The opening ceremony of the 44th edition of the Summer Courses of the UPV/EHU took place yesterday at the Miramar Palace, with the presence of nearly 200 people and the online participation of another 100. This event, which kicks off an intense academic and cultural program, reaffirms the central role that the Palace plays as a space for reflection, knowledge and dialogue at the highest level.
The Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, was in charge of officially opening the courses, highlighting the value of knowledge as a tool for social transformation and collective progress. Joxerramon Bengoetxea, rector of the UPV/EHU and president of the Summer Courses Foundation; Eider Mendoza, deputy general of Gipuzkoa; Eneko Goia, mayor of Donostia; Silvia Churruca, director of Communication and Institutional Relations of the BBVA Foundation, and Idoia Otaegui, academic director of the Summer Courses, were also present.
The institutional interventions coincided in pointing out the importance of strengthening spaces such as the Summer Courses, which, as the general deputy Mendoza pointed out, “are an open window to science and knowledge, and a firm commitment to a democratic, egalitarian and critical society”.
For his part, Mayor Goia highlighted the harmony between the activity of the courses and the high-level scientific ecosystem that characterizes Donostia, while the director of the BBVA Foundation stressed the value of critical thinking as the axis of a more just society.
The Miramar Palace has established itself as a symbol of Donostia’s commitment to education, culture and innovation. Throughout the summer, it will host numerous courses and activities that will turn its halls and gardens into an intergenerational meeting point, plural and open to debate.
The Summer Courses 2025 are already underway and will continue their activity until the end of September. The entire program and the registration process are available at www.uik.eus.
