The inauguration of the Chair Gustavo Cisneros: an innovative space of research and entrepreneurship

The University of Navarra, in partnership with the Cisneros family, has created the Chair "Gustavo Cisneros", an academic platform that will study in depth the role of Gustavo Cisneros' business leadership in the economic and social development of Latin America and seeks to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in new generations. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Campus of the University of Navarra in Madrid, where a signature ceremony was held in the presence of Patricia Phelps de Cisneros and her children and the president of the University, María Iraburu. The new Chair Gustavo Cisneros will be established within the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS), and will be directed by Pablo Pérez López, Full Professor of Contemporary History and scientific director of the ICS.

Patricia Phelps de Cisneros has highlighted therelationship 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 close relationship that the Cisneros family has maintained with the University, based on mutual admiration and shared values, is consolidated today with the advertisement this Chair: "It is a great honor for us to dedicate it to the figure of my father, in recognition of his life and career. It fills us with pride to see his bequest materialize in an academic project of this relevance," he said. 

For Pablo Pérez, director of the Chair, this project constitutes a formidable opportunity to promote research on Latin America in the 20th and 21st centuries based on primary sources: "The Gustavo Cisneros Chair was created with the aim of promoting knowledge of his figure in the American context, especially in the Hispanic area , but also in the entire hemisphere". He also highlighted the differential value of the initiative, stating 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, and to take advantage of this knowledge to stimulate new generations to make substantive contributions that contribute to improving the lives of the people of this splendid land".

Promote research, discussion and entrepreneurship.

The Chair seeks to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in the new generations, promoting values such as leadership, strategic vision and development. To this end, it has three main objectives: 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 order to achieve these goals, the Chair will promote three different lines of action.

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.

In addition to the publications resulting from the research, 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 RedWINN (Ibero-American Innovationnetwork ) of the University of Navarra. 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 the innovation unit of the University of Navarra "Innovation Factory".