The strategy serves as a roadmap enabling the UGR to maintain and boost its international leadership in the higher education sector
The University of Granada (UGR) has taken a decisive step forward in consolidating its role as an international leader in the generation, dissemination and transfer of knowledge. With the approval of the 2026-2031 Internationalization Strategy, our university is not only updating its objectives, but also redefining its identity as an institution that is more outward-looking and committed to serving a global, multicultural society.
This framework document replaces the 2017 UGR International Strategy and, for the first time, integrates the University’s Language Policy, responding to an international context shaped by digital transformation and new geopolitical challenges.
The UGR recognises that internationalization is not a static concept. In this regard, our new strategy has emerged from the need to adapt to a changing global environment, where internationalization is the driving force for maintaining academic quality and attracting outstanding researchers and students. By adopting this policy framework, the UGR aims to maximise its role in the Arqus Alliance, which serves as an innovation lab designed to transform higher education in Europe. The strategy also envisages new, more flexible and sustainable international mobility models that ensure the inclusion of groups with limited opportunities.
Rather than employing a top-down methodology, the UGR has adopted a collective and participatory approach to developing this strategy. Seven distinct phases were conducted in order to take into account the views of our university community’s representative bodies (including our General Student Council), as well as those of our teaching and research staff (PDI) and our technical, management, administrative and support staff (PTGAS) involved in internationalization endeavours.
From the planning of the initial methodology to the analysis of strengths and weaknesses, the strategy is the result of an impartial assessment of the current state of affairs at the UGR. The final document was approved by our Governing Council and will be disseminated in both Spanish and English through our institutional channels and Digibug repository.
The strategy includes six pillars that underpin all of our university’s activities:
1. International academic cooperation: consolidating sustainable bilateral and multilateral partnerships for the global dissemination of our research and teaching activities.
2. The Arqus Alliance as a driver of transformation and modernisation in higher education in Europe.
3. Cross-cutting internationalization: integrating the global dimension into the day-to-day activities of all areas and sectors at our university, moving beyond physical mobility.
4. International mobility: evolving towards more impactful, dynamic and inclusive exchanges.
5. Academic programmes with global reach: promoting and consolidating a catalogue of innovative, high-quality international degrees (double, multiple and joint).
6. Language policy: promoting Spanish as a language of international science, as well as fostering multilingualism and interculturalism within the university community.
Our new Internationalization Strategy bolsters existing initiatives and introduces cutting-edge actions that place the UGR at the forefront of educational innovation. These include:
- The UGR-Asia and UGR-Africa Strategic Plans: The UGR will extend its reach beyond its traditional partners in Europe and the Americas, exploring the extraordinary potential for collaboration in Asia and Africa.
- The Joint European Degree Label: The UGR will play an active role in implementing the Joint European Degree Label within the Arqus Alliance. This will significantly enhance the employability of our graduates.
- Internationalization at home: Through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programmes and virtual exchanges, we will ensure that all students acquire global skills, whether or not they are able to travel abroad during their studies.
- The defence of academic and scientific Spanish: We will champion the Granada Declaration on the Development, Communication and Dissemination of Science in Spanish, helping to establish the language as a robust medium for transmitting scientific and technological knowledge. This undertaking will include the development of AI in Spanish.
- Social commitment and UGRefugia: We will internationalise our support scheme for students and staff who are at risk or who are seeking asylum, thereby strengthening our institution’s humanist values.
The 2026-2031 Internationalization Strategy is not a standalone document. Rather, it is closely tied to the UGR 2031 Strategic Plan and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Each action is designed to contribute to a more just, peaceful and inclusive society, from ending poverty (SDG 1) to revitalising global partnerships (SDG 17).
Through this strategy, the University of Granada reaffirms its commitment to serving as a bridge between cultures and as a driving force for scientific progress extending from southern Europe to the rest of the world.
Translated version: This text has been translated into English by the Language Services Unit (Vice-Rectorate for Internationalization) of the University of Granada.