The Vice-Rectorate for Equality, Inclusion, and Social Commitment at the University of Almería has inaugurated the 10th Professional Qualification Course for Employment (UNIdiversidad Program) for the 2026/2027 academic year. This initiative transforms the Almería campus into a space for inclusive higher education for young people with intellectual, developmental, and/or autistic spectrum disabilities, with 15 students participating this edition.
Funded by ONCE and supported by the associations Asalsido and A toda Vela, along with numerous companies from the province, the program celebrates its tenth anniversary by promoting inclusion. The course is designed to combine conceptual learning with the development of transversal skills and professional practices, aiming to offer a full university experience.
During the opening session, the strategic value of the project for the students, the university environment, and the province's business sector was highlighted. The training includes classroom-workshop sessions and a practical training period in collaborating companies and institutions, a key factor in facilitating real labor insertion for students and fostering more inclusive and diverse work environments.
Maribel Ramírez, Vice-Rector for Equality, Inclusion, and Social Commitment, stated that “this course is now part of our university's identity, part of our way of understanding education, university social responsibility, and the profound meaning of a public institution: to be at the service of society and contribute to making it more just, egalitarian, and inclusive.” She expressed pride in reaching the tenth edition, calling it “symbolic, significant, very special,” and promising a “golden finale” to celebrate everyone involved.
Ramírez reiterated the course's fundamental objective: to facilitate access for individuals with intellectual disabilities to university training focused on employment, personal autonomy, and social participation, ensuring that students feel part of the University of Almería from day one.
María Jesús Segovia, director of ONCE Almería, highly praised the program's ten years, describing the assessment as “extraordinary” because “it changes the reality of the students, the families, and it also changes the University of Almería.” She emphasized that “talent has no barriers” and that the program teaches the value of overcoming challenges, persistence, and constancy, highlighting the importance of collaboration for the future.
Also present at the inauguration were Lola Rodríguez, technical director of Programs at Asalsido, and Lorena Gutiérrez, head of Training at A toda Vela.
Students will attend academic modules aimed at improving their employability while actively participating in university life through cultural, sports, and social activities with the rest of the student community.
Juan Miguel Flujas, academic director of the course, explained its division into three modules: the first focusing on personal skills (social skills, personal competencies, personal finance management, physical activity); the second on labor insertion (resume writing, job searching, technology use); and the third on career orientation with practical training in companies.
With the launch of this new edition, the University of Almería reaffirms its social commitment to equal opportunities and universal accessibility in higher education, supported by the ONCE Foundation and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
