Around fifty Fundación Carolina students take part in an event at the University of Cádiz 11 February 2026
The Rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, and the Secretary General of Fundación Carolina, Purificación Causapié, highlight the importance of student mobility within the Ibero-American context
The University of Cádiz hosted this Tuesday at the Rectorate one of the events of the Fundación Carolina Regional Meeting for the 2025–2026 cohort, bringing together 52 Ibero-American scholarship holders pursuing postgraduate, doctoral and postdoctoral studies at Andalusian universities. The institutional visit served to underline the role of the public university as a space for academic cooperation, cultural exchange and commitment to sustainable development.
The meeting was opened in the Gallery of Rectors by the Rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, and the Secretary General of Fundación Carolina, Purificación Causapié. The event also featured a lecture by Professor of Archaeology Darío Bernal and a roundtable discussion moderated by the Vice-Rector for Degrees and Quality, Manuel Arcila.
In her speech, Purificación Causapié highlighted the symbolic and cultural significance of Cádiz as a historic meeting point between Europe and Latin America, recalling its legacy as a bridge between territories and cultures. She referred to the Constitution of 1812 as an example of political cooperation and defence of shared values such as democracy and human rights, principles that, she noted, form part of the core identity of Fundación Carolina.
The Secretary General emphasised the Foundation’s scholarship programme — one of its most recognised initiatives — noting that the current call includes more than 700 grants for Latin American students. Beyond the numbers, she underlined the importance of the bidirectional exchange generated through these programmes, stressing that scholarship holders “are not only learning from the Spanish university system, but are also contributing your culture, your knowledge and your richness.” She also referred to the upcoming Ibero-American Summit as an opportunity to address shared challenges in a complex international context.
Causapié concluded by referring to the values guiding Fundación Carolina’s work within the Spanish cooperation system: a model of cooperation based on equality among countries, shared responsibility between the public and private sectors, alignment with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the promotion of feminist policies, care policies, human rights and action against climate change.
For his part, the Rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, welcomed the group by highlighting the institution’s open and international vocation, in line with Cádiz’s historic identity as a city shaped by exchange and dialogue between cultures. In his address, he emphasised that the University of Cádiz has an internationalisation plan that identifies Latin America and the Caribbean as priority strategic areas for its academic and scientific development.
Addressing the participants, Mantell reflected on the importance of student mobility as a tool for integration, the removal of barriers and the prevention of discrimination. By way of example, he referred to the Erasmus programme as a benchmark model within the European context and outlined the challenge of moving towards similar mechanisms that facilitate mobility among Latin American and Caribbean countries, overcoming financial and political obstacles. In this regard, he encouraged the scholarship holders to take an active role in the future in promoting public policies that support such exchanges.
Following the institutional speeches, the Rector introduced the lecture delivered by Professor Darío Bernal, entitled Research in Maritime and Underwater Archaeology in Spain and Latin America. The presentation allowed participants to learn about one of the University of Cádiz’s most distinctive research lines, linked to the study of maritime and underwater archaeological heritage, with strong international projection. The professor also shared aspects of his experience in cooperative and international research, encouraging students to persevere with enthusiasm and dedication in their respective fields.
The visit to the Rectorate forms part of the programme of the Fundación Carolina Regional Meeting, held in Cádiz on 9 and 10 February, which includes institutional, academic and cultural activities. Throughout these days, scholarship holders have had the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the Andalusian university system and the academic cooperation model promoted by Fundación Carolina, with visits to Cádiz City Hall and to the Navantia shipyard facilities.
