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[[File:LogoUCU.png|thumb|Logo UCU|link=Special:FilePath/LogoUCU.png]]
[[File:Universidad Católica del Uruguay Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga.jpg|alt=|thumb|UCU Campus Montevideo]]
[[File:Campus-UCU-PDE.jpg|thumb|UCU Campus Punta del Este|link=Special:FilePath/Campus-UCU-PDE.jpg]]
 
==<span id="docs-internal-guid-40ef68fe-7fff-81af-3506-62f9f516a9c1"><span style="font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overview</span></span>==
<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><br /><big>There are eight specialized centers:</big></span></div>UCU’s strategic orientation combines '''academic rigor, internationalization, sustainability, and innovation''', aligning with Jesuit values of service and leadership.
*<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-size:small;"><span style="font-familyMain initiatives include:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>Ithaka Center</big></span></span>
*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.</big>
In 2025, UCU students joined the '''University Innovation Fellows (UIF)''' global network, consolidating UCU’s role in fostering entrepreneurship aligned with Stanford d.school and Twente University frameworks.
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:
<span style="font-size:small;"><br />In 2023, we have different projects *'''Patent registration''' and IP rights.*'''Legal mentoring''' for student and faculty startups.*'''Seed fund competitions''' that encourage students to learn and participate more in I&E initiatives, all organized by Centro Ithaka:include IP advisory services.
# Onda emprendedoraIn 2024, UCU launched new training modules on '''IP law, startup financing, and innovation contracts''', strengthening its role as a facilitator of technology transfer in Uruguay’s academic ecosystem. ==Facilitating university-industry collaboration==UCU actively connects students and faculty with industry partners. Collaboration channels include: *'''Íthaka Mentoring Program''', linking projects with industry experts.*'''Ignis Convoca''', encouraging participation in international innovation contests.*'''IdeasLab''', a pre-incubation program to validate business models.*'''Circular Opportunities''', an initiative to support sustainable business models. Employment and career integration: *'''Career Fair (Feria Laboral)''', the largest in the country, where 80+ companies meet UCU students annually.*'''UCU Job Portal''' (since 2023), matching students with internships and jobs.*Professional practices in '''Engineering, Communication, Medicine, and Business''', often developed with companies as final projects. # Potenciá gastronomíaAcademic–industry innovation:# Capacitaciones E*'''Engineering Promotion Fund (ANII)''' supports senior-year entrepreneurship projects.D*'''“Challenges” courses''' in Computer Science (team-based solutions to real problems in 3-week sprints).M*'''Graduate School Capstone Program''', requiring every graduate student to engage in applied professional practice.P# Mujeres que construyen# Emprendimiento que quiere crecerThese collaborations ensure UCU graduates are prepared for '''interdisciplinary teamwork and market challenges'''.
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==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 Faculty are actively encouraged to pursue it, it is extremely important to have the universityintegrate innovation in both '''s support teaching and guidanceresearch'''.</big></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="fontThe '''Ludus Center''' supports professors in adopting '''project-family:arialbased learning,helveticadigital transformation,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 prosperousAI in education''', fair offering training and humane societycertification programs.</big></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helveticaProfessors also act as mentors within Íthaka’s programs,sans-serif;"><big>In fact, Ithaka already created many entrepreneurs and innovators. For instance, Sebastian Fernandez, an Engineering guiding student of UCU, together with íthaka'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 startups in Uruguay, Bolivialegal, Costa Ricafinancial, Paraguay and Panamatechnical aspects. /big>Several UCU faculty members are themselves entrepreneurs or serve as con</span></span>su</divspan><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;">lta<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 Ithakants for companies, proof of this is bringing industry expertise into the Entrepreneur ́s Club at Punta del Este ́s Campusclassroom. Here, students from UCU and other universities who would like to become entrepreneurs and already entrepreneurs  Recent highlights (2023–2025): *Expansion of the city gather and take part '''faculty mentoring networks''' in talks to inspire, teach entrepreneurial skills and promote innovationÍthaka programs.</span></span></big></span></span></div><div></div><br />*Faculty-led applied research projects with direct commercialization potential.<div style="text-align: justify;"><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-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 a wide variety tech projects.*Launch of '''faculty innovation workshops for ''' in sustainable business and circular economy entrepreneurs but . This culture empowers professors to explore entrepreneurial pathways, while also competitions for creating role models who inspire students to develop the innovation part during pursue their studies such as “Suma innovación a tu carrera” or “Tecnolog”own ventures. For those who need some mentoring, IthaKa also helps find someone through its mentoring innovation program.</span></span></big></span></span></div><div></div>
==Facilitating university-industry collaboration==
<div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big>UCU facilitates the relationship between industry and the university in multiple ways, some of which are described below.</big></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,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 with real-life organizations, business and markets. The first one is the mentoring program offered by Ithaka. This one supports students, professors, and alumni in developing their ideas in the pursuit of transforming them into entrepreneurs. This 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 mentors. In fact, the seed funds competitions have a designated budget for Ithaka’s members. Also, Ithaka offers legal mentoring by a lawyer and professor of the university.</big></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><big>The second one is the “Ignis Convoca” program, which also gives students support but, at the same time, pushes them to participate in contests regional and international.</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,helvetica,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 university, a few years ago, organized activities to facilitate validation with incubators. An example of this was IdeasLab, a pre-incubation program, where mentoring, tutoring and training were given by mentors who help validate the participant ́s business plan.</span></span></big></span></span></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,helvetica,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 to entrepreneurs trying to address social and environmental problems. These programs are no longer available in the university, but those mentioned above have increased their impact on the entrepreneurial area of ​​the university.</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 style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,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 in the university to describe, inform and offer different career opportunities that students can apply for.</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 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 addition, in the last year, a job portal has been developed, where students can upload their curriculum and discover job proposals that suit their skills.</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>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 for making their own professional practices before graduation.</big></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,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 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 market. Today’s needs require a deep but not professional knowledge about a vast amount of topics. UCU is making us try to be profesionales at projects and working in teams of different professions rather than solo workers.</span></span></big></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,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;">As a way to promote an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in students, UCU has a wide variety of offers regarding work practices. In most majors, internships are offered in external companies for students who are about to finish their studies. 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="font-family:arial,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;">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". 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ctThe '''Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UCU)''' fosters strong connections between academia and industry, in order to find a solution for a ensuring that students, faculty, and alumni engage with real problem that -world organizations, businesses, and markets. Collaboration is present in our societypromoted through structured programs, mentoring, fairs, and work-practice opportunities. <br /><div><span style==="font-size:small;"><span styleInnovation & Entrepreneurship="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><big><span id="docs-internal-guid-dddfe150-7fff-034d-40ed-28c9e32574d9"><span style="background-colorUCU integrates entrepreneurship with industry via several flagship programs: transparent; font-variant-numeric *'''Íthaka Mentoring Program''': normal; font-variant-east-asianSupports students, faculty, and alumni in developing business ideas and transforming them into startups. Each year, eight projects are selected and paired with expert mentors, including 25 academic staff members. The program also includes access to '''seed funds''' and '''legal mentoring''' from UCU professors.*'''Ignis Convoca Program''': normal; verticalEncourages participation in '''regional and international competitions''', connecting students with global innovation networks.*'''IdeasLab (pre-alignincubation program)''': baseline; white-space: preProvided training, mentoring, and validation for early-wrap;">And last but not leaststage ventures, there is a program offered by laying the graduate school named Capstonefoundation for UCU’s incubation culture.*'''Circular Opportunities''': Although no longer active, where professional practices are supportedthis initiative trained entrepreneurs addressing '''social and environmental problems''', given that are mandatory for every graduate leaving a legacy of socially responsible innovation within Íthaka. ===Job Opportunities and Career Integration===UCU facilitates student.</span></span></big></span></span></div>access to the labor market through multiple initiatives:
==Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts==<div style="text-align*'''Feria Laboral''': justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helveticaAn annual career fair bringing together more than 80 companies from diverse sectors,sans-serif;">Uruguayan government is helping the startup industry flourish by implementing these institutions&nbsp;: National Agency of Research providing information and Innovation direct hiring opportunities for UCU students.*'''UCU Job Portal''' (ANIIsince 2023) : An online platform where students upload CVs and National Development Agency (ANDE). Enhancing this, the Co work spaces apply to internships and the special Centers dedicated jobs tailored to supporting students, postgraduates and graduates with an entrepreneurial spirit are an important base in the progress of the realization of ideastheir skills.</span></big></span></div><div style="text*'''On-aligncampus internships''': justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Regarding Opportunities for students to ANIIgain experience in administration, this institution makes available to the public funds for research projectscenters, national and international postgraduate scholarships and incentive programs for innovative culture and entrepreneurship, both in technical support within the private and public sectorsUniversity itself.</span></big></span></div><div style ="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sansWork-serif;">In relation to ANDE,&nbsp; their aim is to contribute to productive economic development, in a sustainable way, with social equity and environmental and territorial balance.</span></big></span></div><div stylePractice Opportunities="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Ithaka is the Sponsoring Institution of Entrepreneurship (IPE) in front of the National Research UCU emphasizes '''interdisciplinary and Innovation Agency (ANII) and the National Development Agency (ANDE).</span></big></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arialtransversal education''',helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks to the support of ANII and ANDE, Ithaka´s&nbsp; pre-incubated entrepreneurs will have access to capital to carry out the validation of their idea.</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;">In turn, the Ithaka center has launched two competitionspreparing students for today’s job market, 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>
*Most degrees include '''mandatory internships''' in external companies, particularly in senior years.
*Certain programs invite students to carry out '''joint projects with companies and academic staff''', such as audiovisual production, business consulting, and content creation.
*The '''Engineering Department''', supported by the '''Engineering Promotion Fund (ANII)''', allows senior students to complete an '''entrepreneurship-focused final project'''.
*'''Computer Science “Challenges” courses''': Three-week innovation sprints where teams propose solutions to real societal or business problems.
*'''Graduate School Capstone Program''': A compulsory applied project for all graduate students, directly connecting them to professional practice and industry partners.
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
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this project is to generate new job oportunities by allowing entrepeneurs to install their businesses in the old police sentry boxes that are now in disuse.
 
The chosen entrepeneurs are expected to adapt the sentry boxes, creating a space to show and sell their products and services, while they also contribute by improving the appearance of the place, adding a service to the c
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munity. <div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big>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>Uruguayan government'''</big></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="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 a diverse and alarming world, we have has been strengthening the challenge of committing ourselves to startup ecosystem through the creation '''National Agency of sustained value in Research and Innovation (ANII)''' and the relationships and decisions we make daily'''National Development Agency (ANDE)'''.</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arialBoth institutions play a central role in funding,helveticamentoring,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 Strategic Planand supporting innovation initiatives in Uruguay. ANII provides grants for research projects, the aim is to be more innovativenational and international postgraduate scholarships, creative, inclusive and open to the worldprograms that foster an entrepreneurial culture in both public and private sectors. ANDE focuses on sustainable economic development with social equity and territorial balance.&nbsp;</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="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;">When students learn UCU, through the sky isn't the limit''Íthaka Center''', therefore UCU is constantly reinventing so that the academic experience is enhanced. UCU is achieving that by providing day to day new courses, careers, or even a new institution recognized as an official '''Sponsoring Institution of Entrepreneurship (as it is UCU Business SchoolInstitución Patrocinadora de Emprendimientos – IPE)''' before ANII and ANDE.&nbsp;</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><span style="font-size:small;"><big><span style="font-family:arial,helveticaThanks 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;">Every day that passes, UCU tries incubated entrepreneurs gain access to be a better university, where all the stakeholders contribute capital and resources to overall sustainable developmentvalidate and scale their ideas.</span></span></span></big></span></div><div><br /></div>
Íthaka also runs competitions such as '''Tecnolog''' and '''Kenn S. George''', which provide teams with workshops, mentoring, and seed capital for the winning projects. These initiatives have positioned UCU as one of the most active universities in fostering early-stage entrepreneurship in Uruguay.
 
Since 2023, Íthaka has partnered with '''Municipio CH''', '''ANDE''', and the '''Ministry of Interior''' in the '''“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 community integration.
 
===UCU’s Strategic Plan for the Future===
Aligned with its '''Strategic Plan 2025''', UCU commits to fostering value creation in academia and society. The University’s priorities include becoming more '''innovative, inclusive, creative, and globally connected'''. UCU constantly reinvents itself through new degree programs, interdisciplinary approaches, and initiatives such as the '''UCU Business School''' and international partnerships.
 
Looking ahead, UCU is preparing to reinforce this commitment through the creation of a '''Vice-Rectorate for Innovation''', which will unify and expand all entrepreneurial, technological, and creative initiatives within the institution. This new structure will act as a transversal axis across faculties, ensuring that innovation is not only a support area but also a '''core element of the university’s identity'''.
 
By consolidating a dedicated Vice-Rectorate for Innovation, UCU seeks to accelerate its growth, attract international collaborations, and position itself as a '''regional benchmark in innovation-driven higher education'''. This initiative will strengthen collaboration with industry, foster research commercialization, and empower students and faculty to lead projects with real and lasting impact.<br />
</div>
==Related Links==
[https://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Fellow:Camila_D%27Oliveira Camila D'Oliveira]
'''Fall 2025 Fellows''' [[Fellow:Valentina Bartora Marchissio|Valentina Bartora Marchissio]] [[Fellow:Felipe Becoña|Felipe Becoña]] [[Fellow:Leticia Juncal|Leticia Juncal]] [[Fellow:Marco Montelatici|Marco Montelatici]] {{CatTree|Universidad_Católica_del_Uruguay}}<big><div style="border-top-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 2px; border-color: #a7d7f8; background-image: linear-gradient(#f7fafd, #cee7f8);"><span style="margin-left: 10px;">'''Related links'''</span><div style="margin-left: 12px;"><div class="CategoryTreeTag" data-ct-mode="20" data-ct-options="{&quot;mode&quot;:20,&quot;hideprefix&quot;:20,&quot;showcount&quot;:false,&quot;namespaces&quot;:false}"><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"><span class="CategoryTreeToggle" data-ct-title="Universidad_Católica_del_Uruguay" data-ct-loaded="1" data-ct-state="expanded">▼</span> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 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class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"><span class="CategoryTreeToggle" data-ct-title="Universidad_Católica_del_Uruguay_(2025_cohort)" data-ct-state="collapsed">►</span> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Universidad_Cat%C3%B3lica_del_Uruguay_(2025_cohort)' title='Category:Universidad Católica del Uruguay (2025 cohort)'>Universidad Católica del Uruguay (2025 cohort)</a></div><div class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs3762 CategoryTreeLabelPage' href='/wiki/Faculty_Champion:Maria_Noel_Ferrer' title='Faculty Champion:Maria Noel Ferrer'>Faculty Champion:Maria Noel Ferrer</a></div><div class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs3762 CategoryTreeLabelPage' href='/wiki/Faculty_Champion:Mar%C3%ADa_Noel_Ferrer' title='Faculty Champion:María Noel Ferrer'>Faculty Champion:María Noel Ferrer</a></div><div class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs3752 CategoryTreeLabelPage' href='/wiki/School:Universidad_Cat%C3%B3lica_del_Uruguay' title='School:Universidad Católica del Uruguay'>School:Universidad Católica del Uruguay</a></div><div class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs3756 CategoryTreeLabelPage' href='/wiki/Priorities:Universidad_Cat%C3%B3lica_del_Uruguay_Faculty_Projects' title='Priorities:Universidad Católica del Uruguay Faculty Projects'>Priorities:Universidad Católica del Uruguay Faculty Projects</a></div><div class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div><div class="CategoryTreeSection"><div class="CategoryTreeItem"><span class="CategoryTreeBullet"> </span> <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs3756 CategoryTreeLabelPage' href='/wiki/Priorities:Universidad_Cat%C3%B3lica_del_Uruguay_Student_Priorities' title='Priorities:Universidad Católica del Uruguay Student Priorities'>Priorities:Universidad Católica del Uruguay Student Priorities</a></div><div class="CategoryTreeChildren" style="display:none"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></big>----<br /><br /><br /><br />
Felipebecona
2025-cohort, 2025-cohort-mentor
20

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