Arqus welcomes its new Secretary General: Paloma Fernández Torres

On 1 October, Arqus welcomed Paloma Fernández Torres as the new Secretary General of the Alliance.

Paloma brings over seven years of experience in European affairs and project management across public administrations and EU organisations. Before joining Arqus, she worked at the University of Barcelona’s BCN-AIM Lab as Project Manager in the field of Horizon Europe projects, and previously held roles at RMIT Europe and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in Brussels. Her career has been marked by a strong commitment to European values and a cooperative approach at the EU level. She holds a Double Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Granada and Sciences Po Bordeaux, and a Master’s in International Studies from Sciences Po Bordeaux. She also had the opportunity to complete a study visit at the University of Montréal.

During her first weeks working for Arqus, Paloma has focused on getting to closely know the coordination team with whom she will work hand in hand, and the local UGR team, and has begun attending key working meetings, to become familiar with the current dynamics and priorities of the Alliance. She also met the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global) of Durham University, Claire O’Malley, during her visit to Granada on 15 October, strengthening ties with one of the Arqus associate partners. In addition, she has taken part in several meetings with the Arqus Management Team, enabling her to connect with the institutional coordinators representing each of the universities in the Alliance and gaining a broader perspective on their shared objectives. She has also met with the Data Protection Officer of the University of Granada, to fine-tune relevant documents for the Alliance, as well as with the Legal Entity Task Force.

“I am delighted to join Arqus and to contribute to strengthening European higher education cooperation. I look forward to working closely with all partner universities to make Arqus a true driver of innovation, inclusion, and shared European values. Education is the most powerful tool we have to transform societies, and at a time full of challenges, fostering a stronger and more cooperative European education area is key to shaping the future. I also feel privileged to work for the University of Granada, where my educational journey first began”, says Paloma.

Welcome to the Alliance, Paloma!