The University of Navarra has participated in the signature of a agreement framework between Eusko Ikaskuntza and the seven Universities of the Basque Country, Navarra and Ipar Euskal Herria. At the event, with the presence of Juan Mari Aburto, mayor of Bilbao, and the president of Eusko lkaskuntza, Ana Urkiza Ibaibarriaga, spoke the President, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero.

Also present were Ramón Gonzalo, President of the Public University of Navarra; Eva Ferreira García, president of the University of the Basque Country; José María Guibert, President of the University of Deusto; Vicente Atxa, President of Mondragon Unibertsitatea; Ricardo Mairal Usón, President of the Universidad Nacional de Education a Distancia; and Ernesto Expósito, Vice President for International Relations of the Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour.

The new agreement aspires to constitute a space of partnership oriented to the promotion of knowledge, with special attention to the Basque culture and language . Eusko Ikaskuntza and the seven universities express their will to promote talent and to share everything that contributes to this goal. Among other activities, it establishes the definition and strategic reflection on the common and shared elements in the respective territories in the 21st century, the carrying out of a study on the notoriety of Eusko Ikaskuntza or the offer to student body for internships. In addition, the participation of these universities in the evaluation jury of the Eusko Ikaskuntza-Laboral Kutxa awards for scientific excellence will be continued.

partnership public-private

In their speeches, the university representatives highlighted the potential of agreement to"transform society by means of the integraltraining of people and the creation and transfer of knowledge ". The President of the University of Navarra, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero, expressed his satisfaction for this agreement that joins forces in favor of the mission statement of the University, which is none other than "serving society through the research, the teaching and the dissemination of the knowledge". He also stressed that a university has to be rooted in its culture but with a universal mentality: "That is why we are very local but with an international vocation," he said.

The rectors agreed on the need for new forms of partnership and to take advantage of the added value that the confluence of both public and private universities in this project implies. Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero underlined the importance of this partnership and thanked Eusko Ikaskuntza for promoting this network of contacts that "financial aid to know different points of view and enrich the intellectual discussion ".