Compostela Group of Universities

Compostela Group of Universities
Abbreviation	CGU
Formation	September 3, 1994; 29 years ago
Type	Non-profit
Purpose	Intra-university collaboration
Headquarters	Santiago de Compostela, Spain
President	Maurits van Rooijen
Main organ	General Council
Website	http://gcompostela.org/

The Compostela Group of Universities (CGU) is an international non-profit association, that promotes and executes collaboration projects between institutions of higher education. CGU currently has 67 full members, 2 associate members and 9 mutual membership agreements with institutions from 27 different countries.^[1]^[2]

History

In 1993, the University of Santiago de Compostela began initiating contact with other institutions in higher education situated along the Way of St. James. Its aim was to establish a university- network that made collaboration between universities easier and helped to preserve the cultural and historical heritage that emerged along the ancient pilgrim route.

Following these initial developments, 57 European universities met in Santiago from 2–4 September 1993.^[2]

Together they established early guidelines and determined the objectives of the group. These included the following three, which are still the objectives of today's CGU:

Strengthening the channels of communication between the member universities.
Organizing events to study and discuss subjects related to Europe.
Promoting mobility as the basis to increase the knowledge of European languages and cultures.^[3]

A commission consisting of representatives from the universities of Valladolid, Liège, Nantes, Göttingen, Minho, JaumeI and Santiago de Compostela drew up the Statutes of the Compostela Group of Universities. These were officially adopted at the first Constituent Assembly, held at the University of Santiago de Compostela from 2–3 September 1994.

Organization

Structure

The Compostela Group of Universities is headquartered in Santiago de Compostela, Spain and has a regional office in Brussels, Belgium.^[4]

The organizations current president is Marek Kręglewski.^[5]

Activities

Compostela Prize (International Prize Grupo Compostela-Xunta de Galicia)

Symbol of the Way of St. James (represented on the gold medal, which is awarded to recipients of the International Prize Grupo Compostela-Xunta de Galicia)

In 1996, the CGU and the Regional Ministry of Culture, Social Communication and Tourism signed an agreement to establish the Compostela Prize (International Prize Grupo Compostela-Xunta de Galicia).

The prize is awarded annually and seeks to reward "[...] any individual or institution that have contributed to the promotion of the European dimension in education, either in teaching and research or in the cultural, social and political fields [...] ." Nominations can be made by CGU member universities, members of the Xunta de Galicia and other official European institutions until the 1st of March each year.^[6]

The jury consists of the President of the Galician Government, who chairs the meetings, and the Regional Minister of Culture, the Regional Minister of Education and Universities and the Galician Director of Universities. The Compostela Group is represented by its President and three rectors of member universities, chosen annually by the General Council.

The prize is usually awarded at the end of the General Assembly of the Compostela Group of Universities, with the successful candidate receiving prize money and a commemorative gold medal in the shape of a shell (the centuries-old symbol of the pilgrimage to Santiago).^[7]

Recent recipients are:

2018: María Pilar Alonso Abad, Art history professor at the University of Burgos (UBU), for her academic work and unique research on the Jacobean cultural heritage^[8]
2017: Marcelino Oreja Aguirre, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, for his efforts in designating the Saint James Way as the Council of Europe's first cultural route.^[9]^[10]
2016: CIRCOM Regional, European Association of Regional Television, for the networks support in promoting European diversity and regional development.^[11]

Members

The Compostela Group of Universities has the following members:^[12]

Countries	Associated universities
Belgium	Erasmus University College Brussels
Belarus	Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno
Brazil	São Paulo State University
Bulgaria	University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy
Czech Republic	Masaryk University
Chile	Universidad Mayor ^{[needs update]}
Finland	University of Oulu ^{[needs update]}
France	University of Bordeaux 1^{[needs update]} University of Nantes ^{[needs update]}
Germany	University of Regensburg Philipps University of Marburg
Hungary	University of Pécs
Indonesia	University of Surabaya
Italy	University of Foggia^{[needs update]} University of Perugia Kore University of Enna International Telematic University (UNINETTUNO)
Lithuania	International School of Law and Business^{[needs update]} Kazimieras Simonavicius University
Malta	University of Malta
Mexico	CETYS Universidad Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education Universidad Anáhuac Xalapa University of Guadalajara Universidad La Salle University of Monterrey
Netherlands	Nyenrode Business University ^{[needs update]}
Norway	University of Bergen ^{[needs update]}
Peru	Pontifical Catholic University of Peru University of Lima Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas Universidad de Piura Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal National University of San Marcos
Poland	Adam Mickiewicz University University of Łódź
Portugal	University of Aveiro ^{[needs update]} University of Évora ^{[needs update]} University of Lisbon ^{[needs update]} University of Minho University of Porto ^{[needs update]}
Panama	Columbus University
Russia	Saratov State University ^{[needs update]}
Slovakia	Pan-European University
Slovenia	EMUNI University ^{[needs update]}
Spain	University of A Coruña University of Almería University of Alicante University of Cádiz University of Cantabria University of Castilla-La Mancha University of Extremadura University of Girona University of Jaén Jaume I University University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria University of León University of Lleida University of Málaga Public University of Navarra University of Oviedo University of the Basque Country University of Cartagena Technical University of Madrid Comillas Pontifical University Rovira i Virgili University University of Santiago de Compostela University of Valladolid University of Vigo University of Zaragoza
Sweden	University of Karlstad
Switzerland	Lucerne School of Social Work ^{[needs update]} Fribourg University
United Kingdom	University of Roehampton
United States	University of Arizona Northeastern University University of Massachusetts Lowell