The Chair of Immigration, in collaboration with the Altius Foundation, is promoting the Habita Tierra project, a rural integration and sustainability initiative based on an innovative model of sustainable repopulation, centered on the individual and adapted to the characteristics of each rural environment.

The project seeks to settle immigrant families in depopulated municipalities, offering them adequate housing and lasting employment, thus fostering new cohesive rural communities. It also has an applied research approach, combining real action with academic study on rural integration

Designed in 2021 by the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, it began its implementation in February 2022 in the province of Avila, with the arrival of four families in the municipality of El Losar del Barco. Currently, six families are participating and others are in the process of being selected. The project has achieved significant advances in employment, business creation and population growth, contributing to the social cohesion and economic development of the region.

Since its implementation, the project has achieved the following key results:

• Direct jobs generated: 12 jobs.
• Businesses in operation: 3 bars have opened thanks to the increase in population.
• In small municipalities, the population has increased between 5% and 10% thanks to the arrival of these families.
• Displaced people: A total of 40 people (25 belonging to 6 families of the project and 15 additional ones who arrived by affinity or kinship) have been transferred to the province of Avila, highlighting the integration of 13 minor children, who have been enrolled in rural schools, contributing to the maintenance of at least 3 schools

GLOSSARY OF TERMS FOR INTEGRATION

Abstract:

This glossary is the result of a joint work of the components of the transnational E – Qual project Meeting Point: Profis (Spain), Geforme (France), Creuse ́ac (France – Creuse), Gente Acolhedora (Portugal) and NZTPD (Slovakia) under the direction of the Profis group (Project for Training and Social Integration). Some of the terms that are defined are: welcoming, adaptation, contribution to society, asylum, assimilation, citizen…

Technical data:

Editors: Miguel Osorio García de Oteyza; Joaquín Saldaña Cebello; Profís/UFV Social Foundation.

D.L M27420 – 2007.

INTEGRATION CHALLENGES. II STUDY ON THE INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANTS IN THE REGION OF MADRID.

Abstract:

In the Region of Madrid immigrants are integrating well, as evidenced by their high rate of employment and their high level of satisfaction.

Technical data:

Coordinated by: Chair of Inmigration. Universidad Francisco de Vitoria.

Subsidized by: Directorate General for Immigration; Regional Ministry of Immigration and Cooperation, Region of Madrid.

n collaboration with: eQual Profís Project, co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Regional Ministry of Family and Social Affairs of the Region of Madrid.

D.L: M.6106 – 2008.

PERSONAL DIMENSION OF INTEGRATION

Abstract:

Conversations on Integration (Conversaciones sobre Integración) are meetings that bring together experts on this subject, motivated by the social events that are taking place in Spain as a result of the massive arrival of immigrants. It aims to encourage participation and research into proposals that help to share and harmoniously promote the thinking and coexistence of those who will shape the history of our present and future society.

This book contains various papers, including: José – Román Flecha Andrés (Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca), Rosalía Portela Rico (Cáritas Madrid), Luis González – Carvajal Santabárbara, SJ (Universidad Pontificia de Comillas),…

Technical data:

D.L: M.41838 – 2007

RELIGIOUS DIMENSION OF INTEGRATION

Abstract:

The aim of this study is to obtain an adequate knowledge of the problems and points of view of the immigrant population of the Community of Madrid. Some of the results obtained in this study reflected the following:

• Economic motivations are fundamental.
• The choice of Spain as a destination is encompassed in: geographical proximity, contacts with relatives and/or friends, language, amenitiesand abundance of work.
• 11% of the immigrants went to another European country before arriving in Spain.
• 43.2% said they would stay in Spain for a while and then return to their country of origin.
• 51% think that their expectations have been fulfilled.
• 80.4% have improved their standard of living.

Technical data:

D.L: M.6106-2008

ENTREPRENEURIAL IMMIGRANTS IN TIMES OF CRISIS

Abstract:

The assessment made about the contribution of the three million foreign workers (14% of the total workers in Spain) to our economy was that this has been very positive in terms of stimulating consumption, for maintaining traditional trades and services which are no longer so attractive to the natives, the flexibilization of the labor market, the support for the reconciliation between work and family, the growth of the GDP,…But with the evidence of the negative effects of the economic crisis that Spain has been experiencing, especially since 2007, this group is suffering, in addition to an unemployment rate of 21%, a worse recognition and even rejection

Technical data:

D.L: M-49726-2010

• Latin American immigration and sociocultural integration in the Community of Madrid. Keys to understanding Latin American immigration in Spain
  449 – 477. Osorio, M. (2013)
• The differences between social action and corporate social responsibility. Reflections on corporate social responsibility in the 21st century
  4. pp. 89-105. Osorio, M. (2012)

• –Frameworks for understanding journalistic narratives about migrants. Contributions from the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas
  Catela, I. , Osorio, M., y Zazo, L. (2024)
• The social impact of the humanities through university transfer activities: the case of Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (Madrid, Spain)
  Osorio Gª de Oteyza,M and López Rosado, A. (2024)
• Tweets about the migrant population during the political elections in the Community of Madrid
  Osorio, M. and Catela, I. (2023)
• Challenges for the integration of migrants in Smart Cities: The case of Madrid
  Osorio, M., Jiménez, M. and Fuentes-Lara, C. (2021)
• Entrepreneurship among female immigrants. A case study in Madrid
  Osorio, M., Jiménez, M., and Pérez, A. (2020)
• Inequality among citizens
  Ortiz, I. (2020)
• Discovery-based learning about the refugee and immigrant crisis in the Marketing degree program at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
  Osorio, M., Ayestarán, R., and Fuentes-Lara, C. (2020)
• The theory of justice: beyond national borders
  Ortiz, I. (2019)
• The religious factor in the integration of immigrants in Spain
  Osorio, M. (2018)
• The mobility of immigrant entrepreneurs with cultural and creative initiatives in the Community of Madrid
  Osorio, M. and Jiménez, M. (2018)
• The integration of immigrants through the Internet in the Community of Madrid
  Osorio, M. and Rodríguez, R. (2016)
• Value contribution of immigrants to society through entrepreneurship
  Osorio, M., Urquiza, A. and Rodríguez, R. (2015)
• Immigrant women: employment and social prospects
  Osorio, M. (2008)
• The integration of the immigrant population in the Community of Madrid
  Osorio, M. (2007)

On May 14, the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) held the event “Rural Revolution” on its campus, a meeting dedicated to analyzing the challenges facing the rural environment in Spain, with special attention to the depopulation affecting more than 4,000 municipalities in the country. The event brought together students, teachers, mayors and political representatives, and served as a space for reflection, debate and proposed solutions to revitalize rural areas.

During the day, key issues such as the sustainability of agricultural and livestock farms, the lack of infrastructure and basic services, and the growing gap between rural and urban areas in terms of access to healthcare, education, mobility, digital and social services were addressed.

One of the central moments of the event was the intervention of representatives of the Community of Madrid, who presented various actions included in the Plan for Territorial Rebalancing and Fight against Depopulation, a strategy led by Javier Carazo, general director of Territorial Rebalancing. Among the more than one hundred measures proposed, the expansion of the Mobile Citizen Assistance Office, improvements in the cab service to facilitate travel in small towns, a new housing plan for towns with less than 20,000 inhabitants and specific aid to boost rural commerce and the hotel and catering industry stand out.

It was also announced the expansion of the “Cuídame” program, aimed at providing comprehensive care to the elderly in municipalities with less than 250 inhabitants, with the aim of improving their quality of life and access to health services.

The event included round tables and workshops that promoted dialogue between different rural stakeholders, fostering a collaborative approach to designing a viable and attractive future in these areas. Special emphasis was placed on the need to balance rural and urban development, and on the importance of making the countryside a real alternative for living, working and entrepreneurship.

This forum not only served as a space for the exchange of ideas and experiences, but also as a call for collective action. In this sense, the UFV Chair of Immigration will continue to promote initiatives and spaces for dialogue that support the transformation of the rural environment, with the aim of building a more just, cohesive and sustainable country for all its inhabitants.

The Chair of Immigration together with the Center for the Global Common Good of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria organized on April 2, 2025 a Rural Conference in Fontiveros (Ávila), in which we had as speakers Luis Antonio Calderón (President of Siembra and Mayor of Paredes de Nava), David Sánchez Tenrero (Mayor of Fontiveros), Jaime Igea (President of the Talento 58 Foundation), Ignacio Cosidó (Director of the Center for the Global Common Good of the UFV) and Jesús Martín (Vice President of the Provincial Council of Ávila) and Miguel Osorio (Director of the Chair of Immigration at the UFV).

Through their testimony and experience we were able to get a first-hand understanding of the problem facing Spain in the face of depopulation and the aging of society. They referred to the need for the rural world to undergo a transformation, to offer employment opportunities and for there to be more investment, more installation of business projects. A continuous development of the city is not sustainable without the rural world having economic activity, labor and people who bet on it.

Our speakers were able to show us that the rural world has more spacious and more economical housing than the city. Spain is experiencing an overpopulation of its cities, which makes it difficult for families to educate their children in free and safe environments, where they can develop in outdoor spaces, with free time and leisure with other children. Villages in Spain offer an education that is more focused on the needs of each child, since the number of students is much smaller. The rural environment is ideal for family life and work-family reconciliation.

Jaime Igea emphasized all the wasted talent of those migrant professionals who arrive in Spain and cannot exercise their learned knowledge. It is important to make room for this talent in this country, as it would mean a great enrichment of the Spanish labor force. He also made us see that in northern European countries this migration to the cities does not happen as it does here, but that there is a culture of rootedness in the places where people are born. We must reinforce a culture where the question of what we can contribute or give back to the places where many were raised is present.

Luis Antonio Calderón told us about his positive experience of welcoming Ukrainian refugees and other people in the town of Paredes de Nava, of which he is mayor, and which meant a growth of 200 inhabitants for his town. He told us that a possible method to face depopulation in a more organized way would be the creation of dynamic offices for depopulation in all the autonomous communities, which would be connected with the depopulation offices of the town councils, so that there would be a joint action for this issue. We were struck by his statement that culture is built in the villages and destroyed in the city. Villages are places where meaning and identity are generated.

Jesús Martín shared that there is a great desire that people can go to live in the villages, and for this, Regions, in this case we learned about the opportunities offered by Castilla y León, are carrying out different policies of financing or subsidizing companies, projects, local initiatives for those who wish to invest in the rural world. On the other hand, we were able to talk with him about immigration as a possible answer to depopulation. We were able to hear stories of families with a lot of need and talent who were able to get ahead by moving to towns in Spain and who have borne real fruit in the villages where they now live.

Miguel Osorio was able to relate the work of accompanied repopulation that Habita Tierra does together with the Altius Foundation on behalf of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. The greatest difficulty faced by the project is the challenge of housing, as there is very little rental supply and few houses for sale. There is a great distrust on the part of property owners to make their properties available to meet the needs of the new population. However, the project has already settled 6 families in the rural world, all of whom have housing and jobs and have successfully moved forward with their families. David Sánchez, mayor of Fontiveros, in response to a question from the students about the specific work of the mayors, answered that the mayor is a figure who performs all kinds of functions, since his role is to be there for the people, and that can even include fixing an old lady’s television set. The mayor serves the people. Today the greatest effort is to make the villages a place of comfort, services and leisure, also for the young people. After the pleasant meal we shared, David and Kariusi told us their impressive testimony of their struggle as a migrant family. They left Venezuela and went through Chile, Peru, until they arrived in Madrid, where they got to know the project of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Habita Tierra, which resulted in their moving to live in Herreros de Suso. Now they have just bought their first house in Fontiveros. They told us that the rural world is worthwhile and that it has allowed them to give their children a better education and quality of life. The students showed their admiration for their capacity for struggle and perseverance.

The UFV Chair of Immigration promotes the integration of migrant families in rural areas with the support of “la Caixa” Foundation

The UFV Chair of Immigration promotes the integration of migrant families in rural areas with the support of “la Caixa” Foundation. The Chair of Immigration of the Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV) is developing during 2025 a set of actions aimed at promoting the integration of migrant families in depopulated rural areas with the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation. The project, entitled “Social integration and rural revitalization through the catering sector”, seeks to take advantage of the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities offered by the hotel and catering industry in villages, with the aim of settling the population, strengthening community life and promoting intercultural coexistence.

The initiative is part of the Chair’s line of work, which has been researching integration processes between migrant and native populations in Spain for more than twenty years. Thanks to the previous experience of three years of work in the province of Avila, the UFV has successfully integrated five migrant families in local catering businesses, generating stable employment and social fabric in municipalities at risk of depopulation. With the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation, the project will expand its scope in 2025 with the aim of consolidating the social and labor inclusion of 50 migrants. The Altius Foundation, a collaborating entity of the initiative, will contribute its experience in social and labor insertion and personalized accompaniment of people in vulnerable situations.

In addition to the economic impact, the project pursues a profound social impact: to strengthen the role of the restaurant as a space for meeting, integration and community cohesion. As pointed out in the study “The Social Dimension of the Hospitality Industry. Convivencia y ciudadanía” (Asociación de directores y gerentes de Servicios Sociales, 2022), the closure of bars and restaurants in rural areas not only affects employment, but also social life and the sense of belonging of the neighbors.

Among the dissemination activities of the project, in addition to the information on the website of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, several visits to the project have been made with students and teachers where the testimonies of participating families, mayors and rural dynamizers have been known (photos attached).

According to Miguel Osorio, director of the UFV Chair of Immigration,

“This project shows that integration is not only possible, but can become a shared opportunity: migrant families find a decent future, and the villages recover life and hope” The UFV Chair of Immigration thus reaffirms its commitment to social innovation and sustainable human development, promoting alliances between academia, the business fabric and third sector organizations.