University of Valencia

The University of Valencia, founded over five centuries ago by the Juries of Valencia, has become a modern, public university that teaches all areas of knowledge: social, economic and legal sciences, experimental sciences, engineering, health sciences, educational sciences and the humanities.

More than 45,800 undergraduate students and 8,600 postgraduate students take classes taught by more than 3,300 professors, lecturers and researchers at our campuses (Blasco Ibáñez, Burjassot-Paterna and Tarongers) with the support of over 1,700 administration and service staff.

Mission

The mission of the Universitat de València clearly sets out the raison d’être of the institution, according to the legal and statutory framework. The strategic planning process was undertaken to define the Strategic Plan of the Universitat de València 2008-2011 resulted in the definition of the University’s mission.

We understand that this statement remains fully active, although their achievement will require different objectives and lines of action that focus on new challenges and circumstances.

“The Universitat de València’s mission is to train competent professionals at European level and encourage prestigious research with international impact contributing to the development of our society. Training and research promote UV’s tasks in the field of dissemination of science and culture, and in the reaffirmation of the democratic values of the society in general, and the Valencian society in particular.”

View

In the framework of the UV’s mission, and once defined its scope of activity (teaching, research, transfer and culture), it is possible to explain the purpose of the institution in terms of goals which define and qualify our services available and fix the milestones we want to achieve within the timeframe of this Strategic Plan 2012-2015.

The Universitat de València wants to be recognised in the future by:

• Being an institution of higher education with a quality, comprehensive and international academic offer, open to everyone and covering permanent training needs throughout the various stages of the life cycle of users.
• The ability to provide comprehensive guidance to their students, as embodied in the quality of the undergraduate experience at the Universitat de València and a qualification which enhances the employability of graduates.
• The volume and impact of research results generated by their teams.
• The ability to capture specialised research resources: attracting and developing talent and concurring in the international competitive calls.
• The ability to offer a wide variety of transfer services and scientific and technical services, through visible and accessible processes, easily understood by current and potential users.
• The ability to create stable relationships with users of transfer services, and offer them comprehensive solutions that go beyond specific transactions.
• The extent, quality and richness of its culture and participation offer in university life, contributing to offer a ‘UV’s experience' that meets the needs of users.
• Being a cultural reference in the Valencian society, with special attention to their culture and language.

From this view, the goals of the institution in each of the four areas of activity and the strategic objectives that allow achieving the stated goals can be identified. Thus, the UV’s Strategic Plan for the period 2012-2015 is set.

Values

Every institution has a culture based on a set of values that permeate the principles that regulate its actions. The values of the UV have been shaped throughout history and they have been reflected in the University Constitution.

The presentation of the UV values aims to set out a solid reference framework that guides the behaviour and attitudes of the institution, which influence its decisions and the way in which performs its activities, and they constitute the central concepts that articulate the different environments of the University Social Responsibility (USR) of the UV.

Thus, the values that permeate the actions of the UV and that serve as a basis for the development of the Strategic Plan 2012-2015 are the following:

• Identity commitment. The UV is an institution strongly deeply rooted in the territory and linked to the Valencian reality, for this reason, it pays special attention to the protection and promotion of its culture and language, as well as the study of all the cultural manifestations of its close cultural and territory environment.
• Excellence in the development of all our teaching activities, search, transference and cultural dissemination. This value is specified in our commitment to quality, assessment and continuous improvement.
• Innovation. The UV accomplish its intellectual leadership vocation from its principles of rationality and universality, facilitating, stimulating and hosting intellectual and critical activities in all the fields of knowledge and learning.
• Social and economic progress, resulting in the commitment of the UV to intellectual and material development of the peoples and the advancements of knowledge.
• Transparency in the management and open dialogue with society, which promotes participation, trust and commitment to the institution. To facilitate the internal communication and mutual knowledge between the different groups of interest that form the university community for making possible the harmonious development of the knowledge addressed to enhance the skills of people and their coexistence in a plural and democratic society.
• Justice, resulting in respect to rights’ equality and opportunities of all people, without discrimination by reason of race, gender, opinion, language, religion or any other condition or social or personal circumstance. Regarding internal policy, the UV promotes positive reinforcement measures for equal participation of all members of the institution and advocating for its language and culture, which are the heart of its identity. Equally positive actions for people with disabilities are promoted, so they can have a full and satisfactory university life.
• Equality The UV performs its functions and activities (teaching, research, cultural and management) under the equal opportunities principle between men and women, and it develops and applies this through the corresponding ‘Equality Plan’.
• Solidarity and cooperation with different groups of interest with which the institution interacts in the social, cultural, economic and academic environment. In the academic environment, the UV is committed to the creation of opportunities and equal conditions for the greatest number of people (social dimension of higher education). Equally, the UV cooperates with other universities and academic institutions, with special attention in the Valencian universities and the ones belonging to the Catalan linguistic area, included in the network of the current Joan Lluís Vives Institute.
• Sustainability The UV is at the service of the ecological defence and environment and it promotes and applies actives measures for protection and health improvement of the university community members. The Institution develops this value through the active application of the twenty-five policies included in the programme “Sustainable Campus. Education and Research for Sustainability”.

The values mentioned serve for supporting the approach of the strategy and the key success factors whereby the UV aims to achieve its goals in the different fields of its activities.