The Arqus Rectors’ Council gathers in Granada for a key strategic meeting

The 18th meeting of the Arqus Rectors’ Council took place on 13 February 2026 at the University of Granada, bringing together the Rectors of the Arqus universities to discuss key strategic issues for the future of the Alliance.

Hosted by the University of Granada, the meeting was held at the Hospital Real (Rectorate), one of the University’s most emblematic historical buildings. Rector Pedro Mercado chaired the meeting as local host.

The Rectors’ Council is the Arqus’ highest decision-making body and plays a central role in defining the Alliance’s long-term vision and governance. The Granada meeting focused on several major milestones, including the approval of the Arqus Mission Statement and Joint Long-term Strategy 2026–2035, a document that will guide the Alliance over the next decade and accompany its upcoming Bridge Funding application. The Rectors also signed two consortium agreements for the development of two new joint programmes: the Arqus Joint Master’s Programme in Translation, Technologies and Artificial Intelligence (Universities of Granada, Graz, Minho and Vilnius) and the Arqus Joint Bachelor’s Programme in Physics for Technology (Universities of Granada, Padua, Vilnius and Wrocław).

Another key item on the agenda was the ratification of the proposal to appoint a new Arqus Alliance Coordinator as of 1 October 2026, ensuring continuity in leadership as Arqus moves into a new funding cycle. By common agreement, the new Coordinator will be Guadalupe Soriano Barabino, the Arqus Institutional Coordinator at the University of Granada since 2023. Guadalupe is a Senior Lecturer in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Granada and the lead researcher of the AVANTI research group. She has extensive experience in senior university management in areas such as mobility, academic programme design and management, internationalisation and institutional language policy. Her involvement in Arqus dates back to 2020, as the UGR representative in different Action Lines (Arqus I) and Working Groups (Arqus II), as well as in the design and coordination of the Arqus Multiple Master’s Programme in Translation.

In addition, the Rectors held a discussion on the future Legal Entity for Arqus, commissioned the content of a final detailed document from the group of legal experts advising them on this issue and set their upcoming meeting at the Arqus Annual Conference as the date when they will finalise the legal format and conditions.

Dorothy Kelly, the current Arqus Coordinator, said: “This meeting has been key to guarantee a stable long-term future for Arqus, approving the strategy for 2026 to 2035, ratifying the proposal to appoint Prof. Guadalupe Soriano as the next Alliance Coordinator from October 2026, and addressing decisions regarding the establishment of a legal entity to ensure sustainability beyond Erasmus+ project funding calls”.

“Assuming the role of Arqus Coordinator starting in October 2026 is something I do with great enthusiasm and humility, fully aware of the significant responsibility this challenge entails. As of now, I am fully committed to the Alliance and will strive to guarantee a seamless transition throughout the upcoming Arqus funding”, stated Guadalupe Soriano.  

The meeting also included information on upcoming Arqus events, notably the 2026 Arqus Annual Conference, to be held at Maynooth University in July, alongside the IV European Universities Forum organised under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Beyond the formal sessions, the programme offered participants the opportunity to visit the historical library of the University of Granada and to take part in a short guided walk through Granada’s cultural heritage, underlining the strong link between Arqus meetings and the local academic and cultural context of its host institutions.