The Edufinet Project, a pioneering programme in Spain that has received many prizes in its nearly 15 years of history, collaborates with other 14 universities and with over ten institutions and business organizations.
In Castilla y Leon, Edufinet has collaboration agreements with the universities of Salamanca, Leon and Burgos, where it has already developed a large number of activities.
Unicaja Banco, Fundación Unicaja and the University of Valladolid have entered into a framework agreement for the promotion of financial education programmes. With the signature of this agreement, the University of Valladolid joins the Edufinet Project on financial education, promoted by Unicaja in collaboration with the Andalusia International University (UNIA), University of Malaga (UMA), University Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla (UPO), University of Jaen (UJA), University of Cordoba (UCO), University of Almeria (UAL), Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), University of Salamanca (USAL), University of Leon (ULE), University of Huelva (UHU), University of Algarve (UAlg), University of Granada (UGr), University of Burgos (UBU) and the University of Cadiz (UCA), to implement actions to promote financial education among the citizens via three pillars: the website Edufinet (www.edufinet.com), publications on finances and the organization of seminars and workshops.
The presentation of the agreement has been attended by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Valladolid, Antonio Largo Cabrerizo; José María Jiménez López and José Antonio Díaz Campos, from the Edufinet Team; and Francisco Cañadas Barón, from Fundación Unicaja. The agreement intends to promote the enhancement of the financial literacy of citizens in general and of university students in particular. Under the agreement, training activities on finances will be fostered, to increase the transparency, security and responsibility in the development of the financial relationships between citizens and financial intermediaries leading, therefore, to higher market efficiency.
The signature of the agreement is a new boost to the actions developed by the Edufinet Project to guide the citizens in their relationships with the financial institutions and to facilitate the decision-making on the different products and services offered. With this goal, Edufinet was launched in 2007, although the project started in 2005 within Unicaja, with the collaboration of the Andalusia International Office (UNIA) and of the University of Malaga (UMA). With this project, Unicaja became one of the first financial institutions in Spain to launch an initiative of this kind.
Agreement
The agreement entered into by Unicaja Banco, Fundación Unicaja and the University of Valladolid intends to provide users (present or future users of financial services) with tools and with a clear guidance on the most significant aspects of the financial system and of the products and services offered for saving, investment and financing. The main objective is to provide citizens with the skills they need to make basic decisions in this area.
The Edufinet Project will foster in Valladolid the organization and development of training activities such as lectures, seminars, meetings, conferences and courses, through the exchange of experiences and knowledge. It will also promote the development of joint studies and research projects, as well as the publication of books and research works, and it will implement systems of mutual provision of services on topics of interest for the three institutions signing the agreement.
Edufinet Project, a pioneering initiative
The Edufinet Project has been working, through an Internet portal for the general public, since 2007, although its development began in 2005. In addition to the business institutions and organizations, 15 universities collaborate with this programme. All of the previous have made Unicaja, one of the first institutions to launch an initiative of this kind, to be one of the most active agents in this area. This work has been recognized with several awards.
Since it was created, over 152,000 people have participated in the different seminars, workshops, courses or lectures organized by Edufinet, of which 108,000 are young people who have participated in the Lectures on Financial Education for Young People.
The website www.edufinet.com, which offers systemic and practical information in a question-answer format and where no previous knowledge is required, has registered so far more than 7.8 million visits, with consultations and access from nearly 180 countries.
The Edufinet Project has other two specific portals: one addressed to young people (Edufinext) and one addressed to business owners and entrepreneurs (Edufiemp).
