The Universitat Jaume I has inaugurated the 26th Meeting of University Information and Guidance Services (SIOU), which is being held from April 22 to 24 and brings together nearly 80 professionals and vice-rectors of student affairs from universities throughout Spain.

 

The opening ceremony was presided over by the Rector of the UJI, Eva Alcón, who emphasized the strategic role of these services in the university experience. "University information and guidance has an essential dimension of proximity; closeness both in the pre-university stage and in the support provided throughout the academic career. Therefore, this service accompanies students' life plans and is key to contributing to a fulfilling and positive university experience," she stated.

 

Alcón also emphasized that "this national meeting not only addresses shared challenges, including how to better reach a student body that has changed profoundly and operates in an increasingly digital context, but also makes a decisive contribution to generating a solid state support network."

 

The opening ceremony also included the participation of the Vice-Rector for Students and Healthy Living at the UJI, Mamen Pastor, along with the coordinator of the Student Guidance Working Group of the CRUE Student Affairs sector, Juan Luís Benítez, and the coordinator of the SIOU group, Ángel Custodio Serrano.

 

The Universitat Jaume I-Empresa Foundation collaborated in organizing this academic event.

 

For three days, under the theme "New Challenges in University Information and Guidance," the conference combines presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and spaces for exchanging best practices, with the aim of reflecting on the key role of information and guidance services in well-being, retention, and academic success.

 

The program addresses issues such as the impact of digitalization on the student profile, the integration of artificial intelligence into university management without losing the human element, and new forms of learning and skills acquisition beyond the classroom. It also includes the presentation of the projects from the 12th edition of the SIOU Best Practices Award and a panel discussion with students to incorporate their perspectives into the improvement of information and guidance services.

 

The event features the participation of representatives from universities in Andalusia, Aragon, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, the Community of Madrid, the Valencian Community, Extremadura, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja, Navarre, the Basque Country, and the Region of Murcia. This allows for the sharing of diverse experiences and collaborative progress toward more personalized, accessible, and responsive service models adapted to evolving needs.