Among the main announcements, campus director Vicenç Almenar revealed that work is underway to launch a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Advertising, which would complement the degree programs in Business and Digital Technology and Audiovisual Communication. Another new development will be the inaugural meeting of the campus Advisory Council, designed to serve as a forum for collaboration between the university and the region’s business, industrial, and logistics sectors.
The Gandia campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) held its traditional opening ceremony, which brought together students and staff from the campus, as well as officials and representatives from institutions and businesses in the Safor region, to mark the start of the 2026–2027 academic year.
The event was presided over by the UPV’s rector, José E. Capilla, who expressed his support for the university community and those affected by “the terrible storm.” He also reiterated “the UPV’s willingness to collaborate, as it did with various organizations following the storm in 2024.”
Regarding the new academic year, Capilla highlighted the positive trend in enrollment and noted that “we are moving in the right direction. It is a positive trend that we must continue to build on in the coming years.”
The university president also emphasized the importance of promoting a critical and responsible use of new technologies. “At the university, teaching students how to use these technologies is inseparable from teaching them to question their results,” he said, advocating for the need to train professionals capable of harnessing artificial intelligence and understanding its limitations.
New Degree in Marketing and Advertising and Establishment of the Advisory Board
The director of the Gandia campus, Vicenç Almenar, highlighted the growth in enrollment and noted that it aligns with the goal of “taking care of what we have and making the most of its potential.” He also emphasized that the increase in student enrollment helps enrich campus life and strengthen the campus’s connection to its surrounding community.
Among the key announcements, Almenar revealed that the campus is working on launching a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Advertising, which would complement the degree programs in Business and Digital Technology and Audiovisual Communication. The new program aims to meet the demand for studies in the social sciences and to create synergies among the three degree programs.
The possibility of incorporating the 2+3 training model—linked to vocational training—into certain degree programs will also be explored, following the initiative of the UPV’s Alcoy campus, with the aim of strengthening this pathway to university studies.
Another new development will be the first organizational meeting of the Advisory Council, designed to serve as a forum for collaboration between the university and the region’s business, industrial, and logistics sectors. This body will help identify the region’s educational needs and analyze which bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and specific training programs the campus can offer.
Almenar also noted that this academic year marks the 25th anniversary of the Audiovisual Communication degree program, which he described as “a turning point in the campus’s history due to its combination of technology and creativity and its contribution to sustaining university activities during periods of lower enrollment.”
The director concluded his remarks with a reflection on the challenges of artificial intelligence and the importance of harnessing its potential without giving up independent thought.
Recognition of campus staff and participation of students from Calderón School
The opening lecture included the presentation of the campus’s annual report, which covers the activities carried out during the 2025-2026 academic year in teaching and research, as well as cultural, outreach, and other initiatives promoted by the center.
During the event, there was also a tribute to the campus staff who retired over the past year, recognizing their professional careers and contributions to university life.
And as a new feature, the ceremony included a string quartet made up of students from the Gandia campus, as well as a performance by the choir from María de los Ángeles Suárez de Calderón School in Grau de Gandia. The fourth-year ESO students closed the event with a rendition of Gaudeamus igitur, the university anthem traditionally played at major academic celebrations.
