Eleven years of partnership: Deusto, the La Caixa Foundation and CaixaBank strengthen their commitment to culture and volunteering

The University of Deusto, the La Caixa Foundation and CaixaBank have renewed their strong collaboration on initiatives supporting students facing financial difficulties and on projects assisting groups at risk of social exclusion. This partnership, which marks its eleventh year, also includes support for volunteering and educational programmes for adults, with a strong focus on inclusion in the health sector.

In fact, this training for older adults, offered through DeustoBide, School of Citizenship, attracts an increasing number of students each year, with ever greater diversity. More than 1,000 students take part in the courses offered on the Bilbao and San Sebastian campuses, as well as in municipalities in Biscay (Basauri, Galdakao, and Getxo) and Gipuzkoa (Azpeitia). The initiative brings together people of very diverse backgrounds and ages, reflecting a demographic context in which adulthood is extending and new educational needs are emerging. Within this framework, Deusto and La Caixa Foundation reinforce their commitment to research and support for this group, promoting lifelong learning and the positive impact it has on both personal development and social cohesion.

In response to this growing demand, DeustoBide, under the new management of Irene Gantxegi Madina, has launched a new programme this academic year: the University Diploma in Culture and Society, with a duration of four years. The initiative has been very well received by students, who are keen to gain tools to understand the main challenges facing today’s society. The programme addresses topics such as international relations, some of the big questions in philosophy, the challenges of artificial intelligence, feminism, and health from a holistic perspective, among others.

In addition, another new feature of this year’s offerings has been the expansion of the University Cultural Leisure programme—the most established initiative of DeustoBide—to a morning schedule, with a total of 30 courses, thus making it more accessible to a wider audience.

The Rector of the University of Deusto, Juan José Etxeberria, and the Northern Territorial Director of CaixaBank, Juan Pedro Badiola, have signed the agreement, which also includes support for the activities of the Chair in Leisure and Inclusion, aimed at groups in vulnerable situations. The agreement also strengthens the volunteering initiatives promoted by the University of Deusto, ranging from training courses and the Volunteering Fair—which brings together more than 60 associations—to hands-on participation experiences. Likewise, the commitment of La Caixa Foundation to the Pedro Arrupe grants, aimed at students facing financial difficulties, is renewed.

Thanks to its extensive territorial presence, CaixaBank’s branch network plays a key role in supporting the social work of La Caixa Foundation, identifying the needs of local organisations and directing some of the Foundation’s resources towards them. In 2020 alone, 89% of the bank’s branches collaborated on at least one social project, enabling thousands of small and medium-sized charitable organisations to access financial support to carry out their initiatives.