A little bit of history
The Education Commission of the Council of Gipuzkoa decided to run Summer Courses in San Sebastian in May 1982.
The Education Commission of the Council of Gipuzkoa decided to run Summer Courses in San Sebastian in May 1982.This first year was experimental in nature, and was organised by the Centres from the Gipuzkoa Campus (FICE of Zorroaga, Faculty of Law, the School of Architecture).
Ricardo Echepare took up the role as director of the Summer Courses at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).
The sponsored Courses started up. Several institutions, such as the Savings Banks, Cajas de Ahorro, Iberduero and the Professional Association of Engineers subsidised some Courses.
The majority of the Courses from the 8th year onwards now began to take place at the Palacio de Miramar. The new framework, apart from allowing for greater integration of the activity, also placed the Summer Courses in a privileged framework.
The commencement of its partnership with the BBVA, which began to form part of the Summer Courses, participating in its design and with its financial support, which it continued to do through the BBV Foundation, and subsequently the BBVA Foundation, as an identifying feature of the Courses.
The Courses began to have a Europeanisation focus.
The Summer Courses Foundation was established.
The "Learn to teach" programme was started up, particularly directed towards training and upskilling of teaching professionals. This was developed in collaboration with the Department of Education, Universities and Research of the Basque Government, which included the same, certifying the courses offered by the department within the Garatu training plan.
The University of the Basque Country's Summer Courses now began to demonstrate the complete consolidation of their activity. This was evidenced by the 6,157 students who attended its the 65 activities regulated by the 20th year of the programme.
For the first time, more professionals were enrolled than students, strongly establishing it as convergence site for various stakeholders in society.
The "Courses for All" formula was put to the test, directed towards the general population in a range of general subjects.
The 25th year of the Summer Courses was commemorated with Noam Chomsky featuring as a relevant figure for this year.
Ricardo Echepare was replaced by José Luis de la Cuesta.
The Courses began to be taught via streaming in order to disseminate knowledge beyond the classroom environment.
The collaboration with the company Irizar S.Coop. begins with the program El Viaje de la Vida (The Journey of Life), which offers a variety of courses aimed at all citizens with topics of general interest.
The Online Courses commenced, enhancing the dissemination strategic line.
An agreement was signed with Osakidetza (Department of Health of the Basque Country) for training of its professionals through the Summer Courses.
The University Extension activities of Bizkaia and Araba were integrated with the Gipuzkoa Summer Courses, merging to become one summer activity.
José Luis de la Cuesta hands over to Carmen Agoués as Academic Director of the Summer Courses. Igor Álvarez joins her as Academic Deputy Director. Vicente Gascón takes over as Academic Secretary.
The organisational management of the Foundation has been updated. Aitziber Zubillaga takes over as general administrator and new digital systems and processes are implemented.
Itziar Alkorta replaces Carmen Agoués as Academic Director of Summer Courses.
Vicente Gascón was replaced by Koro de la Caba as a Academic Secretary.
The Foundation redesigns all its courses on offer: long-duration online courses are increased; a hybrid format is created (presence-based Summer Courses with the option of participating live online) plus Summer Courses live online. This new format allows the Foundation to emerge stronger from the situation created by Covid-19.
The Donostia Sustainability Forum is created.
The Topagune project begins in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.
The hybrid option is maintained due to the pandemic.
The number of participants prior to the pandemic has been exceeded.
The 40th anniversary of the Summer Courses of the UPV/EHU is celebrated.
Igor Álvarez was replaced by Daniel Losada as Academic Deputy Director. In December, Daniel Losada was replaced by Itziar Azkue.
Koro de la Caba was replaced by Maider Kortajarena as Academic Secretary.
The UIK brand is created to help in the dissemination and expansion of the different activities in accordance with the new objectives.
Cross-border courses are created to disseminate intercultural and multilingual knowledge.
In December 2023 Leire Arbizu replaces Aitziber Zubillaga as manager of the UPV/EHU Summer Courses Foundation.