María Iraburu: "Don't forget the ' goal'; think of your college experience as a way to make the world a little better."

“Don’t forget the goal —the ‘why’ you are here. Think of your college life as a way to make the world a little better. May this be the light of reference letter that illuminates all these years.” This was stated today by María Iraburu, the president of the University of Navarra, during the university’s Welcome workshop . The event, aimed at new students and their families, brought together more than 5,100 people at the “ sports center .”

In total, for the 2026-27 academic year , which begins tomorrow, the University will welcome more than 2,500 new students who will pursue one of the 39 Degrees offered by the institution. Although the enrollment process is still open, 2,579 students have enrolled so far: 906 international students from 66 countries and 1,673 domestic students (of whom 717 are from Navarre). Additionally, this semester , 483 students from universities in 41 countries will participate in a exchange program. In total, more than 14,000 students from Degree, Master's Degree , and doctorate will study at the academic center.

president, María Iraburu, addressed the new students and offered them three pieces of advice for their time at the university. First, she urged them to let themselves be surprised:“At the university, we always expect the unexpected, the surprising—and that has to do with the richness of the environment in which your lives will unfold during these years. Let yourselves be surprised by people; open yourselves up to others— class classmates, professors, mentors, etc.—and discover what interests them, what concerns them, and what they’re passionate about, as a way to enrich staff yourselves.”

María Iraburu then encouraged them to discover their own path.“No two ways of being a college student are alike,”she remarked, and urged them to step outside their comfort zones, to dare to ask the difficult questions, engage in deep conversations, and try activities they had never done before—all to discover “that compassionate person, that entrepreneur, or that artist” they hadn’t known existed until now. “Also discover how to use technology in a university setting; how to open yourselves up to that world on which the future depends.” María Iraburu concluded her remarks by addressing the families of all the students, thanking them for entrusting their children’s “ training ” to the University.

"Good humor, questions, and building bridges"

The “ workshop ” has been divided into two sessions aimed at different Schools and schools. The first session was for students Schools in the faculties of Economics, Communication, Law, Canon Law, Philosophy and Letters, Theology, Ecclesiastical Philosophy, and the School of Applied Management. Following the remarks by president, Professor Pablo Castrillo of the School of Communication spoke:“All of you have made great efforts to reach this day. That is why it is very important that now, at this crucial moment, we do not make a mistake. What is the point of all this? What do we want to achieve?” According to the professor, every time we choose something to focus our attention on, we are making an important decision. “A potentially existential decision.”

During the second session, Ignacio López Goñi, a professor at the University of the Country of the Basques ( School of Science ) and a “ director ” at the Science Museum, highlighted three characteristics of a good university student: “First, a good sense of humor—knowing how to laugh at oneself. Second, asking questions, because intelligence may be artificial, but wisdom is not. And third, building bridges, since the way a university student works is not to build walls, but to engage in ‘ partnership’.”

Finally, both events concluded with a " roundtable " with teachers and students.