A study aimed at understanding how the training or research of the UOC Community is addressing the challenges of contemporary rural areas.
In line with the ongoing commitment of the UOC and the UOC Rural Network to the rural world, this study aims to understand how the UOC Community and the knowledge generated by our university are addressing the needs of contemporary rural areas and contributing to reducing the territorial gap and the socio-economic and environmental inequalities that accompany it. In this way, we will comprehend the extent and transformative capacity of the UOC in rural areas.
The project has several areas of focus. The first aims to identify and map the actions that our community is carrying out in rural territories. This analysis constitutes an initial approach to our community, which will later help to drive future projects and build a larger UOC Community. The second area of focus seeks to understand the competencies that the UOC is transferring to rural areas through teaching, in order to assess our educational capacity and the employability it fosters. A specific study will be conducted within this area from a feminist and intersectional perspective to better understand the individual and collective transformation processes that online education is generating in gender systems and identities in rural areas. Finally, the third area of focus, through a specific study of Final Projects (Bachelor’s and Master’s), will identify the innovative capacity of our community and its fields of action.
For its development, and depending on the line of work and objectives to be achieved, both quantitative and qualitative research methods will be applied. Among the former, Big Data and Data Mining will be used, and among the latter, in-depth interviews and learning circles will be conducted. The final result will consist of internal reports, dynamic visual maps, and a co-created and interactive documentary.
Asun Colom
Through real-life stories like that of Asun Colom, we discover how online education creates new opportunities, empowers women, and contributes to the sustainable development of rural communities. Her journey shows us how access to higher education from rural areas can lead to deep personal and collective change, while also strengthening a network of women committed to social transformation.
Aina Elies Ruiz
This video explores the vital role women play in rural areas and how education at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) supports their processes of transformation—both individually and collectively. Through Aina Elies Ruiz’s testimony, we see how online learning facilitates access to knowledge, fosters empowerment, and strengthens support networks that help build more equitable and sustainable communities.Â
Project Details:
Funding: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Project Start: March 2024
Project End: March 2026
Principal Investigator: Soledad Morales Pérez
Research Group: Marina Checa