Villena and UA Strengthen Ties to Ease Student Transition to University

Villena's mayor, Fulgencio Cerdán, has met with the rector of the University of Alicante, Amparo Navarro, to discuss a future collaboration model with secondary schools to facilitate the transition of high school students to life at UA. The meeting included directors from Las Fuentes, Navarro Santafé, and Hermanos Amorós institutes, the Education Councillor María Server, the director of the University Venue, Esther Perales, and the presence of the Vice-Rector for Students, Raúl Ruiz.

The mayor of Villena believes it is necessary "for the boys and girls studying high school to have a prior and more direct approach with UA, to know its campus, and to have all the information about the degrees and the range of services the University offers." He expressed "the sensitivity of the rector, and the willingness of the entire institution to create more direct channels with younger students during the years leading up to their university life."

The aim is to strengthen and complement the actions carried out with the current program of UA counsellors visiting various institutes and the students themselves visiting the university facilities organized by UA, which brings nearly 5,000 students to the campus each year.

According to Cerdán, "we must avoid the first contact for Villena's boys and girls being the PAU exam celebration: they should feel familiar with the environment, feel they are in a friendly and known place, and understand what it means and what the future condition of being a university student offers."

To this end, the rector, Amparo Navarro, has asked that the institutes themselves encourage participation in existing programs and that their current teachers convey the informational needs to the academic institution. Navarro emphasized that besides academic preparation, high school students should have good emotional preparation to face this decisive stage.

Cerdán and the institute directors have offered their full willingness to work with the rectoral team to finalize programs that connect the students from educational centers with UA as they transition to university life.