María Jesús Lago Ávila

María Jesús Lago Ávila is an Associate Professor in the School of Humanities at Universidad CEU San Pablo in Madrid, Spain, where she has been actively contributing to academic life since 1990. She currently serves as Director of the Center for Studies of the Spanish Democratic Transition and coordinates the Political Classroom of the Institute of Democracy Studies. Her extensive career spans teaching, research, and numerous administrative roles including coordinating the University Mentorship Program and managing the CEU Alumni USP service.

Dr. Lago Ávila earned her Doctorate in Philosophy and Letters (Geography and History) from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1991-1996), following her undergraduate studies in the same field at the same institution (1983-1988). She further enhanced her professional profile with a Master's in Marketing and Sales Management from CEU San Pablo Business School (2012-2013) and a Leadership Trainer certification from Center Creative Leadership in Virginia (2016-2017).

Her research interests focus on urban planning, housing policy, immigration studies, and social integration, with recent work expanding into educational innovation, mentorship, and the application of artificial intelligence in higher education. She has conducted extensive research on Madrid's urban development, housing challenges for marginalized communities, and the integration of immigrant populations. Her scholarly output demonstrates a clear evolution from traditional urban studies toward educational innovation and technology integration, with publications increasingly addressing mentorship programs, soft skills development, and strategic AI implementation to enhance student employability.

• Positive accreditation from the Quality Evaluation Agency and the Accreditation of the Community of Madrid for Contracted Doctorate Professor at Public and Private Universities (2006)
• Diploma in Urban Planning from Pablo de Olavide Center for Urban Studies, Autonomous University of Madrid (1991)
• Certificate as Leadership Trainer from Center Creative Leadership (2016-2017)

Dr. Lago Ávila has been instrumental in developing and coordinating the University Mentorship Program at CEU San Pablo since 2017, creating structured pathways for student professional development. Her work advising on numerous consulting projects in tourism development and land planning, both nationally and internationally (including with the European Union, the Ministry of Economy's General Secretariat of Tourism, and various Autonomous Communities), demonstrates her applied research impact. She has secured funding for research on urban depopulation, rural development within the Spanish Urban Agenda framework, and innovative educational approaches during the pandemic.

As Director of the Center for Studies of the Spanish Democratic Transition, she leads research on Spain's political evolution and democratic consolidation. Her leadership extends to coordinating the Political Classroom of the Institute of Democracy Studies, where she facilitates academic dialogue on contemporary political challenges. Her recent work with the C3M mobility project during the COVID-19 pandemic in Madrid demonstrates her ability to connect urban challenges with educational innovation.