The School of Economics and Business has celebrated the ninth edition of its International Seminars with multiple sessions, workshops, and cultural and social activities. Sixteen professors from European and African universities visited Madrid to participate in the School’s international seminars and deliver sessions to students and professors on topics related to sustainability and the current energy crisis.

Ana Dos, Monika Foltyn, Joanna Blach, Dominika Krawczynska, and Marcin Tomecki from the University of Economics in Katowice, Poland; Chiara Bernardi from UAS and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Switzerland; Piet Wallays from HoGent, Belgium; Linda Snippe and Abdul Kara from InHolland UAS, the Netherlands; Theo Daselaar from Hogeschool Utrecht UAS, the Netherlands; Simone Scholtens and Audrey Gran Weinberg from Amsterdam UAS, the Netherlands; Karen Kooi from Hanze UAS, the Netherlands; and African professors Rebecca Esliker, Jalikatu Jalloh, and Mohamed O. Turay from UNIMAK, Sierra Leone, shared their knowledge, experiences, visions, and ideas with students and School.

More than 400 students from all degrees participated in over 30 organised sessions. Among the sessions that generated the most interest were: "Sustainable Entrepreneurship"; "Banking for Energy Transition"; "Sustainability and SRI funds"; "Sustainable Performance and Risk Management"; "Currency Redenomination in Sierra Leone"; "Environmental Sustainability and Industry Analysis"; "Powerful Presentation Skills"; "Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Business Strategy"; and "The Effect of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) on Women and Girls in Sierra Leone". As a result of these sessions, an increase in sensitivity towards the presentations on Sierra Leone was detected among the students.

In addition, various workshops and information sessions were organised for our students and teachers during the week. The research, teaching innovation, and internationalisation workshops were of particular interest. These had the aims of getting to know the participants’ research areas, expanding their contact network, exchanging best practices, initiatives, projects, and programmes from various universities. They also served to promote programmes such as BIP (Blended Intensive Programs) and COILs (Collaborative Online International Learning).

One of the workshops to attract the biggest audience, for both students and teachers, was the information session where visiting professors shared information and details about their respective universities. This served to promote international mobility and resolve doubts for future students and/or professors from those institutions.

As a social activity and to convey the importance of culture in Spain to visiting professors, an informative session was organised with the curator of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Juan Angel López-Manzanares. He explained his role as a curator in a museum which is a reference in the national and international cultural landscape. Participants were able to appreciate the fundamental commitment and respect for National heritage, as well as to observe the museum's commitment to the challenges of the climate emergency in its activities and exhibition rooms. The museum is firmly committed to sustainability and social responsibility, adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, in line with the theme of the International Seminars. After the session, the professors were able to enjoy a guided tour of the museum.

The organisers of this great event were the academic coordinators of the School of Economics and Business, Gloria Aznar, Sara Lorenzo, and Elizabeth Frank, with the support of Paula Revuelta and Camila Granizo. Additionally, they have had the support and voluntary work of student ambassadors, África Cortés and Álvaro Peréz-Bedmar. This International Week was co-financed by the University through the School of Economics and Business and the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalisation and the EU (under the ERASMUS+ program).