Committed to a mandate that’s inclusive, digital and entrepreneurial
The creation of the UOC 30 years ago can be described as a unique event, unlikely to happen again, in which a handful of extraordinary events came together: from the intellectual commitment and vision of the founding team to the political will expressed in the unanimous approval of the Parliament of Catalonia, the availability of disruptive technology, the inspiration to try a different learning model and the design of the university itself. All these elements were necessary for this institution, created by Law 3/1995, to be able to celebrate its three decades of existence today.
In this fortunate coming together of events, there is one feature that has perhaps not been sufficiently emphasized: our public mandate. This hallmark – like a distinctive birthmark – has guided us from the beginning and has set the tone for our entire history. Accordingly, we have striven to be leaders in the generation, recognition and exchange of complex and relevant knowledge; we have adapted to a changing context; we have embraced technological opportunities; and we have maintained constant lines of dialogue and collaboration with other players. In other words, the UOC has made of the public mandate its hallmark and its guide.
The UOC's continued existence has shown the wisdom of its initial approach, as well as the ability of successive teams to adapt and evolve in accordance with global challenges. With the conviction that learning is transforming, we have prioritized the development of a system of lifelong higher education to meet the social needs that are already here, drive business innovation and reduce the digital divide. We can now say that we are systemic, global and inclusive, with genuine constants such as the lack of barriers, lifelong access to education and pathways that lead to employment. Recent examples of these core principles include our commitment to the rural UOC, microcredentials as a way to promote employability, a cultural action plan that involves networking with the community, the adaptation of our educational model to AI, and our new research missions.
Throughout these first 30 years, our journey has been one of highly efficient and productive service, materialized in our daily teaching, research and administration, and embodied in our 134,000 graduates... and those to come. Based on the firm belief that lifelong learning is a vital necessity, our continuity rests on three pillars: research- based credibility; the flexibility provided by technology; and social, civic and business recognition.
Far from paralysing complacency or unproductive agitation, we have striven to transform and evolve the original questions and to innovate and adapt the possible answers. Because we want to honour the legacy we have received and, above all, imagine the UOC of tomorrow. Hence our commitment to an inclusive, digital and entrepreneurial mandate that was as necessary yesterday as it will be tomorrow, and that will now and always manifest itself in a clear desire to have an impact on the lives of people and the society that welcomes us. Our social function necessarily involves mobilizing as much talent as possible, synchronizing university and society, and strengthening the UOC's role as a knowledge hub.
Àngels Fitó Rector of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
30 academic years. Our story
1995-1996
6 October 1994 Birth of the UOC
The world's first online university
Gabriel Ferraté
Founding rector
We wanted to break down the barriers of space and time
1999-2000
1st doctoral programme
International programme in the Information and Knowledge Society
1st. research center
Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3)
2000-2001
Madrid office
2003-2004
International Office
Mexico City, Mexico
2004-2005
E-learning journal
International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (RUSC/ETHE)
Golden Seal
European Excellence for Quality Management (EFQM)
2005-2006
Imma Tubella
Rector
The UOC has progressed from being a major project to being a major university, a pioneer receiving wide acclaim
2007-2008
Golden medal
IMS Global Learning Consortium for the transformation of learning content
UOC Alumni
Graduate community
2008-2009
Centre for Modern Languages
Open access publications
UOC O2 repository
2012-2013
Josep A. Planell
Rector
The UOC aims to continue in its role as a vector for change and progress, and to continue to play a part in transforming and connecting people, societies and ideas
2014-2015
Doctoral School
UOC Corporate
Learning solutions for companies
UOC X
Promoting lifelong learning
2016-2017
Research center
eHealth Center
2017-2018
Institutional commitment
to the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda
International Office
Bogotá (Colombia)
2018-2019
Digital district
Two new buildings in Barcelona's 22@ district
2019-2020
100% online
For the first time, 100% of final assessment tests are online
2020-2021
25 years
25 years providing lifelong learning
2021-2022
Institutional accreditation
We're the first Catalan university to have all our official programmes accredited
100.000 alumnis
Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation Hub
2022-2023
Àngels Fitó
Rector
The UOC has made of the public mandate its hallmark and its guide
2023-2024
UOC Campus
The Tibidabo building closes and all activity is centralized in the Poblenou Campus
Canvas
98% of courses are taught in the new learning environment
2024-2025
30th academic year
Offering 65 microcredentials
Short specialized training courses
Coding school
Student of the Master's Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy
Douglas Castro
01
A personal revolution
Being able to study is part of my struggle
Douglas is a Nicaraguan student of the Master's Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy organized by the UOC with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Based in Colombia, he is an activist for democracy and the defence of human rights in Nicaragua.
Student on the Bachelor's Degree in Communication
Estefanía Alonso
02
Study anywhere
I wanted a lifestyle that wasn't possible with an on-site university
Estefanía is a student on the Bachelor's Degree in Communication at the UOC. She is also a worker, a digital nomad and a volunteer. She sees herself as a restless young woman with a desire to discover and experience constant change, as this allows her to move forward and learn about other places, people and points of view, as well as about herself.
Bachelor's degree in Digital Design and Creation
Zaida Vázquez
03
Immersive creation
The use of augmented reality has allowed me to experiment with new forms of interaction between viewers and the work
The Andalusian artist Zaida has a bachelor's degree in Digital Design and Creation. She is now working to complete the University Master's Degree in Design, Visual Identity and Brand Building. This has allowed her to develop technical skills to merge graphic design and digital technology with photography in her work
UOC student since 1994 without interruption
Carlos Manuel Bosch
04
Constant learning
30 years ago, studying online seemed like a crazy idea
Carlos, who has been professionally retired for 8 years, worked for almost all of his career as a secondary school teacher of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science. He first became a UOC student in 1994 and has carried on learning ever since. He has been studying continuously for 30 years and is sure that he will go on doing so as long as he can.
Gymnast. Student on the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
Maia Llácer
05
Supporting the sports elite
It's very important to keep studying to prepare for the future and for when your time as an athlete is over
Maia is a 20-year-old Mallorcan gymnast and a student on the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. The UOC has a programme to support elite athletes, providing them with a support tutor and adapting the academic side of things to help them combine their studies with their training and competitions.
Researcher at the SOM Research Lab
David Bañeres
06
AI for better teaching
AI is a technology that should help teachers do things better
David is a researcher at the SOM Research Lab. He has co-led the LIS project, a system for the early detection of students at risk of failing or dropping out of a course that combines AI and personalized messages. The results have been remarkable: LIS has increased the pass rate for the year by 5% and has improved participants' grades.
Student of the Bachelor's Degree in Tourism
Enric Guimó
07
Standing up for the rural world
We need to boost the ego of the rural world: we have unique things here to
Enric, who completed the Bachelor's Degree in History, Geography and Art History and is currently enrolled on the Bachelor's Degree in Tourism, was born and lives in La Pobla de Segur in Lleida, and is very proud of his roots. So much so that he was sure from the start that his bachelor's degree final project would be about an issue of local interest. He firmly believes that it is necessary to stand up for rural history, which has been so badly treated by the passage of time.
Student of the University Master's Degree in Employment and the Labour Market
Andrea Amouzouvi
08
Breaking down barriers
The education system is not prepared to deal with people with hearing impairments
Andrea has worked in the field of social integration and career guidance, and is trained in chiromassage and Catalan Sign Language. She has also completed the University Master's Degree in Employment and the Labour Market. She has a hearing impairment (profound bilateral hearing loss) and is one of more than 2,000 people with disabilities studying at the UOC.
Specialist in digital education at the eLearning Innovation Center
Xavier Mas
09
Permanent innovation
The UOC's mission is to support and guide people on their learning and education journey throughout their lives
Xavier is a specialist in digital education and training design at the eLearning Innovation Center, the UOC's centre for educational innovation and the transformation of learning. He has a PhD in Education and Society from the University of Barcelona, and has been working as a pedagogical consultant, learning designer and educational innovation manager since 1997.
Director of the University Master's Degree in education and ICT (E-learning)
Marcelo Maina
10
Acquiring key professional skills
Microcredentials facilitate ongoing learning and enable students to constantly adapt to the skills demanded by the labour market
Marcelo is director of the University Master's Degree in Education and ICT (E-learning) at the UOC and an expert in microcredentials, highly specialized short-term thematic certifications that allows students to acquire key professional skills for today's world. In addition, they are stackable, so that, by taking several microcredentials in the same branch, students will be able to increase their knowledge comprehensively.
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More than 120,000 people from more than 150 contries have graduated in the UOC during these thirty years
These are people who have decided to study to get ahead in their careers, to reinvent themselves or simply to grow as people, and they have often been drivers of change in their surroundings.
In addition to gaining knowledge, students at the UOC also acquire skills: learning by doing, self-organization, efficient time management and developing a critical and entrepreneurial vision. In other words, becoming aware of what it means to be a global citizen.
Thirty years have passed since we started on the path of rethinking how technology could become the best ally for a meaningful and relevant learning model. Over the course of these years, we have innovated and supported our students in their personal and professional growth.
Our history fuels our ambition to continue as a leading pioneer of lifelong learning in an inclusive, digital and entrepreneurial society.
Constel·lacions, sheets created by the artistic collective Playmodes on the occasion of graduation ceremonies of the UOC's 30th anniversary
Creation of OpenEU, an alliance coordinated by the UOC and supported by the European Commission to establish the Open European University
The creation of OpenEU was based on one of the main strengths of online universities: the ability to provide a learning environment for diverse students who pursue lifelong learning and find digital education to be more flexible and equitable. Its aim is to address three challenges facing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA): the digital transformation of universities, the achievement of more equitable and inclusive higher education, and the need to provide lifelong learning opportunities for everyone.
The alliance, which is coordinated by the UOC, brings together 14 universities and 13 academic, business, rural and municipal associations and non-profit organizations from all over Europe to create a European open university that leads to a stronger European Higher Education Area.
A pioneering educational model with students at the centre
The UOC's pioneering educational model makes its students the centre of everything and has been evolving over the course of 30 years to respond to emerging needs and adapt to new social and technological contexts. Providing a memorable learning experience is the definitive purpose of this model.
Programmes offered by the UOC are delivered through its seven faculties, each of which covers different areas of study.
Creating opportunities, a UOC insignia
By making students the focal point, we empower them to make decisions about their futures and careers that open up new opportunities for:
Learning, for the long term
Self-knowledge, for employability
Understanding of their environment, for competitiveness
This academic year we're launching microcredentials
Micro-credentials, certifications that validate the learning results obtained in short-term training experiences, have been launched this year. They enable the development of key skills with the aim of improving employability, training or upgrading in future professional profiles (reskilling and upskilling), or acquiring skills in relation to current and future societal challenges .
Starting out
Bachelor's degree
Advanced-level vocational training
University course
Open course
Profession-focused specialization
Profession-focused course
Broadening
Coding school
UOC Skills Lab
Language course
Seminar
Specializing
University master's
Lifelong learning master's degree
Specialization diploma
Expert diploma
Postgraduate course
Doctoral programme
Provisional figures for the 2024/2025 academic year.
Alumni. Bachelor's Degree in Law
Jesús Martín
11
Second chances
The most powerful tool for promotion is education
Jesús was working in a small family business in the metallurgical industry when the financial crisis of 2008 left his family broke and drowning in debt. After preparing for some public exams, he decided to enrol in the Bachelor's Degree in Law to continue climbing positions at work. Thanks to his degree, he discovered the law known as the Second Chance Law, which changed his life.
Co-founder of the spin-off Smart Classroom
Marta López Costa
12
Reinveinting the classroom
There's no single ideal classroom model: it has to be tailored to the school, the students, the school's ideology...
Marta is a partner in the spin-off Smart Classroom Project, which is aimed at schools. The company focuses on research, consultancy, advice and implementation of pedagogical innovations applied to the design, use and assessment of educational and research spaces.
Coordinates the Global Literary Studies research group
Diana Roig-Sanz
13
Young research
Resilience, passion and enthusiasm are key to starting a research career
Diana studies how literatures and cultures circulate around the world, exploring everything from global dynamics to small-scale local realities, using tools and methods from the digital humanities and adopting a decolonial and gender perspective. She coordinates the Global Literary Studies (GlobaLS) research group, and her achievements have also earned her the title of ICREA research professor in Catalonia, a Ramón y Cajal contract and a Leonardo grant from the BBVA Foundation. In 2023 she was named a member of the Spanish Young Academy (AJdE).
Alumni of the University Master's Degree in Sustainable Tourism and ICT
Francisco Jerez
14
Adapting to change
The master's degree has given me a new way of looking at tourism through the lens of sustainability
Francisco has pursued a career in the hotel sector from both the public and private sides. He has completed the University Master's Degree in Sustainable Tourism and ICT. His final project, Resistances and resilience in Mar Menor. A narrative analysis based on the frame alignment theory of social action, has received the special award for the best master's degree final project by REDINTUR.
CEO and co-founder of Aimentia
Edgar Jorba
15
Taking flight
Mental disorders are becoming a silent global epidemic that must be tackled with innovation and the development of new technologies
Edgar is CEO and co-founder of Aimentia Health, a start-up that seeks to contribute to early diagnosis and provide personalized care to patients with mental health problems. According to Jorba, mental disorders are becoming a "silent global epidemic that must be tackled with innovation and the development of new technologies".
Director of the International Associaton of Universities cluster for SDG
Liv Raphael
16
Making an impact on e-health
There can be no human health without planetary health
Liv is the director of the International Association of Universities (IAU) cluster for SDG 3, good health and well-being. It is made up of seven higher education institutions and coordinated by the UOC under the leadership of the eHealth Center. Together they are helping to bridge the gap between science, knowledge and policy.
Course instructor in the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences
Lucía Lozada
17
Breaking paradigms
My time at the UOC is a challenge and awonderful experience
Lucía is a course instructor in the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences. She also coordinates the Technical Secretariat for Disability, which is part of the Undersecretariat for Governance and Guarantee of Rights of the District Secretariat of the Government of Bogotá, Colombia. From here, she has worked to change paradigms and include an issue as important as disability in the public, academic and social agendas.
Alumni, tutor and mentorof the TechnovationGirls Catalonia
Francina Sole
18
Breaking down stereotypes
My time at the UOC is a challenge and a wonderful experience
Francina is a graduate, tutor of the Master's Degree in Philosophy for Contemporary Challenges and mentor of the Technovation Girls Catalonia programme, which encourages girls and young women to develop mobile applications to solve problems in their community.
Student of the Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Human Evolution, and volunteer
Montse Arias
19
Social commitment
The arrival of people that we classify as refugees also creates stigmas that I'd like to leave behind
Montse is 52 years old and the mother of two children. She is a social worker, a student of the Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Human Evolution and a volunteer with the Catalan Refugee Programme. She provides socio-inclusive group mentoring for families of refugees and people granted asylum or international protection.
Alumni, tutor and student on the doctoral programme in Education and ICT (E-learning)
Nella Escala
20
Generating synergies
The Hub is a space where you can interact with researchers to exchange opinions and create synergies, thus adding to each other's ideas and learning together
One of the tools to combat school dropout (often due to lack of motivation) is the use of the arts as a learning vehicle, as well as ICT (e-learning). These strategies have been shown to provide a better educational experience and to increase student participation and enthusiasm. This is the basis of the research carried out by Nella, a student on the doctoral programme in Education and ICT (E-learning), who was previously a master's degree student and tutor at the UOC.
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What do we research?
Education of the futureEducating and empowering people for contemporary challenges. Generating opportunities for change and improve people's lives.
Culture for a critical societyGenerating narratives and imagery that help develop a world that is fairer and more sustainable, diverse and pluralistic.
Social transition and sustainabilityContributing to new social, environmental, economic and political dynamics arising from emerging scenarios.
Ethical and human-centred technologyCreating new organizational and technological models in service of people, enabling critical contributions to technological transformation.
Planetary health and well-beingPromoting planetary health through the use of technology to make society fairer, more inclusive and more democratic.
How do we do research?
We focus on interdisciplinary projects in human and social sciences, education, health and technology. We are committed to open knowledge, interdisciplinarity and networked cooperation, promoting research into technology and the use of ICTs to bring about transformations in education and social equality.
Interdisciplinary research and innovation HUB
Research
+50Research groups
1Doctoral School
+500Researchers
8UOC Labs
319Doctoral theses read
26.7M€ Funding for ongoing projects
Knowledge transfer
30Patents
3Spin-offs
32Industrial doctorates
+8M€ Income from university-company contracts (since 2010)
Figures from the academic year 2023/2024
Senior researcher in the Gender an ICT group
Rachel Palmen
21
Bridging the gap
The biggest threat to equality is the attitude of some ideologies against gender studies
The INSPIRE project aims to improve equality research and provide practical support to institutions that are implementing equality plans and actions. The ultimate aim is to help reduce the gender gap in research and innovation. At the helm is Rachel Palmen, senior researcher in the Gender and ICT (GenTIC) group.
Resident artist of the Science, Technology and the Arts programme
Mark Farid
22
Contemporary challenges
I look at how external things mediated through technology influence one's sense of self
Mark is a digital artist, researcher and lecturer in Fine Arts at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. He is one of the 11 artists selected for the S+T+ARTS (Science, Technology and the Arts) residencies, a European Commission programme that invites artists to combine creativity and technology to address the challenges facing European regions.
Student of the University Master's Degree in Corporate Communication, Protocol and Events
Olga Merino
23
Professional empowerment
My internship opened up the door to the world of work: I work on what I like
Olga graduated from the UOC with a bachelor's degree in Communication last January. Her internship in a public relations firm has led to a job in two areas that she is passionate about: the bridal sector and digital marketing. She is now also studying for the University Master's Degree in Corporate Communication, Protocol and Events.
Anesthesiologist at Bellvitge University Hospital. Alumni of the Master's Degree in promoter of El Meu Quiròfan
Esther Méndez
24
Impacting citizens
Digital solutions will make our lives easier
Since July 2023, Bellvitge University Hospital (HUB) has been successfully using El Meu Quiròfan (My Operating Room), a web app designed by Esther to improve the experience of patients and their families during surgical procedures.
Director of the Master's Degree in Video Game Design and Development and researcher
Joan Arnedo
25
Professions of today
The specialization covered by our master's degree is for the industry's most in-demand profile
Joan is a computer engineer and director of the UOC Master's Degree in Video Game Design and Development. He is also a researcher.
Alumni. Co-founder of Steam4all
Joaquín Jiménez
26
Glocal impact
I want to give back to society what I have received during my professional life: knowledge
Joaquín is a UOC graduate. A neo-rural retiree living in the Moianès region, he is a co-founder of Steam4all, a STEAM communicator in schools and a promoter of energy communities.
IT talen acquisition leader a NTT Data Europe & Latam
Cristina Agustín
27
Strategic alliances
Promoting and supporting female talent is a commitment to making the technological future more innovative and equitable
Cristina is an IT talent acquisition leader at NTT DATA Europe & Latam, a company that has offered 25 scholarships to women who want to study at the UOC's Coding School. They seek to close the gender gap in the technology sector by offering opportunities to more women to train as programmers.
Director of the Teatre Principal de Palma. Member of the Alumni Council
Miquel Martorell Vicens
28
Professional transformation
The UOC has changed my professional life
Miquel is a cultural manager and designer who took over as director of the Teatre Principal de Palma a few months ago. He has been a student at the UOC and a representative of its Student Council, and he is currently a member of the Alumni Council.
Urban planner, teacher and researcher. Director of the University Master's Degree in Cities and Urbanism
Mirela Fiori
29
Teamwork
We work hand in hand with social entities and organizations to promote this social impact
Mirela is an urban planner, as well as a teaching staff member and researcher. She directs the University Master's Degree in Cities and Urbanism. She is also part of the Nodes research group, which explores contemporary social challenges from a transdisciplinary perspective and based on three main focuses of interest: communication, education and urban planning.
Alumni. World vicepresident of the Junior Chamber International
Georgina Matamoros
30
Permanent entrepreneur
You can always reinvent yourself. You can live many lives in one
Georgina is the founder and director of the marketing firm Et Volià! and world vice-president of one of the largest youth organizations in the world, Junior Chamber International (JCI). She is also a UOC graduate.
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A UOC more closely connected to its surroundings
We're in constant contact and working together with the other agents of change: we believe that, through alliances and the community, we can consolidate our systemic proposal while promoting the principles of equity and inclusion.
Transformative communities to take on social challenges:
Shared political agendas and sway
Complementing the system
Regional integration and impact
Knowledge transfer and co-creation
Alliances, Community and Equity
Community
Social engagement and volunteering
Community participation and links
Cooperation and development
Internacional scope
Digital scope
Territorial scope
Alliances
Local and global impact
Innovation in education
Professional certification
Dual programmes
Micro-credentials
Skills training with partner organizations
Vocational training
Consulting and advisory services
Equity
Internal policies that are university-wide and coherent
Inclusive teaching
Detecting, preventing and handling cases of violence and discrimination
Organizational culture
Access to university
What people have said
Vijay Kumar
Vijay Kumar is a prominent professional in the field of education and technology. He has been director of the Office of Innovation and Technology and associate dean of Open Learning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In a career spanning 27 years, he has become a key figure in educational innovation.
The UOC was doing open learning, online learning, before it got fashionable.
Mary Beard
Mary Beard is a professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. She is renowned for her work in making the classics more accessible and bringing ancient Rome to life through the eyes of its inhabitants. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by the UOC in 2019.
We have to find ways, and the UOC clearly has, of really harnessing the power of new technology to enhance the experience of new generations of students
William J. Mitchell
William J. Mitchell (1944-2010) was a prominent architect, urban planner and researcher, professor at MIT and leader of the MIT Media Lab. He was recognized for his contributions to smart cities, digital urban design and new technologies applied to architecture and urbanism. His work transformed the understanding and design of the urban environment in the digital age.
The UOC has taken the much more radical step of creating a genuine virtual campus to serve students wherever they may be, whenever they can find time
Wendy Hall
Wendy Hall has a PhD in Mathematics. She is a regius professor of Computer Science and associate vicepresident for International Engagement at the University of Southampton, director of the Web Science Institute and managing director of the Web Science Trust. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by the UOC in 2023.
We desperately need diversity. We need interdisciplinary skills and expertise, and those are two of the things that I see flourishing here at the UOC.
Mariana Mazzucato
Recognized as one of the most influential economists in the world, Mariana Mazzucato is a professor of Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London, where she is the founding director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP). She was awarded an honorary doctorate by the UOC in 2022.
It is an honour to receive an honorary doctorate from a university that's designed to include everyone. A university that sees being online not just as a technological thing, but also as a social thing, in relation to human rights.
Sanjay Sarma
Born in India in 1968, Sanjay Sarma is vice president for Open Learning at MIT, where he leads online education projects and collaborates with institutions such as the UOC. With a solid background in Mechanical Engineering, he has been key in the development of innovative educational models and the integration of technology in teaching.
An online lecture can be paused, fast-forwarded, consumed slowly, interrupted, speeded up. And all the cognitive tricks, you can actually apply online: retrieval effects, spaced repetition… And online does it better than the lecture. And this is where the UOC comes in. You were designed from the beginning to go this route. You were visionary
Francesca Bria
Francesca Bria is a renowned expert and advisor in IT and digitalization policies. She has held prominent roles in the public and sectors, working to drive technological innovation particular focus on democratic and sustainable needs.
We fight the gender pay gap and we also find a way to fight precarization of women in the labour market, and just make visible the talent of women in tech and make sure that this conversation happens. And I think you are some of the best groups here at UOC, with your work that is doing that
Martin Carnoy
Martin Carnoy has been a professor of Education and Economics at Stanford University since 1969. He is an economist and has specialized in the relationship between the economy and the education system. He opened academic year 2004/2005 at the UOC with an inaugural lecture on the possibilities and challenges of ICT in education.
The UOC, which is entirely web-based, is the most recent and the most purely ICT. It represents the greatest change in the definition of a university
