Twenty students of economics, business administration and marketing visited Spain to gain first-hand knowledge of the Spanish business and institutional environment
The Spain Australia Council Foundation, together with RMIT University, organised the visit to Madrid of a Study Tour from the Australian university. RMIT has a campus in Barcelona where it regularly runs an international academic programme aimed at students of degrees related to business, economics and marketing who are interested in gaining first-hand knowledge of the Spanish business environment. To ensure the students could take away the greatest possible insight into our country, in addition to their usual stay in Barcelona, the Council Foundation planned a two-day extension of the programme in Madrid.
The group was made up of twenty students from undergraduate degrees in economics, business administration and marketing, as well as master's programmes in related fields. Over the two days, the agenda included visits to leading organisations in the fields of educational innovation, higher education, corporate sustainability and bilateral diplomacy.
Escuela 42, funded in Spain by Fundación Telefónica, was the first stop on the programme. The group was welcomed at the campus, located within Distrito Telefónica, where they were introduced to the institution's revolutionary methodology—based on peer-to-peer learning, with no teachers or fixed schedules—highlighting that all profiles are welcome at the institution.
IE University hosted the group that same day at its Madrid campus. The students were welcomed on campus and attended a master class given by Professor Juan Manuel Alonso, focused on marketing today through a real, current case study, which also provided an opportunity to explore the institution's facilities and resources.
The following day, the group visited Acciona's headquarters, where Emma Reiners, International Marketing Director, and Mariola Domenech, Sustainability Director at ACCIONA Energía, offered them an insight into the company's deep commitment to sustainability as the central pillar of its strategy, reviewed its main business areas and highlighted the importance of Australia as a strategic market for the company.
To close the programme, the students were received at the Embassy of Australia in Madrid by Ambassador Rosemary Morris-Castico. The meeting allowed the students to share their impressions of the visits and to learn first-hand about the current state of Spain-Australia relations and the opportunities existing between the two countries, particularly in areas linked to their academic and professional profiles.
