Student Guide - Welcome from the Rector

STUDENT GUIDE 2023/2024

Welcome from the Rector

The Theseus paradox involves a ship sailing through different seas, and having each and every one of its parts replaced, improved and transformed to adapt to sudden, unexpected changes, to remedy the wear and tear, and to respond to the new challenges it faces.? And, despite these constant changes, it remains the same ship it was at the start. This seeming paradox also characterizes the history of the UOC: remaining true to our founding principles of progress, innovation and (re)evolution.

Indeed, we now start the academic year 2023/2024 – the 29th since the UOC was founded – with more new programmes, including the Master's Degree in General Health Psychology, four new specializations in the Master's Degree in Teacher Training, and a wide range of continuing education courses. As well as complementing and diversifying our portfolio, these new programmes will also let us continue to grow our community – a community that last year included 87,000 students from 138 countries, and a teaching staff of 7,000 faculty, instructors and tutors.

As part of our desire to constantly improve the ship that is the UOC, I'd like to highlight the continued roll-out of the new Canvas classrooms, for the educational and pedagogical impact they will have on mobility, connectivity and usability, and on support, feedback and assessment. We now have over 3,000 of these course classrooms this semester. Likewise, we also continue to work on the challenges of digital assessment so that we can align the need for a secure and reliable system with a model that is coherent with our project, with our digital DNA (as individuals and as an institution), and with the evolution of lifelong learning.

Finally, this academic year also sees the start of my time in office as rector, following many years of experience as a teacher, as dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, and as vice rector for Competitiveness and Employability. To set our course for the immediate future, I want to use three essential, well-founded principles to guide us: shared commitment and knowledge, individual effort and talent, and the desire to make an impact socially and improve professionally. Only by interlacing and updating this unique combination can we strengthen the UOC's position as an innovative, global university that is committed to achieving its aims. Whether you're just starting out or about to join our more than 104,000 graduates, it will be a real pleasure being able to share this voyage with you.

Welcome on board!