The Universidad Europea del Atlantico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO) was present on May 6 in the city of La Romana, Dominican Republic, for the official inauguration of the first phase of the Universidad de La Romana (University of La Romana, UNIROMANA), a higher education institution promoted by the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (Ibero-American University Foundation, FUNIBER). The solemn ceremony was held on the newly constructed campus and was attended by His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, as well as the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, accompanied by high-ranking government, provincial, and municipal officials.
The FUNIBER delegation was led by its president, Santos Gracia Villar, who was accompanied by the rector of UNEATLANTICO, Rubén Calderón Iglesias; the vice-rector for International Relations and secretary general, Roberto Ruiz; the director of Cultural Works at FUNIBER and UNEATLANTICO, Federico Fernández; along with the other rectors of the FUNIBER University Network, area directors, and academic representatives from the various countries where the Foundation carries out its institutional work. A delegation from the Dominican business sector and civil society also attended.
Upon arrival, His Majesty the King and the Dominican President were welcomed by the president of FUNIBER, after which the official photograph was taken next to the monolith designating “Boulevard Rey Felipe VI,” located at the entrance to the university campus. Along with the heads of state, the mayor of La Romana, Eduardo Kery; the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT), Franklin García Fermín; Mrs. Ivelisse Méndez, Governor of the Province of La Romana; Mrs. Jacqueline Fernández Brito, Deputy and former Governor; Santos Gracia Villar and Frigdiano Álvaro Durántez Prados, Director of Institutional Relations at FUNIBER.
Afterwards, the heads of state toured the model classrooms and main facilities of the campus, where they were able to see firsthand the academic infrastructure designed to offer excellent training with an international outlook. In this context, Santos Gracia outlined the different phases of UNIROMANA’s development, as well as the principles underlying the educational model promoted by FUNIBER. During the visit, both leaders addressed a group of distinguished representatives of the Dominican business sector, as well as the team of workers who made the construction of the university campus possible.
The visit continued at the same site where, in 2023, the President of the Dominican Republic and the President of FUNIBER took part in the symbolic “first groundbreaking” ceremony that marked the start of construction work on UNIROMANA. On this occasion, Dr. Santos Gracia addressed the audience, reaffirming FUNIBER’s firm commitment to equitable access to higher education. He particularly highlighted the scholarship programs that seek to eliminate economic and geographical barriers, allowing talented students to access quality university education.
The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MESCyT), Franklin García Fermín, also spoke at the ceremony, highlighting the academic model of excellence and the opportunity it represents for students to pursue part of their education in the Dominican Republic and complete it in Spain, thanks to existing dual degree agreements.
Today, with the opening of this first phase, UNIROMANA is projected as an academic enclave in the Caribbean, destined to become a strategic point for tricontinental coordination between America, Europe, and Africa. Its Iberian vocation and its integration into the FUNIBER international university network promote a model of horizontal cooperation in the educational and cultural spheres between Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking peoples.
UNEATLANTICO and the University of La Romana will have a collaboration agreement to promote mobility and will adopt a hybrid training model, combining face-to-face degree programs with virtual postgraduate programs, while ensuring academic excellence and flexibility. Registration is now open for the start of academic activities scheduled for September 2025, including the possibility of applying for the UNIROMANA First Promotion Scholarship.