An academic platform to research leadership and foster entrepreneurship among young people

The University, in partnership with the Venezuelan Cisneros family, has promoted the creation of the Chair "Gustavo Cisneros". This is an academic platform that will study in depth the leadership role of Gustavo Cisneros, the late Venezuelan businessman, in the economic and social development of Latin America and seeks to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in the new generations.

The Chairs inauguration and signature ceremony, which took place on October 23 at the Madrid Campus , was attended by Adriana Cisneros, CEO of Cisneros, Patricia Phelps, widow of Gustavo Cisneros, and the president, María Iraburu.

During her speech, Patricia Phelps de Cisneros highlighted the relationship that the family has maintained with the University, core topic for the creation of the Chair: "My husband had the illusion that the donation of his archives to the University of Navarra could generate a center programs of study with an impact on young people and in the field of ideas". The new Chair consolidates this close relationship and, for the family, it is "a great honor" to dedicate it to Gustavo, "in recognition of his life and career. It fills us with pride to see his bequest materialize in an academic project of this relevance".

A boost to research, discussion and entrepreneurship

The Chair, which is part of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS), will be directed by Professor Pablo Pérez, Full Professor of Contemporary History at the School of Philosophy and Letters and scientific director of the ICS. During the signature, he highlighted the differential value of the initiative and pointed out that "it is essential to better understand the effect that the entrepreneurship of people like him has had on the economic, cultural, social and political change of that time, to stimulate new generations to make substantive contributions that contribute to improving the lives of the people of this splendid land".

In the following interview, Professor Pérez López explains some of the projects that will be carried out:

Q. Why was the University of Navarra chosen as the site for the Chair Gustavo Cisneros and what role did the relationship with the Cisneros family play in this decision?

Gustavo Cisneros' knowledge of the University of Navarra led him to appreciate more and more the spirit that inspires it and the way it works. When he decided where to place hisstaff and corporate file , he considered that here we would work well and, moreover, with enthusiasm, in the research on his papers, which is as much as getting to know his life and his bequest.

Q. What does the Institute for Culture and Society provide as an academic framework for this Chair and how does it align with your objectives?

This project constitutes a formidable opportunity to promote research on Latin America in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries from primary sources. The Chair Gustavo Cisneros is created with the purpose of promoting the knowledge of his figure in the American context, especially in the Hispanic area , but also in the whole hemisphere.

The ICS has the possibility to welcome research initiatives like this one and to surround them with the good researcher work in Humanities and other social disciplines that occupy its researchers. The objectives of the Chair coincide with the main objectives of our Institute: to provide knowledge with rigor, with an international dimension and attentive to the contribution to society of our programs of study.

Q. What are the Chairs lines of action?

The Chair seeks to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in new generations, promoting values such as leadership, strategic vision and development. To this end, three main objectives have been proposed: to analyze and disseminate the figure and historical context of Gustavo Cisneros based, among others, on the study of his file; to create spaces for discussion and listening among political, academic and business leaders; and to promote entrepreneurship among university students.

In relation to the first goal, a group of researchers will be formed to study, among others, Gustavo Cisneros' file staff and its impact on politics, culture, Economics and society.

Q. What subject research is expected to be promoted by the Chair and which disciplines will be involved?

They will have a fundamental historical dimension, because we are committed to working with Gustavo Cisneros' file and his companies. They will also be related to cultural and political history, perhaps with special emphasis on the history of the media and economic history. In addition, we will award programs of study that contribute to understanding the context of the life and work of Gustavo Cisneros, and we will promote entrepreneurship initiatives.

P. Apart from the research drive, what other actions will be carried out?

Conferences, discussion forums and scientific meetings on the history and culture of Latin America will be organized, and international congresses and training initiatives on women's leadership will be promoted in partnership with the ICS Ibero-American Innovation Networknetwork RedWINN). To promote research , the "Gustavo Cisneros" research award will be created to promote academic and scientificprograms of study on the contributions of business leadership to the development of civil society.

To encourage entrepreneurship in students, one of the main inspirations of the Chair, initiatives that inspire and motivate students will be promoted, scholarships will be offered for their training and help to have a seed capital for new projects in partnership with Innovation Factory.

Q. What is the value of Gustavo Cisneros' file staff for researchers and what subject of sources does it contain?

The value of a file is known when its content is investigated. For the time being, due to the breadth and effects of Gustavo Cisneros' companies, we can say that it is very interesting. In a few months, or rather a few years, there will be books and academic articles that will answer this question in detail. I would dare to assure that there will be many novelties in them and that they will help us to know America better, especially Latin America, but also Spain.

Q. How can the study of Gustavo Cisneros' leadership contribute to the understanding of transformation processes in Latin America?

It is an example of something that really happened, and the facts are stronger than any theory. Knowing his life and his performance allows us to be open to the future, just as he worked, open to a future that was built in part to the rhythm of his decisions.