20-02-2026 10:17
The Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV) has unveiled RED UFV, its universal guidance system that improves accessibility and wayfinding on campus using NaviLens technology. The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda, the Community of Madrid, and the Pozuelo de Alarcón City Council, along with academic leaders, technical staff, and students who use the system.
Attendees at the presentation of the UFV Network Project
RED UFV enables users to navigate the campus independently, safely, and in a personalized manner thanks to smart signage featuring visual and audio cues, customizable accessible routes, and multilingual audio guidance.
The project was launched in September 2025 and has been funded by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda (Expte. n.º 2024D133), in collaboration with the IRSST-UFV Chair R&D&I in the promotion of culture, education, and inclusion in safety, health, and well-being, funded by the Regional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the Community of Madrid.
The event was opened by the director of Francisco de Vitoria University, José Luis Machetti Honduvilla, who framed the RED UFV project within the context of the university’s institutional commitment to universal access to education and the elimination of barriers within the academic environment.
In his remarks, he highlighted the cross-functional efforts made by various university teams to ensure that no one is excluded from campus life: “I also want to thank the UFV teams working to ensure that people with disabilities can access their education.” “Building a campus that guides, supports, and cares for students is part of our mission: to place the individual at the center of innovation and the environment in which the university experience unfolds,” he added.
His remarks kicked off a panel discussion focused on the role of public policy and institutional collaboration as a driving force for progress toward more inclusive, accessible, and safe environments.
On behalf of the Pozuelo de Alarcón City Council, Eva Cabello Rioja, Councilor for Family and Disability Services, expressed her appreciation to the university, emphasized the role of local government as the institution closest to the public, and highlighted the cross-cutting nature of social inclusion: “Across all departments of the city council, our primary mission is to achieve social inclusion.”
Among the municipal initiatives, he mentioned the “recreation space,” adapted workshops, performing arts programs, adapted water activities, easy-read book clubs, and awareness-raising events. He concluded by noting: “There is still much to be done, and it is the responsibility of government agencies to promote social inclusion and eliminate barriers.”
For her part, Martha Pulido Pingarrón, Secretary General of the Regional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the Community of Madrid, explained the agency’s work: “The Regional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is the agency that manages public policies related to occupational hazards; we foster a culture of prevention within Madrid society.” Within the framework of the Community of Madrid’s 7th Master Plan for Occupational Risk Prevention 2025–2028, she highlighted the section dedicated to diversity and emphasized the importance of tailored training: “That employability is not possible without taking occupational risk prevention into account, and it is very important that they receive that training.”
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry, Alba Villamor Anguiano, a technical advisor, highlighted the strategic importance of the project: “Events like this are important because they demonstrate the effort being made to create an inclusive society.” She explained that RED UFV was recognized for its replicable nature: “This project was one of the winners because it fit within the category of best practices and pilot programs that can be replicated.” She concluded: “We congratulate you for being pioneers and hope that this initiative will be replicated on other campuses.”
Martha Pulido, José Luis Machetti, Alba Villamor Anguiano, and Eva Cabello
At the second panel, which focused on the technical presentation, Raúl Moreno Giménez, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Strategic Projects and Partnerships at NaviLens, recalled the tool’s original purpose: “It all started with the goal of helping people with visual impairments become more independent.”
He pointed out that the lack of information limits access to public spaces and services: “Information is invisible to people with visual impairments, and ultimately this means limited access to public spaces and services, which in turn leads to limited educational opportunities.”
Regarding the collaboration with the university, he stated: “UFV presented us with the challenge, and we accepted it.” He emphasized that when information is reliable and accessible: “When we enable a person using their MVL to accurately perceive the space—and that information is 100% accurate, not an interpretation—we help that person feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.”
For her part, Irene López Burgo, Director of Spaces and Infrastructure, explained that “this system promotes universal accessibility through a tool available to anyone, anywhere, capable of transforming complex situations into simple, intuitive, and easy-to-follow routes.”
Monica Samper Rivas, Raúl Moreno, Nuria Mendoza, Irene López, and Enrique Colino
Mónica Samper Rivas, Director of Safety, Health, and Well-being and Co-Director of the IRSST-UFV Chair, emphasized that the UFV Network was designed with safety and health in mind from the design phase, incorporating criteria for prevention at the source, safety, and usability in the system’s pathways and components.
As part of the project’s ongoing efforts, he explained that during the 2025–2026 academic year, the Chair will launch new initiatives, including the integration of evacuation routes into the guidance system leading from each building to the assembly points, improving lighting conditions to make it easier to locate these elements, and a challenge for students in April, coinciding with World Day for Safety and Health at Work, thereby reinforcing the University’s commitment to an integrated and innovative model of safety and well-being.
Samper concluded: “The UFV Network makes prevention visible and measurable: it’s not just about putting up signs; it’s about designing a campus that guides, protects, and cares for people.”
In this regard, Enrique Colino Acevedo, Ph.D. and co-director of the IRSST-UFV Chair, explained that the Chair focuses its work on research, innovation, and knowledge transfer in occupational risk prevention, with a primary emphasis on inclusion and addressing diversity.
In this regard, he emphasized that the projects promoted by the Chair are specifically geared toward vulnerable groups—people with disabilities or functional diversity, older workers, people of different generations, and the migrant population—incorporating safety, health, and well-being as guiding principles across all areas of work.
He concluded by noting that the Chair focuses on “areas where prevention can become a tool for equity.”
The third panel focused on student validation of the system. Carlos Paniagua, Head of Infrastructure at UFV, acknowledged: “After a great deal of effort, this achievement confirms that the project has become a reality and reflects the university’s commitment to accessibility—not as an afterthought, but as a consistent expression of its mission.”
Speaking from personal experience, Candela Sainz, a student in the dual degree program in International Relations and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at UFV, stated: “As a person with a visual impairment, I must point out that there are many places that claim to be accessible but are not.” She added: “I think this is a great initiative, not only for people with disabilities, but for everyone.”
Catalina Leizca, a student in the Occupational Therapy program (internacional) at UFV, noted: “Thank you very much for making the university more accessible and welcoming, and for helping people become more independent.”
Sara Moros, a student in the Audiovisual Communication program at UFV, said: “This kind of project gives me more confidence because I feel more at ease when I go places, and it gives me a lot of independence—I don’t have to ask for help and can get around campus on my own.”
And Teresa Vázquez Díaz de Lope Díaz, a student in the dual degree program in Law and International Relations at UFV, concluded: “I find it simple, easy, and intuitive—it lets you get things right the first time.”
Along these same lines, Lorena Lobato, coordinator of the Service for Students with Special Needs (SAPNE), emphasized the importance of listening to students’ firsthand experiences to ensure truly inclusive solutions: “At SAPNE, we support students so they can navigate university life on an equal footing, and hearing their experiences today confirms that true accessibility is built with them and for them. This project allows them to move around a campus full of opportunities with autonomy, safety, and confidence.”
Carlos Paniagua, Candela Sainz, Catalina Leizca, Sara Moros, Teresa Vázquez, and Lorena Lobato
The closing remarks were delivered by Ángela Barahona, Director of Social Action at UFV: “Together, we want to break down barriers so that everyone who comes to campus feels welcome, and ensure that accessibility ceases to be an exceptional challenge and instead becomes an everyday practice in our university life, integrated into the culture and daily routine of the entire UFV community.”
With RED UFV, Francisco de Vitoria University is establishing an accessible, inclusive, and innovative campus model that integrates technology, prevention, and institutional culture to serve its entire community.
Ángela Barahona at the closing of the presentation of the UFV Network Project
