Universität Heidelberg and Santander Universitäten to increase their cooperation

1. Santander Consumer Germany
Alicia Santa María
+49 2161 6905749
alicia.santamaria@santander.de
Santander Universities Communication
Ana Núñez | Sonia Pérez | Marta Gallardo | Ignacio Marín
+34 615 90 29 46 | +34 615 90 74 04 | +34 615 371 838 | +34 91 289 43 15
comunicadgsu@gruposantander.com
Corporate site: www.santander.com/universidades
Twitter : http://twitter.com/#!/bancosantander
Santander News Germany Universities
Universität Heidelberg and Santander
Universitäten to increase their cooperation
 Developing networks of strong research partners in Latin America,
Europe and Asia.
Germany, 11
th
July 2013-. Heidelberg University and Banco Santander, though its División
Global Santander Universidades, are planning to intensify and expand their cooperation. To this
end, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Eitel, vice-chancellor of Heidelberg University, and Emilio Botín,
Chairman of Banco Santander, signed an agreement on the “TOP Programme Europe – Latin
America” and the “ELITE Programme Latin America – Europe – Asia”. It is based on the long-
term framework agreement concluded two years ago with Santander.
Santander Universities operates in Germany under the name of Santander Universitäten. With
this step, the partner institutions want to support the geographical mobility of young scientists
and scholars, develop top-class networks of strong research partners in Latin America, Asia and
Europe, investigate innovative research topics on an international level and make the results of
that research available to society.
Via its Centre for Ibero-American Studies (IAZ), Heidelberg University develops and coordinates
European cooperation projects with leading universities in Latin America, especially Chile,
Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. In the long term, the partner institutions hope to build a
bridge of scientific collaboration between Europe and Latin America, for the benefit of junior
researchers in particular. On another level, the partners in Europe and Latin America will work
together to create networks of excellence with leading universities in South and East Asia,
especially India, China and Japan. The IAZ, the South Asia Institute, the Heidelberg Centre for
Transcultural Studies, the Centre for East Asian Studies and the International Relations Office
of Heidelberg University will all be involved in the coordination and development of this project.
The research partners on the three continents will be selected by mutual agreement with
Santander Universitäten.
Within the framework of the “TOP Programme Europe – Latin America” and “ELITE Programme
Latin America – Europe – Asia” summer and winter schools dealing with innovative research
questions and aimed at doctoral candidates and junior researchers are funded by the bank
through Santander Universitäten. They are to be organised in cooperation with the Heidelberg
Center South Asia in New Delhi, the Heidelberg Center for Latin America in Santiago de Chile

2. Santander Consumer Germany
Alicia Santa María
+49 2161 6905749
alicia.santamaria@santander.de
Santander Universities Communication
Ana Núñez | Sonia Pérez | Marta Gallardo | Ignacio Marín
+34 615 90 29 46 | +34 615 90 74 04 | +34 615 371 838 | +34 91 289 43 15
comunicadgsu@gruposantander.com
Corporate site: www.santander.com/universidades
Twitter : http://twitter.com/#!/bancosantander
and the International Academic Forum Heidelberg as well as Japanese partner universities, if
applicable.
The Centre for Ibero-American Studies was founded in March 2011 via the existing framework
agreement between Heidelberg University and the bank, through its Santander Universidades
Global Division. The IAZ initiates and maintains scientific exchange with the countries of Latin
America and the Iberian Peninsula. One of the centre’s major concerns is to establish networks
for young scientists, especially in the humanities, and to support them with the required
infrastructure. For this purpose, the IAZ – supported by Santander Universitäten – offers
scholarships in linguistics, translation and interpreting, and literature that allow doctoral students
to spend several months doing research at an international partner university. Research stays
of international junior researchers at Heidelberg University are funded as well.
Santander Universitäten is part of the global division Santander Universidades of Banco
Santander. The bank, through Santander Universidades, maintains a stable alliance with more
than 1.020 academic institutions worldwide since 1997. These collaborations are unique among
other national and international banks.
Banco Santander supports the Higher Education sector in such areas as scholarship and
research, international cooperation, transfer of knowledge and technology, exchange of
students and innovation. For more information please visit www.santander.com/universities. For
more information about Santander Universitäten Germany please visit
www.santanderbank.de/universitaeten.