26-01-2026 13:33

IMG_9774-e1769430656273 Fifteen Spanish universities launch a research network focused on digital design and manufacturing | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

Introduction

Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV) has reinforced its commitment to innovation, research, and inter-university collaboration by signing a partnership agreement with fifteen Spanish universities, both public and private, to establish the “University Research Network on Digital Creation and Manufacturing”.

This network was created with the aim of promoting research, knowledge transfer, and academic development related to university Fab Labs and digital creation and manufacturing technologies.

At the most recent meeting, held in Valencia, the participating university community voted to elect Fabricio Santos, head of Digital Manufacturing at the Escuela Politécnica Superior, as president of this network—a recognition of the active role and leadership the university has been playing in this field. In this context, UFV hosted the “8th Meeting of University Fab Lab Directors,” which took place on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28, 2025, at the Francisco de Vitoria University Fab Lab. Furthermore, this meeting marks the third gathering of the network held at UFV, consolidating the UFV campus as a leading hub for academic dialogue and cooperation in the field of digital manufacturing.

IMG_9774 Fifteen Spanish universities launch a research network focused on digital design and manufacturing | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

Representatives from the Fab Labs at Francisco de Vitoria University, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the Tecnocampus at Pompeu Fabra University, the University of Salamanca, the University of Extremadura, the University of A Coruña, the Universit

Introduction

IMG_9817-1 Fifteen Spanish universities launch a research network focused on digital design and manufacturing | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

Fabricio Santos during the meeting held in Madrid

The UFV: A Hub for Creativity and Innovation in Higher Education

During the conference, representatives from university Fab Labs shared experiences, projects, and strategic priorities, strengthening a network dedicated to applied innovation, hands-on learning, and interdisciplinary research. All universities were represented at the 8th Conference.

The sessions provided an opportunity to explore in depth the role of Fab Labs as spaces for experimentation, creation, and knowledge transfer within the university, as well as their impact on student education and their connection to current social and technological challenges.

International reach and the upcoming Ibero-American Congress

One of the highlights of the event was the announcement of the “call for papers” for the 1st Ibero-American Congress on Digital Creation and Manufacturing, one of the network’s priority initiatives. This congress will be held from July 1 to 3, 2026, at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and aims to become a leading forum for researchers, educators, and professionals involved in digital creation and fabrication in the Ibero-American region. Information and the registration process are available at the following link: here.

Through this initiative, the University Research Network on Digital Creation and Manufacturing reinforces its commitment to international outreach and its dedication to fostering shared knowledge, promoting collaboration among universities and the dissemination of best practices in research and teaching.

For Francisco de Vitoria University, active participation in this network and the organization of events such as this one reflect an educational vision that views the university as a space for encounter, dialogue, and creation in the service of society. Promoting events focused on research, innovation, and inter-university collaboration helps to train professionals with a critical, creative, and committed perspective, capable of integrating technology with a humanistic understanding of reality. For this reason, UFV considers it essential to promote and communicate these types of initiatives, which reflect its commitment to research connected to academic life, the holistic development of the individual, and the positive transformation of the social and professional environment.