Within the framework of Campus America 2026, the University of La Laguna has hosted several working meetings on natural capital management and institutional sustainability strategies with Víctor Caro, researcher and Senior Adviser from the Stanford University Natural Capital Project. The first of these meetings was with Sara González, Director of Internationalization at the academic institution; Cintia Hernández Sánchez, Director of the Sustainability Secretariat; and Javier Hernández Borges, Director of the Chair of Environment and Sustainable Development Cabildo–University of La Laguna. The second involved Mónica D. Dios, director of the Social Innovation Laboratory and, again, Sara González.
The main objective of the first meeting was to exchange methodological tools to evaluate, quantitatively and qualitatively, the ecosystem services provided by the natural environment, as well as to analyze their practical application in university sustainability policies, territorial planning and the international projection of the University of La Laguna.
During the session, the Director of Internationalization, Sara González, emphasized the importance of building bridges with international research networks and Latin American universities to develop joint projects on climate change and resource conservation. González underscored Campus América's commitment to catalyzing multilateral scientific alliances that position the academic institution at the forefront of the global socio-environmental agenda.
For her part, Cintia Hernández outlined the various initiatives that the Vice-Rectorate for Sustainability and Infrastructure has been developing to improve the campus's environmental conditions and implement ecological footprint indicators. The director of the secretariat emphasized the need for advanced analytical tools to measure the real impact of sustainability actions in vulnerable island contexts.
Javier Hernández Borges also presented the research and knowledge transfer work carried out by the Cabildo-ULL Chair of Environment and Sustainable Development, highlighting the projects dedicated to the study of marine pollution by microplastics, the protection of water resources and the preservation of Canary Island biodiversity.
Expert Victor Caro shared the experiences of the Natural Capital Project, detailing his work with Stanford University to identify key areas of ecosystem value and guide public decision-making, respecting the planet's limits.
Mónica D. Dios, Víctor Caro and Sara González.
Social innovation
In the second meeting with Mónica D. Dios, director of the Social Innovation Laboratory of the ULL, the methodologies for the scientific evaluation of natural capital and the quantification of ecosystem services were analyzed, highlighting the importance of integrating these indicators into public policies to guarantee the protection of critical resources —such as aquifers or island biodiversity— against climate change and tourist and demographic pressure.
The dialogue facilitated progress in creating ongoing collaborative networks between the University of La Laguna and higher education institutions in Chile and other Latin American countries. In this context, the support of these alliances for projects based on strategies promoted by UNESCO in Literacy for the Future was discussed.Future Literacy), which are being promoted by the Canary Islands university.
Mónica D. Dios also presented the trajectory of the ULL Social Innovation Laboratory and strategic projects such as the Islands of Care initiative, developed together with the Government of the Canary Islands, highlighting how the ethics of care and citizen participation are key to accompanying the processes of ecological transition and territorial development.
For her part, the Director of Internationalization, Sara González, emphasized the opportunity to connect the work of the University of La Laguna with academic networks across the Americas that address highly similar socio-environmental problems. Along these lines, she highlighted the knowledge contributed by the migration research area led by Professor Vicente Zapata Hernández, which analyzes the impact of population movements.
With the holding of these meetings, the University of La Laguna reaffirms the vocation of Campus America as a high-level scientific transfer forum, capable of consolidating international cooperation projects with a direct impact on society and, in addition, consolidates its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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