Changes

<div><span style="font-size:small;text-aling:justify"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>The '''Catholic University of Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UCU)''' , founded in 1985, is a the oldest and largest private university in Uruguay opened in 1985. It was the only private university in the country for 11 years until 1996more than a decade. Its full name is Universidad Católica del Uruguay Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga, and UCU is a work of run by the Society of Jesus.</big></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;text-aling:justify"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica(Jesuits) and is recognized nationally and internationally for combining academic excellence,sans-serif;"><big>Its main campus is spread out in 10 locations in Montevideo in Parque Batlle Neighbourhood; there are two other campusessocial commitment, in Punta Del Este and Saltoinnovation.</big></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><big>The university is first divided into six Academic Units:</big></span></span></div>

*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialThe main campus is located in '''Montevideo (Parque Batlle)''',helveticawith additional campuses in '''Punta del Este''' and '''Salto''',sans-serif;"><big>and outreach centers in other regions. UCU has six academic units: '''Health Sciences</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Business Sciences</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Law and Human Sciences</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Engineering and Technologies</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>UCU Business School</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>and the Graduate School</big></span></span></div>''', with over 11,000 students.

<div><span><br /><big>The university is divided into departmentsalso operates several specialized centers, such as:</big></span></div>

*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Psychology </big></span></span></div>'''Íthaka Center''' (Innovation & Entrepreneurship).*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Administration and Business</big></span></span></div>'''Ludus Center''' (Educational Innovation).*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Wellness '''Agora Center''' (Leadership and health</big></span></span></div>Public Life).*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Exact '''Ignis Center''' (Research on Digital Culture and Natural Sciences </big></span></span></div>Communication).*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Social Sciences</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Law</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Education</big></span></span></div>'''University Health Clinics''' (Primary Care and Community Health).*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Organizational '''Berit Center''' (Jewish Studies</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Humanities and communication</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Computing</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Engineering</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Neuroscience and learning</big></span></span></div>).

*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Ludus Center</big></span></span></div>*<div><span stylePromoting student innovation and entrepreneurship="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Continuing Education Center</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="fonttext-sizealign:smalljustify;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Language Promoting '''student innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E)''' is one of UCU’s strongest pillars. The '''Íthaka Center</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialfor Innovation and Entrepreneurship''' plays a leading role,helveticaproviding students with mentoring,sans-serif;"><big>Methodological Center</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialincubation,helveticaworkshops,sans-serif;"><big>Ignis Center</big></span></span></div>*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialand competitions that allow them to '''discover,helveticalearn,sans-serif;"><big>Agora Center</big></span></span></div><div>and experiment''' with new ideas.* <span style="font-sizeMain initiatives include:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Ithaka Center</big></span></span></div>

* Habitat Center'''Hackathon “Suma Innovación a tu Carrera”''', awarding scholarships to high school students through innovation challenges.* University Health Clinics'''LOOP Innovation Week''' (2018–2019) → evolved into '''UCU Week''', held annually since 2021, where classes are suspended and students access entrepreneurial workshops, design sprints, and innovation bootcamps.*'''Innovation Community''' (since 2020), a student-driven initiative to solve campus challenges.*'''Podcast “Onda Emprendedora”''' and open sessions with local entrepreneurs.*'''“Intervalos” Project''', live student interviews with CEOs and business leaders.

*<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-familyBetween 2023 and 2025, Íthaka launched additional programs:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Berit Center</big></span></span></div>

==Promoting student innovation entrepreneurship==<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-40ef68fe-7fff-81af-3506-62f9f516a9c1"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*''Potenciá Gastronomía'Universidad Católica del Uruguay''' believes that innovation : training and entrepreneurship are of huge importance and, therefore, has various different ways to promote its students to engage in this areanetworking for culinary entrepreneurs. Not only are there courses that indirectly provoke students to feel intrigued and widen their knowledge in this area, but UCU also provides courses, clubs and workshops that facilitate this learning process. Some faculties offer a wider variety of these activities than others but all students, no matter their major, have the possibility to innovate and become an entrepreneur if they desire so.</span></span></span></big></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Particularly, </span>*''Mujeres que Construyen'<span style="text-decoration-line: underline; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IthaKa</span>'''<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Innovation and Entrepreneurship centre), and Students Affairs department are responsible for promoting, mentoring and supporting the students with their ideas and projects. For instance, ÍthaKa centre organized the three-day-long engagement called “Innovatón” in Punta Del Este, where attendees learned the well-known Design Thinking process.</span></span></span></big></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><br />Moreover, UCU has taken part women in organizing LOOP, an “innovation week” in both 2018 construction and 2019. LOOP is a week-long bootcamp focused on teaching design thinking by tackling down social challenges, targeted to university students and anyone with an interest in innovation and problem solvingindustries.</span></span></big></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align*''Capacitaciones EDMP'': justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>In 2020 a group of students interested training in innovation, gathered to notice problems happening at that time in university entrepreneurial design and think of creative solutionsmanagement practices. This was called the Innovation Community.</span></span></big></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Ithaka ,working together with the Communications Department,started to organize a Hackaton called “Suma Innovación a tu Carrera” ( literally “Add Innovation to your career” ) in which last year students from different high schools participate in a innovative hackaton where they can win scholarships to study at the university.</span></span></big></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family*''Emprendimiento que Quiere Crecer'':arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Since 2020, the University has added some events and regular inspiration events like a new podcast called "Entrepreneurial wave" and the Open Sessions accelerator program for entrepreneurs scaling startups.Furthermore, a new project called “Intervalos” was launched last year, and it consists of students interviewing local business leaders like CEOs,and sharing it on live via Zoom meetings.</span></span></big></span>

Last year, UCU launched ==Actively supporting the "university technology transfer function==UCU week", a week long eventsupports technology transfer and intellectual property (IP) processes through its collaboration with '''Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación (ANII)''' and Íthaka. During this, clasess are suspended in order for the students to Although UCU does not yet have access to all kinds of projects, workshops, open lectures and games. Apart from this, there are a lot of I&E activities. The goal is to make give this topic an interesting and innovative approach. Also, students may suggest in advance some topics of their best interestfully independent '''Technology Transfer Office (TTO)''', so that they can learn more about them in this week. Íthaka provides guidance on:

==Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship:&nbsp;==<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>When a student has an idea and wants to pursue it, it is extremely important to have the university's support and guidance.</big></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>This is the reason why IthaKa, our I&E center was created. IthaKa`s principal aim is to incubate students´ ideas and materialize them. The main mission of this center is to bring our university community closer to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, promote innovation and creativity for the development of ventures that contribute to the development of a more prosperous, fair and humane society.</big></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>In fact2024, Ithaka already created many entrepreneurs and innovators. For instance, Sebastian Fernandez, an Engineering student of UCU, together with íthakalaunched new training modules on '''s help and support founded a successful enterprise called TuPase. TuPase is an App that allows companies to involve their employees in physical activity by providing access to the largest network of sports centers in Uruguay, BoliviaIP law, Costa Ricastartup financing, Paraguay and Panama. /big></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-175cf5d5-7fff-67cb-eb8f-b23119daf2c7"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students ́ organizations are also highly promoted by Ithaka, proof of this is the Entrepreneur ́s Club at Punta del Este ́s Campus. Here, students from UCU and other universities who would like to become entrepreneurs and already entrepreneurs of the city gather and take part in talks to inspire, teach entrepreneurial skills and promote innovation.</span></span></big></span></span></div><div></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialcontracts''',helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-175cf5d5-7fff-67cb-eb8f-b23119daf2c7"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IthaKa not only offers strengthening its role as a wide variety facilitator of workshops for circular economy entrepreneurs but also competitions for students to develop the innovation part during their studies such as “Suma innovación a tu carrera” or “Tecnolog”. For those who need some mentoring, IthaKa also helps find someone through its mentoring innovation programtechnology transfer in Uruguay’s academic ecosystem.</span></span></big></span></span></div><div></div>

<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>UCU facilitates the relationship between actively connects students and faculty with industry and the university in multiple ways, some of which are described belowpartners.</big></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-sizeCollaboration channels include:small;"><span style="font-family:arial *'''Íthaka Mentoring Program''',helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><b>Innovation & Entrepreneurship</b></big></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>There are two main programmes that regulate and connect the entrepreneurship and innovation that takes place in university linking projects with real-life organizations, business and marketsindustry experts. The first one is the mentoring program offered by Ithaka. This one supports students*'''Ignis Convoca''', professors, and alumni encouraging participation in developing their ideas in the pursuit of transforming them into entrepreneursinternational innovation contests. This *'''IdeasLab''', a pre-incubation program launches a call to help eight companies, where in three months they assign them a mentor who has experience in the area each project needs, the programm counts with 25 academic staff as mentorsvalidate business models. In fact*'''Circular Opportunities''', the seed funds competitions have a designated budget for Ithaka’s membersan initiative to support sustainable business models. Also, Ithaka offers legal mentoring by a lawyer  Employment and professor of the university.</big></span></span></div><div><span style="font-sizecareer integration:small;"><span style="font-family:arial *'''Career Fair (Feria Laboral)''',helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><big>The second one is the “Ignis Convoca” programlargest in the country, which also gives where 80+ companies meet UCU students support butannually.*'''UCU Job Portal''' (since 2023), at the same time, pushes them to participate in contests regional matching students with internships and internationaljobs.</big></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial*Professional practices in '''Engineering,helveticaCommunication,sans-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-13109c4b-7fff-7bf1-9cd7-927874d96264"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The universityMedicine, a few years agoand Business''', organized activities to facilitate validation often developed with incubatorscompanies as final projects. An example of this was IdeasLab, a pre Academic–industry innovation: *'''Engineering Promotion Fund (ANII)''' supports senior-incubation program, where mentoring, tutoring and training were given by mentors who help validate the participant ́s business planyear entrepreneurship projects.</span></span></big></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line*'''“Challenges” courses''' in Computer Science (team-based solutions to real problems in 3-height: 1week sprints).38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica*'''Graduate School Capstone Program''',sans-serif;"><br /><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-13109c4b-7fff-7bf1-9cd7-927874d96264"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moreover, as UCU believes that social responsibility and engagement is important, it promoted with Ithaka a program called “Circular Opportunities” that provided tutorships and training requiring every graduate student to entrepreneurs trying to address social and environmental problemsengage in applied professional practice.  These programs collaborations ensure UCU graduates are no longer available in the university, but those mentioned above have increased their impact on the entrepreneurial area of ​​the universityprepared for '''interdisciplinary teamwork and market challenges'''.</span></span></big></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style ="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><b>Job opportunities facilitators</b></big></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span styleEncouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship="font-size:small;"><span style="fontFaculty are actively encouraged to integrate innovation in both '''teaching and research'''. The '''Ludus Center''' supports professors in adopting '''project-family:arialbased learning,helveticadigital transformation,sans-serif;"><big>“Feria Laboral” is an annual event. It is mainly a fair whose aim is inserting students into the labour market. This activity consists of a large number of companies from different fields gathered for this day and AI in the university to describeeducation''', inform offering training and offer different career opportunities that students can apply forcertification programs.</big></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-36e22a4e-7fff-ac8f-703d-47ebb2fe419e"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several internships available  Professors also act as well, for students that want to start working at the university, such opportunities include being part of the centers, the administration or the technical support. In additionmentors within Íthaka’s programs, guiding student startups in the last yearlegal, a job portal has been developedfinancial, where students can upload their curriculum and discover job proposals that suit their skillstechnical aspects.Several UCU faculty members are themselves entrepreneurs or serve as con</span></span>su</big></span></span>lta</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><b>Work-practice opportunities</b></big></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Universidad Catolica del Uruguay offers infrastructure and resources nts for making their own professional practices before graduation.</big></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialcompanies,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-dddfe150-7fff-034d-40ed-28c9e32574d9"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UCU is currently going through a changing process, the whole university is turning bringing industry expertise into a more insightful and transversal education center aiming for an interdisciplinary and intercareer process of education and formation. Ucu is trying to make professionals adapt to today’s needs by teaching them that knowing a lot of only one thing is not the best way to approach the work marketclassroom. Today’s needs require a deep but not professional knowledge about a vast amount  Recent highlights (2023–2025): *Expansion of topics'''faculty mentoring networks''' in Íthaka programs. UCU is making us try to be profesionales at *Faculty-led applied research projects and working in teams of different professions rather than solo workerswith direct commercialization potential.</span></span></big></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial*Growth of '''interdisciplinary teaching teams''',helveticae.g.,sansMedicine + Engineering in health-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-dddfe150-7fff-034d-40ed-28c9e32574d9"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a way tech projects.*Launch of '''faculty innovation workshops''' in sustainable business and circular economy. This culture empowers professors to promote an innovative and explore entrepreneurial spirit in studentspathways, UCU has a wide variety of offers regarding work practices. In most majors, internships are offered in external companies for while also creating role models who inspire students who are about to finish pursue their studiesown ventures. In some departments, students are invited to carry out projects in collaboration with companies and with academic staff, as are the base of audiovisual technicians, the UCU business in company and the original content production line programs.</span></span></big></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="fontFacilitating university-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><span idindustry collaboration="docs-internal-guid-dddfe150-7fff-034d-40ed-28c9e32574d9"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The engineering department has the engineering promotion fund by the ANII to promote engineering projects and many of the final year students chose to do the entrepreneurship variant of the final project.</span></span></big></span></span></div>The Computer Science career has incorporated a new kind of course, known as "Challenges". This is an opportunity for the students to show their streng[[Category:Universities]]t[[Category:Schools]]h

ctThe '''Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UCU)''' fosters strong connections between academia and industry, in order to find a solution for a real problem ensuring that is present in our society. <br /><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arialstudents,helveticafaculty,sansand alumni engage with real-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-dddfe150-7fff-034d-40ed-28c9e32574d9"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And last but not leastworld organizations, businesses, there and markets. Collaboration is a program offered by the graduate school named Capstonepromoted through structured programs, mentoring, where professional practices are supportedfairs, given that are mandatory for every graduate studentand work-practice opportunities.</span></span></big></span></span></div>

==Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts=Innovation & Entrepreneurship=<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-sizeUCU integrates entrepreneurship with industry via several flagship programs:small;"><big><span style="font-family *'''Íthaka Mentoring Program''':arialSupports students,helveticafaculty,sans-serif;">Uruguayan government is helping the startup industry flourish by implementing these institutions&nbsp;: National Agency of Research and Innovation (ANII) alumni in developing business ideas and National Development Agency (ANDE)transforming them into startups. Enhancing thisEach year, the Co work spaces eight projects are selected and the special Centers dedicated paired with expert mentors, including 25 academic staff members. The program also includes access to supporting '''seed funds''' and '''legal mentoring''' from UCU professors.*'''Ignis Convoca Program''': Encourages participation in '''regional and international competitions''', connecting students, postgraduates and graduates with an entrepreneurial spirit are an important base in the progress of the realization of ideasglobal innovation networks.</span></big></span></div><div style="text*'''IdeasLab (pre-alignincubation program)''': justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arialProvided training,helveticamentoring,sansand validation for early-serif;">Regarding to ANIIstage ventures, this institution makes available to laying the public funds foundation for research projectsUCU’s incubation culture.*'''Circular Opportunities''': Although no longer active, national this initiative trained entrepreneurs addressing '''social and international postgraduate scholarships and incentive programs for innovative culture and entrepreneurshipenvironmental problems''', both in the private and public sectorsleaving a legacy of socially responsible innovation within Íthaka.</span></big></span></div><div style ="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In relation to ANDE,&nbsp; their aim is to contribute to productive economic development, in a sustainable way, with social equity Job Opportunities and environmental and territorial balance.</span></big></span></div><div styleCareer Integration=="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-sizeUCU facilitates student access to the labor market through multiple initiatives:small;"><big><span style="font-family *'''Feria Laboral''':arialAn annual career fair bringing together more than 80 companies from diverse sectors,helvetica,sans-serif;">Ithaka is the Sponsoring Institution of Entrepreneurship providing information and direct hiring opportunities for UCU students.*'''UCU Job Portal''' (IPEsince 2023) in front of the National Research : An online platform where students upload CVs and Innovation Agency (ANII) apply to internships and the National Development Agency (ANDE)jobs tailored to their skills.</span></big></span></div><div style="text*'''On-aligncampus internships''': justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arialOpportunities for students to gain experience in administration,helveticaresearch centers,sans-serif;">Thanks to the and technical support of ANII and ANDE, Ithaka´s&nbsp; pre-incubated entrepreneurs will have access to capital to carry out within the validation of their ideaUniversity itself.</span></big></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text==Work-align: justify;"><span stylePractice Opportunities=="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arialUCU emphasizes '''interdisciplinary and transversal education''',helvetica,sans-serif;">In turnpreparing students for today’s job market, the Ithaka center has launched two competitions, Tecnolog and Kenn S George to promote and help the different entrepreneurs that apply. These are two workshops where the teams that submit their projects will be trained and the winner will obtain seed capital for their entrepreneurshipwhich demands teamwork across diverse disciplines rather than isolated specialization.</span></big></span></div>

Since last yearThrough these initiatives, IthaKa has joined forces with the Municipio CHUCU consolidates itself as a '''bridge between academia and industry''', promoting innovation, employability, ANDE and the Ministry of Interior, by supporting the project entrepreneurial spirit among its students and faculty.</div>==Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts==<div style="Andrés Abt Entrepeneurs´ sentry boxestext-align: justify;" (Garitas para emprendedores Andrés Abt). The main goal >[[Category:Universities]]o

munityThe '''Uruguayan government''' has been strengthening the startup ecosystem through the '''National Agency of Research and Innovation (ANII)''' and the '''National Development Agency (ANDE)'''. Both institutions play a central role in funding, mentoring, and supporting innovation initiatives in Uruguay. ANII provides grants for research projects, national and international postgraduate scholarships, and programs that foster an entrepreneurial culture in both public and private sectors. ANDE focuses on sustainable economic development with social equity and territorial balance. <div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big>UCU, through the '''<span id="docs-internal-guid-da02c675-7fff-5720-b0ee-7f1b6ab3a6c5"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UCU ́s Strategic Plan for the Future</span></span>Íthaka Center'''</big></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helveticais recognized as an official '''Sponsoring Institution of Entrepreneurship (Institución Patrocinadora de Emprendimientos – IPE)''' before ANII and ANDE. Thanks to this recognition,sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-da02c675-7fff-5720-b0ee-7f1b6ab3a6c5"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: Íthaka’s pre-wrap;">In a diverse incubated entrepreneurs gain access to capital and resources to validate and scale their ideas. Íthaka also runs competitions such as '''Tecnolog''' and alarming world'''Kenn S. George''', we which provide teams with workshops, mentoring, and seed capital for the winning projects. These initiatives have positioned UCU as one of the challenge of committing ourselves to most active universities in fostering early-stage entrepreneurship in Uruguay. Since 2023, Íthaka has partnered with '''Municipio CH''', '''ANDE''', and the creation '''Ministry of sustained value Interior''' in the relationships '''“Andrés Abt Entrepreneurs’ Sentry Boxes” project''', which repurposes disused police booths into spaces for entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products. This project not only generates new job opportunities but also contributes to urban renewal and decisions we make dailycommunity integration.</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><span style ==="font-size:small;"><big><span styleUCU’s Strategic Plan for the Future="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-da02c675-7fff-5720-b0ee-7f1b6ab3a6c5"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In UCU ́s Aligned with its '''Strategic Plan2025''', the aim is UCU commits to be fostering value creation in academia and society. The University’s priorities include becoming more '''innovative, inclusive, creative, inclusive and open to the worldglobally connected'''.&nbsp;</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arialUCU constantly reinvents itself through new degree programs,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-da02c675-7fff-5720-b0ee-7f1b6ab3a6c5"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When students learninterdisciplinary approaches, and initiatives such as the sky isn't the limit, therefore ''UCU is constantly reinventing so that the academic experience is enhancedBusiness School''' and international partnerships.  Looking ahead, UCU is achieving that by providing day preparing to day new coursesreinforce this commitment through the creation of a '''Vice-Rectorate for Innovation''', which will unify and expand all entrepreneurial, careerstechnological, or even a and creative initiatives within the institution. This new institution (structure will act as it is UCU Business School).&nbsp;</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helveticaa transversal axis across faculties,sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-da02c675-7fff-5720-b0ee-7f1b6ab3a6c5"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every day ensuring that passes, UCU tries to be innovation is not only a support area but also a better university, where all '''core element of the stakeholders contribute to overall sustainable developmentuniversity’s identity'''.</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><br /></div>

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