UniversidaddeCádiz

The initiative, with a budget of €10,000, will remain open throughout the year and will support sustainable, inclusive proposals that directly enhance campus life

The University of Cádiz, through its Vice-Rectorate for Students, has launched the UCA Participa Estudiantes call, an initiative aimed at encouraging the active involvement of students in improving and enriching university life. The programme provides financial support for microprojects conceived and led directly by UCA students, with the goal of generating tangible benefits for the student community.

The call, available at this link, is open to undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students enrolled in the current academic year and is based on a clear principle: proposals must originate from the students themselves and be managed by them, without intermediaries. In this way, the University strengthens the role of students as active agents in shaping university life and as drivers of initiatives that respond to their own interests and needs.

UCA Participa Estudiantes has a total budget of €10,000, with a maximum allocation of up to €1,000 per project, allowing for the support of a wide range of initiatives of different kinds. Cultural, educational, sporting, social, outreach or wellbeing-related proposals may be submitted, as well as initiatives linked to sustainability, inclusion or the revitalisation of Faculty and campus life, provided they are open to the entire student body and have a demonstrable positive impact on campus.

One of the core features of the call is its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each project must be linked to at least one of these goals and, whenever possible, incorporate criteria related to inclusion, accessibility and equality. The University places particular value on proposals that, through a realistic and feasible approach, contribute to creating more participatory, diverse and cohesive university environments, as well as to strengthening student associations as a key pillar of university life.

The call remains permanently open throughout the academic year until the available budget is exhausted. Applications are assessed in two evaluation periods each year, coinciding with the end of each semester, and decisions are issued within a maximum period of one month after the close of each evaluation period, ensuring a swift and transparent response to applicants.

The application process is simple and accessible. Applications must be submitted via a form available on the Vice-Rectorate for Students’ website and accompanied by a brief project description, a declaration of responsibility and the corresponding budget documentation. If the documentation is incomplete, applicants will be granted a ten-working-day period to rectify it. Proposals are assessed by an Evaluation Committee of the Vice-Rectorate for Students, made up of representatives from different areas of the University and including student representation, thus ensuring a plural perspective closely aligned with the university’s reality.

Assessment criteria include the project’s direct impact on students, its technical and financial feasibility, its contribution to the SDGs, the inclusion and accessibility measures envisaged, and its capacity to foster participation and student associations. The University notes that selected projects will be incorporated into the activity planning of the Vice-Rectorate for Students, while the practical organisation of the initiatives will remain the responsibility of the promoting teams.