Mentoring is not just another component of our educational model; rather, it is the approach that inspires and defines our approach to higher education. Personal mentoring is the “heart and soul” of every educational process at UFV. And it is the pathway to the human revolution we seek.
To accompany someone means to walk alongside them on their journey of learning, research, leadership, and personal growth.
At our university, accompaniment is much more than just a role that some people fulfill; it is the mission to which UFV feels called to respond to a fundamental human need. We are, in fact, beings who journey and seek, and on that journey and in that search, we accompany others and are accompanied ourselves; we know that we are necessary to others and, at the same time, in need of others.
For our students, their life’s journey currently takes them through college; they could embark on this journey alone, but doing so with others will make it a unique and transformative experience. We want them to feel supported at UFV, both by their professors and by an entire community of mentors and guides.
We are experts in providing support because we care about each and every person. That is why we view every course, subject, and activity as an opportunity to stand by each student and help them discover for themselves who they are, what they want, and what their mission is—both as a person and as a professional.
The support provided by UFV is distinctive and unique. Through its own programs and methodology, it encourages students to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable them to thrive in their personal relationships and in the professional future they have chosen:
- Is team leadership compatible with being kind yet demanding?
- How can you support a patient with a serious illness?
- What about a middle school student who is having problems at home?
- How do you practice the art of listening with a client?
- What about a customer or a supplier?
How?
In the first year, through the course Personal Skills and Competencies, students gain firsthand experience of what it means to be a college student and a future professional, based on the cross-curricular competencies for this grade level. This course combines a community-based learning space in the classroom with the professor and individual support through mentoring with a professional trained to guide students during this initial stage of college.
In the 2nd year, the Social Responsibility course offers a genuine experience of engaging with human reality. This course integrates three areas to give students the opportunity to deepen their relationships with others: social internships at an institution, individual and group mentoring, and class sessions that shed light on this rich experience from a theoretical perspective.
Once you've reached the halfway point of your college career, the university encourages students to look beyond their studies and consider the world and their relationship with it.
- If you participate in an international exchange program, you’ll be able to join UFV Planet, a support program featuring online workshops and mentoring sessions designed to help you get the most out of your international experience by developing your intercultural competence.
- In 3rd and 4th grade (y 5to en los dobles grados), as part of a specific course for each grade level, the “ programme : Shape Your Future” program gives students the opportunity to reexamine the meaning and direction of their calling and mission as they participate in their first professional internships and make decisions about the steps to take as they prepare to enter the workforce, through workshops and mentoring sessions.
The Institute for Support at Francisco de Vitoria University (IA) was founded in 2019, building on and strengthening the more than 25 years our university has spent supporting and training students and professionals as they develop and grow. The institute organizes research projects and international conferences, such as the International Conference “The Educational Power of Relationships.”
The IA also offers the Master’s Degree in Educational Support (MAE), a 500-hour program that delves into the mission of providing support by integrating three disciplines (la antropología, la psicología y la pedagogía) into each session from three different perspectives (la del formador o acompañante, la del formando y la del encuentro que tiene lugar entre ambos). In June 2022, the program completed its fifth cohort, with 42 new graduates from various professional fields: education, healthcare, social services, sports, and business.
