Manuel Freire-Garabal, Antonio López, David Green and some pilgrims of his inner circle at the rectorate of the USC
As part of his pilgrimage along the Camino Portugués, Professor David Green, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Worcester (United Kingdom), held a series of institutional meetings between 23 and 29 May 2025 with representatives of the Compostela Group of Universities (CGU) and its member institutions. These activities were part of the Meetings on the Way initiative, promoted by the CGU to reinforce academic ties along the Camino de Santiago.
The first meeting took place on 15 May in Porto, where Professor Green was welcomed by Carla Martins, President of the Compostela Group of Universities. On this occasion, Martins was named Honorary Vice-President of the University of Worcester Anniversary Development Campaign, in recognition of the CGU institutional support for the initiative and its solidarity goals. This meeting marked the symbolic beginning of the campaign’s European dimension, developed in close collaboration with the CGU.
The campaign, led by the University of Worcester, promoted by Vice-Chancellor David Green, and supported by the Compostela Group of Universities, aims to raise funds to support merit-based scholarships and solidarity programmes for students, with particular attention to those facing financial hardship. It also includes organisational support for University of Worcester pilgrims along the Camino as part of Meetings on the Way.
On 23 May, Professor Green met in Vigo with representatives of the University of Vigo, including Vice-Rector María Isabel del Pozo Triviño, in an informal meeting held at the Redeiras building. The visit offered an opportunity to share experiences related to university internationalisation and explore new avenues of collaboration within the CGU.
The pilgrimage concluded on 28 May in Santiago de Compostela, where Professor Green was welcomed by the Rector of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Antonio López Díaz, and by Manuel Freire-Garabal, representing the Compostela Group of Universities. The meeting took place in the iconic Praza do Obradoiro and concluded with an institutional session at the university’s rectorate building.
The 280-kilometre journey combined symbolic, cultural, and academic dimensions, and successfully raised nearly £60,000 to expand opportunities for students at the University of Worcester, promoting a more inclusive and equitable higher education. The active involvement of the CGU in this campaign reaffirms its commitment to international academic cooperation, university social responsibility, and inclusive mobility, values shared by the more than 60 member universities that make up this global network.
María Isabel del Pozo and her companion along with David Green at UVigo
Carla Martins and David Green in Porto