Early in the morning, when the cold was still lingering on the central campus, the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) began to write a new page in its academic history. At 7:30 a.m., the new undergraduate students, punctual and expectant, began the third day of Welcome Week 2026, an agenda designed to facilitate their adaptation to university life and strengthen their sense of belonging to the institution.
The opening was marked by an artistic performance by the EMUIS Musical Group, which brought energy and warmth to the event, followed by a presentation on the processes of the Cultural Department and the Language Institute, key areas in the comprehensive education that distinguishes the UIS.
For Claudia Milena Ortiz Gómez, a professional at the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and coordinator of the Academic Excellence System, the week has been a reflection of a vibrant university committed to the well-being of its students. “It has been an intense week, full of academic, cultural, sports, and recreational activities. The students have been active, participatory, and have enjoyed it very much,“ she said. In her experience, these spaces play a decisive role: ”They allow them to adapt to the university, get to know the spaces, their classmates, and begin to get into the swing of this new university life they are starting today.”
Ortiz Gómez also highlighted the atmosphere of excitement on campus. “Students arrive with high expectations, full of dreams to fulfill, and the university is here to support them and make that life project possible.” He also highlighted the added value of an inclusive welcome, in which families have played a leading role: “We have already welcomed the parents; they know everything the university has to offer their children. It is a welcome for families, not just for students.”
On the same stage, UIS Cultural Director Paula Juliana Costo Preciado emphasized the importance of culture as a cross-cutting theme in professional training. “From the Cultural Department, we contribute to the training of well-rounded, ethical, and creative professionals, promoting the well-being and cultural inclusion of the entire university community,” she said. During her speech, she presented the wide range of artistic groups, venues, and cultural programming available for 2026, and invited new students to become actively involved as an opportunity to strengthen artistic skills and soft skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and emotional intelligence.
The academic and global component was led by the Language Institute, whose director, Laura Cristina Dueñas Angulo, reiterated the UIS’s commitment to consolidating its position as a regional and national leader in language teaching. The Institute promotes the learning of foreign languages such as English, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese, with a clear mission: to train global citizens with solid communication skills and international projection through high-quality academic processes.
Among those in attendance, expectations were not only heard in institutional speeches, but also reflected in the voices of those beginning their university journey. Luis Eduardo Vargas Corredor, a first-semester physics student from the municipality of Confines, Santander, sums it up clearly: “Expectations have not only been met, they have been exceeded.” For him, the UIS represents the ideal space to grow academically and personally. “I want to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to perform in research, expand into other areas of knowledge, and also into art within the university,” he said.
As he walks around campus, he highlights his impression of the institution: “It is a spacious, beautiful place with innovative and fascinating architecture.” His vision for the future is clear: to devote himself to scientific research. “From an early age, I have had close contact with the UIS, and that has reinforced the idea that it is the best option for fulfilling that purpose,” he concluded.
The day ended with an official reception by the directors of the schools of the faculties of Health, Sciences, and Humanities, who welcomed this new generation of students, reaffirming the Industrial University of Santander’s commitment to academic excellence, comprehensive training, and ongoing support throughout university life.
