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# Meet Marcos Ribeiro, Head of Santander Universities in Portugal
- URL: https://blog.inacademy.eu/interview-with-marcos-soares-ribeiro-head-of-santander-universities-in-portugal/
- Published: 2018-05-21T06:29:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-02T11:51:00.000Z
- Author: innovationacademy
- Tags: For Businesses, Innovation Academy, #Migrated-1790941373356, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-10-02 11:43

### Santander Universities - what is it? 

Santander Universities is all about making an impact on society. [We are supporting young and highly motivated and highly educated students, so they can make a major impact on society](https://www.santandertotta.pt/pt%5FPT/Particulares/Universitarios/Santander-Universidades-em-Portugal.html?ref=blog.inacademy.eu). We provide distinctive programs for students, so they can develop their capabilities and they can make things happen once they start looking for a job.

### You invest a lot in Social Responsibility. Do you believe that early-stage startups should care about social responsibility?

Absolutely. Social responsibility is a must for every business and every organization. It’s crucial for their own sustainability and the way they present themselves to their stakeholders. An organization should always solve a societal problem by providing products, services, etc. That’s the only way they can survive in the long term.

### How is EIA helping Portugal?

This is the second edition in Portugal, after a very successful edition last year. [EIA is bringing all these mentors together](https://www.inacademy.eu/key-people/?ref=blog.inacademy.eu) and this is a huge amount of knowledge and experience that they’re making available to students. EIA program is something that should definitely keep existing and expanding in the future, and I think Santander will surely stay a major partner.

### Is there anything startups can learn from large companies?

Large companies can teach startups a lot about the organization and what problems aren’t solved yet.

### How to educate the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs?

Universities should start focussing on teaching students about critical thinking. [As well as giving them the chance of more real-life experiences](https://blog.inacademy.eu/douglas-carter/): how to work at a large business or how to work for the government.

### For both personal growth and business, are there any books or podcasts out there you’ve found to recommend?

The work of Daniel Goleman: Emotional Intelligence. This has never been more important: everyone should grasp this concept. The Digital Mind by Arlindo Oliveira is also a book I would definitely recommend.

### Did you know?

- 1200 universities in 20 countries collaborate with Santander Universities
- Santander Universities invested over €150 million in higher education in 2016
- In 2015 Santander topped the 'Global Fortune 500' list as the company that invests the most in Corporate Social Responsibility in connection with education