The ambassador of Colombia, Eduardo Ávila Navarrete, and the rector of the National Open and Distance University – UNAD, Jaime Alberto Leal Afanador, held a protocol meeting yesterday in Madrid where they advanced in the academic cooperation alliance with the “Study Aid Program”.
This joint initiative is aimed at strengthening the academic, professional, and linguistic training opportunities for the Colombian community residing in Spain.
The agreement was signed by the ambassador of Colombia, Eduardo Ávila Navarrete, and the rector of the National Open and Distance University – UNAD, Jaime Alberto Leal Afanador, who held a protocol meeting in Madrid, within the framework of the institutional agenda aimed at strengthening academic and educational cooperation initiatives for the Colombian community residing in Spain. During the day, the scope of the Study Aid Program and the planned joint actions for its development were announced.
The program includes a total of 150 educational aids, distributed among professional skills courses and foreign language training programs, with the aim of facilitating access to flexible, quality education with international projection.
The Study Aid Program includes different modalities of academic support corresponding to 100%, 50%, 30%, and 20% of the value of the training programs. The aids will be awarded according to the order of registration and the criteria established in the call. The programs have a double certification, valid both in Colombia (by the UNAD) and in Spain (by EUDE and by the José Ortega y Gasset-Gregorio Marañón Foundation), thus strengthening the academic and professional profile of the participants in national and international contexts.
The courses will focus on areas highly demanded by the Spanish and European labor market, including digital marketing, leadership, innovation, digital narratives, Big Data, web development, organizational management, and language training in English, French, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Catalan.
The proposal is developed under the virtual and flexible education model of the UNAD, a Colombian public institution recognized for its leadership in distance education and digital transformation, with more than 380,000 students and international presence.
Likewise, the UNAD European Union has consolidated an important academic support work for Colombians residing in Europe in recent years, training more than 3,000 compatriots through official, technological, language programs, and continuous training courses developed in partnership with European universities and institutions.
Interested individuals in accessing the Study Aid Program can register between July 1 and July 17, 2026.
As part of the socialization and support process for the Colombian community residing in Spain, on June 26, the UNAD will hold a virtual information session in which the scope of the Program, the available aid modalities, the training offer, and the registration procedure will be announced.
Interested individuals can register at the following link.