Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Project, in June 2025, undergraduate student Madison Ross (C‘27) interviewed David Garrido Armisén, the sole full-time staff member of the Integral Ecology Unit at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain. In this interview, David discusses his work with the unit and his own relationship to sustainability and religion.
So, to start, could you tell me a little bit about yourself?
About me or my role in the university?
Whichever you would like.
Okay. Well, I tell you in English, then, this time. Well, my name is David Garrido Armisén. I studied at the university, well, 20 years ago, and I studied business studies. I am an alumni of Comillas. And in that moment, I held very engagement with the university, with the social engagement of the university.
I thought that many things could be different or changed in the university to be a better university, to take better care of the people and the nature. So, I participated in many activities as a student. And then, I had the opportunity to work in Comillas. Well, before I went, I was in Chile, in Peru, in Cameroon, working with NGOs and studied postgraduate master's [degrees] about ethics and human development. So, when I come back as worker at Comillas, I started in Comillas Solidaria, that is the office that promotes act in the social volunteer, social activities. And from the last three years, I worked in the Integral Ecology Unit. So, I love my job. I think that it’s a very good position to make change or to enact many changes. So, I am so happy. And I am father for three children, beautiful children. I enjoy nature. I believe in social justice. And, well, I think that’s me.
Thank you. I’m curious, what was your work with the NGOs? Was it mostly about the environment or various topics?
Well, in the first moment in which I was in Africa, I was working at a health NGO to promote the hospital and health center in many places of Cameroon and Burkina Faso. It was a private NGO and worked with many religious centers, because, you know, in Africa, there are many works by the religious congregations for poor people. [It] was a technical work job. Then, in Peru I worked as a volunteer or semi-professional employee with the Jesuits. I was working in the Andes and, well, I was working in the villages in economic activities, handcraft. They made handcrafts. And I tried to help or collaborate with them to improve the quality with training, seeking markets to sell their things, to build a good build, to support the artisans, the handcrafters. And in Chile, I was at another NGO worker in a—medical solidaria is the name—I worked in a medical company to be a citizen that build the issues from the North to the South and to stretch the relation between young people from Chile, Peru, USA, Haiti, and Colombia to make young people to change the world.
You’ve done a lot. So, what made you want to come back to Comillas?
Well, because Comillas invited me to come back.
[Chuckles]
In 12 years ago, Comillas started a program, institutional program about service learning, a way to the volunteer experience. They started to, the students who wanted to participate, they can. So, we started with Comillas Solidaria. That is a service office for all of the university. Last year, our office for the students, not all, but the main people who support students, and it started to work with each faculty, each school to co-create a program for service learning. We work with local NGOs: they identify the social needs, and, well, the university, the academic stuff and the service stuff. And we designed the program for the students to participate in starting at the beginning of that year. Well, it’s one of the things that I enjoy for my job and opportunity here because I think that, when I was a student, I think that I wanted something like that, you know? I wanted to feel that the university supported the academic study inside the room. In my time, there was something, some activities. But it was very limited. And, well, suddenly, all of the university, the rector, was talking about service learning. And it was very important for the integral formation of the student.
So, what made you want to participate in this study?
Well, the first thing, because I think that your job is very important for us.
[Laughs]
I think it’s important because we need an external view of our job and our mission. If we can get new ideas or approach, it will be welcome. So, I think it’s very important, to this point. The second, to work with another university. I think it’s very important to be interconnected between different university actors to work together to serve good practice, you know? So, I think it’s very important. Because I believe in my job. So, I think any additional elements for the job, to push the university to be better, I think is important.
And, could you please describe your work with the Integral Ecology Unit?
Yeah. Well, you know, it’s a new unit, so, nowadays, it’s very tame. But, my position, it’s a central unit. Because in every faculty or school of the university, there are representatives, like Heike [Clara Pintor Pirzkall], she’s the delegada of the Integral Ecology Unit in this campus. And there are other Heikes in Alberto Aguilera, INEA, Escuela Intermedia, you know. So, one of my roles is to coordinate the activities of every delegate.
So, this is one. Then, is to support any work about the change in the governance of the university. So, for example, now, we are working about the sustainability policies of Comillas. So, I am supporting that work. And I support in economic issues. I participate in different meetings about different actors. For example, next week, there is an eco-social meeting of the network of Jesuits in Europe that I will go to participate in that. So, there are these. And I think that I am, I don’t know how to say it, I am the fixed employee of this unit. Because all of my partners are professors, teachers, so, I am the only one staff, personnel, full time. And I think that makes me a good position to be alike all of the activities, conversations, process about teaching, investigation, governance, activities with the students and community. So, I am the controller of everything. And, well, and I try to fix the common elements of all of the different faculties at the school. To create a common space.
And were you involved in the start of the unit?
Yes.
What was that like?
Well, that unit was in the last strategic plan of Comillas. It was in their decision. So, at the end of the last board meeting, it was created three years ago. And, well, I think it’s very new. And Comillas has experience with many things, teaching, nature, many, many, connected with the individual teacher. But, now is the first step to make an institutional order. So, I think that we need to create a point of balance or equilibrium about the very individual past, or, in general, individual past, with an institutional order. So, in this year, we are working on inviting everybody to participate in this space. And, many times, we have the problem of time, and teachers having enough time. But I think that they want to participate, but not time to participate. And I think that, in this year we start with mapping of every activity related to the Integral Ecology. We have a mapping every year; we do the mapping of the activities. We are working on the framework of Integral Ecology here. So, it’s very important because every person or teacher that was working about it has a different idea of sustainability, of integral ecology. So, Comillas needs, well, a common idea of what I was thinking about this topic. So, I think we are working hard in this way to respect the individual ideas, you know? But thinking that Comillas as a common entity, has an idea. So, well, I think this is the thing about the order, about the harmony of the many elements. That they are one proposal.
So, that’s what you’re working on, now?
Yes. And now, we are working on the center of policies. And we hope that this year we’ll have a new report on sustainability.
And what has gone really well, or what’s working in the unit?
Well, I think what has been working very well… Well, because there are many work about the governance. There isn’t a document about the official position of the university on many things. Yes, there was the external declaration of the pope but… I think that in the last year, we are very strong in the public position of the Comillas in eco-social issues. So, it’s a very strong part.
Another, because previously, the unit was the program of sustainability and ecology of Heike, just on this campus. So, many people of the other campuses say, “Hey, what’s the problem with me? I want to participate these kinds of programs, similar activities to the campus of Cantoblanco.” So, I think that this year we have built the integration of each campus. I think that it’s a strong position because many people, teacher, student, staff of every faculty knows a teacher very close with these things. It’s not like we have an office, “What is that office? Who is David?” No, you have, inside of your faculty, a member who you know that is working on these issues. So, I think that these points are very strong.
Could you describe some things that you’re hoping to improve? You mentioned coming up with a common idea. Is there anything else?
To improve? Well, in my opinion, I think that the next step to improve is in the teaching. It’s one of the principle goals, challenges, of the unit. The teaching. To offer eco-social formation to every student, in every degree. Now, there are some courses about these things, but I think it’s very important that the people, the students who come to the university, feel that there are available courses about sustainability and integral ecology. For the university, it’s very important. And another, teaching topics about, you know, there are identity courses about Christianity and ethics that, you know, this is a pontifical university, so there are different courses from, for instance, the public or other private universities, in this university. So, there are many courses about identity and mission. So, I think that the next step… I dream of a course on sustainability or ecology for all students.
Would you say that la Unidad is more focused on official policy and official courses at the university or on outside of class activities?
Both.
Both?
Okay. Perhaps I spoke more focused about governance or the politics because it’s very new. The unit is new. But, the main activity, the ordinary activity of the unit, the delegation, is what we call extracurricular activities. It’s very important. This program, for example, in this campus in Cantoblanco with Heike—[who] is marvelous, is a very clever person, teacher, is a very vocational teacher, I think is a leader, and that is very important to move things. Because Heike believes these things, and all of the community knows that vocation—the program of this is very strong.
But we have a structural problem in all of the university that the students can be participate in the activity. There are many hours of class, many. There are many times of study or to do the homework or work in groups or many things. So, the time left to extra activities is minimal. So, we have a problem to, well, we offer many activities. Many are around the course that are here in Cantoblanco, so it can be hard to participate. So, I don’t know, I think that it isn’t a problem about the topics, about the things that don’t connect with the students. For example, the fashion. The students told us that they are worried about the fast fashion here. We offer workshops or activities, fun activities on fashion. And the reaction not always is very strong. I think that the university needs to stop. And well, last year, a teacher say a concept “slow university.” They say we need to change the times, the rhythm, the way that the people stay at the campus, you know? Somebody…only come to class inside and then to work or house or another activity. And we try to make people, but they stay in the campus. Sometimes, they play many sports, or participate in the garden, or studying, and I think it’s one of the principle challenges. But not for new because I think that the difficulty is increasing. I don’t know, in Georgetown it’s similar, or...?
People are busy, yeah. I feel like that’s a thing in a lot of universities.
Yeah.
So, how would you describe how you see your own role in the environment? Like, how do you see yourself in relation to the environment more broadly?
Well, for me, I feel that this is more for a job. It’s a personal, community way to stay in the right. So, well, I’m trying, my family, in my power of decision, to be honest and to do correctly, balance the things that I want in my life. I think for me, and professionally, it connects with all of the people that, more or less, we are all in the same status, the same way of life. But there are little steps to change. And, it helps me to understand. Not to be a reference to the others. No, I don’t think we are a reference. But, to connect, to understand the humans who say, “It’s impossible!” Well, perhaps not. Is it difficult? Yes. Impossible? No.
[Chuckles]
And I know, I feel in my personal life that it’s difficult. But, well, in one moment, it could be, take a decision.
For example, I drive because I like it. But I try when I can to move [by] bicycle. But I don’t think that everybody has to move [by] bicycle. But, it’s difficult, yes. I prefer to come here in public transport, the train, with the air conditioner for example in these hotter days, but, well, I enjoy cycling, and I think it’s a way to take care of our common home. I know that, with the food, people consider that with their food and consider waste. Well, I try, no?
I learned many things from my colleagues, the teachers. They are connected with external initiatives to share good ideas. It’s like a community, and I enjoy that. Because, well, I feel that there are many, many little changes achievable. They are very close. Well, perhaps I can’t live in a sustainability house now but, there are other things that I can do.
And, how would you describe culture here, generally? How people here interact with each other, things like that?
Generally in Comillas, I think there are some fraternity common. My experience is that people want to help other people if you are a teacher, if you are a staff, or if you are a student. I think there is a vocation of service, generally. I think that generally, it’s a peaceful university. Well, it’s safe. No harm. I think there are many people that feel, like me, for example, that this is a vocational job, a vocational space to improve the society to improve the world, and that the university helps to grow us in the vocational. So, this is good.
The opposite side is that because it’s more than a job, many times we feel frustrated because, well, it could be that the university or the community could be making more than the things that they do. So, it’s complicated because if you have a higher narrative of “men and women for the world,” “men and women for others,” and you believe… But we have to identify that we are not perfect, we have to work more to put out this narrative. Sometimes, I think it’s changed, about the profile of the students, for example. Well, this is my experience like an alumni, no? But perhaps, the tendency is that people, well, it’s not nostalgia like, “the time of the past was better,” no, it’s not that.
[Both laugh]
But it’s different, yes? I think that we have… well, the time to work to the university to make many things. And now, the tendency is that a paper, a paper and a future job. It’s that you get an academic degree, and then, you hope to get a good job. And this is very good, yes, but not only. So, many times, when you go to the student and say, “Oh there are a lot of things!” they just say, “Look to the post-side” because they only think of the degree and the future job. And I think before, it was different. But there is this weight, at least, now. And this is more structural, this individualist model that you are the only important thing, your personal is the important, and the others is secondary. I think this is such a problem, not only in this university but in all of the world.
And Pope Francis said that everything is interconnected, everything, everybody. So, we need to stay connected with the others. Because, well, I am a father, I am a son, I am a brother, I am a colleague of the job, and I am a friend of my neighbors, I am an element of nature, and I am a creature of God. Many connections. So, yes I am singular, but I am interconnected with all of the world.
And do you think that other people at Comillas share this kind of perception?
No.
[Laughs]
No, I think my perception is very particular of my job, of my space, of my identity and experiences. I think in the university, there are a lot of narratives and a lot of ways to think. I understand, but I think that they are compatible. But it is good, both good, no? Compatible. So, why not, when you read some news about the big people that are making big decisions that are trying to do good things, good ethics, I think it’s possible. Because if you are a corporation, and they have a very bad practice, and the consumer doesn’t trust you, so you have a problem of the future. So, I think that it’s better to do the things good, ethically, than the thing that you don’t know what you need to do.
And are there any environmental problems that you think are unique or more relevant to either this campus or Madrid or Spain, generally?
I think the change in temperature is one of the big problems. You are young, you cannot see the change. It is hot in Madrid. The tendency is that every year, it is longer. I think that we are losing our well-being. And there are many people that this is a very increasing problem. Because well, I would like to have air conditioning, and you have the public transport with air conditioning, like movies or these things, they have a time. Like there are these things that it is in our hands to change. Individual responsibility, but community responsibility, public responsibility. So, we need all of the ways if we could change to, yes we could change that. All are impacted and in politics or when you’re deciding what part is your life. And I think it’s a form of this.
And another thing, I think it’s in connection with one of the solutions, is that we need a global governance to change. This is possible if not real because climate change doesn’t have a frontier or border, so it’s a global problem. So, we need global governance to change the rules for everybody. Well, it’s a big problem, you know? With many changes with the concern about governance and who… A problem about the people, many people doesn’t believe in climate change. It is not a religion. It is not an individual belief in God, or Buddha, or something. It is not a religion. There are scientific evidence. There are lots of data. I think that the university, one of the purpose is teaching in the concerns. I think that we can… I don’t know how to say this… a public teaching. It’s to improve the learning of the people about the different scientific evidence about climate change or other issue, with scientific evidence to transform social people to connect, to understand what is the problem.
Another action plan. Not only the diagnostic, saying, “Hey, the world is very bad, sorry. We are all dying.” No. But, there [is] a plan. We can change, no? I think that like Pope Francis said, is that the hope. We need to feel that there [is] a hope, that the future will be better. And it is a long way to that, but we need that narrative but with actions.
And how would you describe how the Integral Ecology Unit fits into what you were just saying?
My personal view on the unit is I think the unit has a very open-minded space. And there are many people with different views to approach these issues and the environment. So, I think because I decide to participate in the unit, in my personal… But, I think that it is in the principle idea. Because we need the other view, other position. I understand what people decide about the economic degrowth or markets, I understand. Others say they are worried about the rights of the animals. Well, I think that is very important. And it’s an open space to discuss, to participate.
In many times, making decisions, I think that I feel that perhaps I don’t make that things. I understand that there are other points of view.
Those were most of the questions that I had written down already, so thank you again for taking the time to talk to me about your experiences. But, is there anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask about?
Well, perhaps, in another moments, I want to listen to you about the things that you do at your university or your experience.
I mean, I have some time now. Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Well, because now, I have a meeting. If you have time at another moment to take a coffee or something not formal, you know? I would like to listen to you and your experiences at your university and your point of view about those things.
