In a world where the boundaries between business and technology continue to dissolve, the University Alfonso X el Sabio (UAX) aimed to reinvent its educational offering. Partnering with Propelland, UAX set out to create a new Business & Tech campus—an environment that not only responds to the expectations of today’s students and employers but also prepares graduates for the complex, interdisciplinary realities of tomorrow’s workforce. The vision was clear: a university experience built on symbiosis between education and enterprise.
In a world where the boundaries between business and technology continue to dissolve, the University Alfonso X el Sabio (UAX) aimed to reinvent its educational offering. Partnering with Propelland, UAX set out to create a new Business & Tech campus—an environment that not only responds to the expectations of today’s students and employers but also prepares graduates for the complex, interdisciplinary realities of tomorrow’s workforce. The vision was clear: a university experience built on symbiosis between education and enterprise.
The main objective was to develop a compelling and differentiated value proposition for the new UAX Business & Tech campus that would increase student employability by aligning academic training with industry expectations. Also, promote an integrated Business + Technology mindset, tailored to the future of work, as well as create a student experience grounded in real-world practice, global exposure, and entrepreneurial thinking. And finally, address the pain points and aspirations of both students and companies to build a shared-value educational ecosystem.
Process
The project followed a collaborative, research-driven methodology combining qualitative insight, market analysis, and co-creation. As a senior service designer, I was involved throughout the full process—with responsibility and decision-making across research, synthesis, experience definition, and validation.
Kick-off & Framing
Collaborated with UAX leadership to align on the vision, scope, and transformation goals for the new Business & Tech campus.
User & Market Research
Conducted 30+ interviews and co-creation sessions with high school and university students, parents, companies, and academic experts. This uncovered shared frustrations—such as outdated academic models, limited practical experience, and a gap between graduate profiles and market expectations.
Segmentation & Insight Synthesis
Helped define key attitudinal student profiles (Idealista, Pragmático) and mapped pain points from both student and employer perspectives. Benchmarked global programs to identify best practices in hands-on learning, bilingual education, and business-tech integration.
Opportunity Mapping
Identified strategic levers: early internships, company-led projects, soft-skills development, mentorship, and international mobility—framing the campus as a symbiotic ecosystem between education and industry.
Experience Design & Validation
Co-created seven core experience principles with corresponding initiatives. These were iteratively tested and refined through workshops, interviews, and feedback from students, families, and employers—ensuring the final value proposition was relevant, differentiated, and implementable.
Outcome
The project delivered a clear and compelling value proposition and experience model for UAX Business & Tech, grounded in real expectations and ready for implementation.
Seven Experience Principles:
1. Learning by Doing – Real-world challenges, cases, and internships from year one.
2. Global Mindset – International mobility, bilingual degrees, and cultural fluency.
3. Business Immersion – Company-co-designed curriculum and workplace-inspired infrastructure.
4. Purpose-Driven Innovation – Entrepreneurial mindset and social impact culture.
5. Accompanied Growth – Mentoring, upskilling, and personalized development.
6. Community Building – A lifelong student and alumni network.
7. Tech with Purpose – Technology as a cross-cutting enabler of all experiences.
