The Compostela Group of Universities (CGU) is an international non-profit association that promotes and executes collaboration projects between institutions of higher education. It currently has 67 full members, 2 associate members and 9 mutual membership agreements with institutions from 27 different countries.[2][3]
In 1993, the University of Santiago de Compostela began initiating contact with other institutions in higher education situated along the Way of St. James, to establish a university network for collaboration and to help 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.[3] They established the guidelines and 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.[4]
A commission consisting of representatives from the universities of Valladolid, Liège, Nantes, Göttingen, Minho, Jaume I 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.
The organizations current president is Marek Kręglewski.[1]
Activities
Compostela Prize
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]
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, as of 2021:[12]
