companies, bringing academic education closer to the professional world.
  • Tailor the regulations and create a more attractive and adapted Postgraduate Program for our students.
  • Increase the presence of technologies through the development of teaching units in centers that provide technical support and ease the work of teachers and students in order to offer the best practical and theoretical training: better equipped laboratories, bibliographic resources, scanners, mobile devices, etc.
  • Get more computer tools and lend computers and tablets, as well as design a computer leasing plan for students with an option to purchase at the end of their Degree and/or Master studies.
  • Implement new training programs that are considered necessary or strategic, as well as dual international degrees through the signing of agreements with other institutions.
  • Promote well-funded national and international mobility programs that allow students to complete their training in other universities if they wish.
  • Establish new scholarship programs at Masters and PhD levels.
  • Improve the continuous training of teachers and facilitate the development of educational innovation projects that will be adequately funded and aligned with the needs of schools and departments.
  • Modernize centers and infrastructures to support teaching and research in a sustainable and energy efficient way.

The University of Salamanca, is a fundamental part of our society. We have to assure that all its students reach their full potential, and have an unforgettable experience in this historical University equipped with infrastructures and modern resources. We believe that it is possible to achieve these goals.

 

Posted by Juan M. Corchado

Juan Manuel Corchado (15 May 1971, Salamanca, Spain) is Professor at the University of Salamanca. He has been Vice-Rector for Research from 2013 to 2017 and Director of the Science Park of the University of Salamanca. Elected as Dean of the Faculty of Science twice, he holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Salamanca and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of the West of Scotland. He leads the renowned BISITE (Bioinformatics, Intelligent Systems and Educational Technology) Research Group, created in 2000. Director of the IoT Digital Innovation Hub and President of the AIR Institute, J. M. Corchado is also Visiting Professor at the Osaka Institute of Technology since January 2015, Visiting Professor at the Universiti Malaysia Kelantan and Member of the Advisory Group on Online Terrorist Propaganda of the European Counter Terrorism Centre (EUROPOL). J. M. Corchado has been president of the IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Society, and academic coordinator of the University Institute for Research in Art and Animation Technology at the University of Salamanca, as well as researcher at the Universities of Paisley (UK), Vigo (Spain) and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (UK). He currently combines all his activity with the direction of Master programmes in Security, Digital Animation, Mobile Telephony, Information Systems Management, Internet of Things, Social Media, 3D Design and Printing, Blockchain, Z System, Industry 4.0, Agile Project Management, and Smart Cities & Intelligent Buildings, at the University of Salamanca and his work as editor-in-chief of the journals ADCAIJ (Advances in Distributed Computing and Artificial Intelligence Journal), OJCST (Oriental Journal of Computer Science and Technology) or Electronics MDPI (Computer Science & Engineering section). J. M. Corchado mainly works on projects related to Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, IoT, Fog Computing, Edge Computing, Smart Cities, Smart Grids and Sentiment Analysis. He has recently been included in the board of trustees of the AstraZeneca Foundation, along with other health professionals and researchers recognised for bringing scientific knowledge closer to society.

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