The Universidad de Salamanca (USAL) was founded in 1218 and is today a medium-sized university with around 30,000 students. Salamanca is a popular destination with graduates and undergraduates from around Spain, and attracts more students from outside its immediate catchment area than any other university in Spain.

The Universidad was originally founded in 1218 as an Estudio General by Alfonso IX of León. It is the oldest public institution in Spain and has combined its strong regional identity with a flexible and progressive approach under an enormous variety of political regimes and social movements. In the early part of the 21st Century, the University has endeavoured to broaden the scope of its relationship with society, and now places a greater focus on the preparation of its students for professional life and on the creation of employment and affiliated companies, prioritizing knowledge creation through innovative research and the consolidation of its international standing. However, despite these changes the University remains faithful to its original vocation as a leading centre for intellectual development at the service of society. Though now into its ninth century, the Universidad de Salamanca maintains the youthful and dynamic outlook that has seen it grow throughout history.

The Universidad de Salamanca has added a new dimension to its reputation as a historic and traditional university, and is now a modern and dynamic institution looked up to by universities throughout Spain. The USAL offers over 90 official degree programs across its campuses in Ávila, Béjar, Salamanca and Zamora and attracts over half of its intake each year from outside its immediate catchment area. The strength of the University´s reputation also draws first- and second-cycle undergraduates from other regions of Spain. The USAL is firmly committed to integrating the requirements of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) into its academic activity and organizational structure, and introduced four official EHEA bachelor´s degrees for the 2008-09 academic year (in pharmacy, information and documentation, mathematics and sociology). Postgraduate tuition at the University has become increasingly diverse, and the range of programs now attracts students from around the world. For the 2009-10 academic year, the University is offering almost 100 master´s degrees and doctoral programs (including six taught through foreign institutions), many of which are fully adapted to the curricular requirements of the EHEA. In addition, at undergraduate level the USAL now welcomes a higher proportion of Erasmus students each year than any other large Spanish university.

Although built on a long tradition of excellence in the humanities, the USAL is also a major centre for innovation and scientific development. New technologies form an integral part of daily life at the University, and Wi-Fi access is now available in all campus buildings, including faculties and halls of residence. Many of the research groups created in recent years have become leaders in their fields and the University excels particularly in experimental sciences, bio-health sciences, linguistics and social sciences. Scientific production is structured between departments, research centres and technology institutes, including the National DNA Bank and centres focusing on Cancer Research, Neurosciences, Community Integration, Water Research, Education Sciences, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Linguistic Research, Farming Research, European Research, Multimedia, University History, Cultural Design, Communications and Women´s Studies. The University oversees a range of activities in Latin America and Asia through the inter-university Ibero-American Institute, the Centre for Brazilian Studies and the Hispano-Japanese Cultural Centre, and is currently putting the finishing touches to its Science Park, located on the new Villamayor Campus, which will house a number of advanced science and technology centres including the National Laser Centre.

Most of USAL´s activity is based in and around the city of Salamanca which, despite its relatively small population of 170,000, provides a thriving home to almost 30,000 students. As a small and profoundly beautiful city, Salamanca is perfect for moving around on foot, and students also find it easier to meet the cost of living as the city has not been affected by the price increases seen in other regional capitals in recent years. The other cities in which the USAL is based, Ávila, Béjar and Zamora, provide students with an inspiring historical environment in which to pursue their studies. The University is also within easy reach of Madrid and Lisbon, which are only two hours and four-and-a-half hours away by car, respectively.

The Universidad de Salamanca will celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2018, making it the oldest university in Spain and one of the most long-standing higher education institutions in Europe. During the Renaissance, the University played a leading role in the development of the Spanish language and in promoting the rights of individuals. At the time, the emergence of capitalist thought as an area for academic study coexisted with traditional academic pursuits such as theology. The Universidad de Salamanca was involved in the debates concerning the moral justification for the conquest of the Americas and the rights of natives, and through this process the intellectual spirit of the university passed across the Atlantic, eventually playing a role in the creation of universities in Latin America which adopted key principles of the University Statutes and the foundations of its academic structure. Over the years, this global perspective has become a hallmark of the University and is particularly evident in its dedication to promoting the importance of Spanish as a world language and its ongoing concern for world affairs and the problems of vulnerable populations. The present-day USAL has inherited this legacy and is recognized as one of the most outward-looking and international universities in the world. Students and professionals from over sixty countries can be founded studying and working in the USAL´s classrooms, libraries and laboratories. The Universidad de Salamanca is involved in exchange programs with universities throughout the world, particularly under the European Erasmus program and as part of specific bilateral agreements. Each year, the University welcomes over 6,000 visiting students on to its official undergraduate and postgraduate programs, a range of specific courses, USAL degrees and diplomas, and International Courses based around Spanish language tuition. Hundreds of foreign teaching and research staff also come to Salamanca under a range of mobility programs.

The Universidad de Salamanca offers its students a range of services to support the learning process and integration into academic, in particular the extensive network of modern library facilities. The Student Orientation and Social Affairs Services offer free information and advice through specific units focusing on employment, educational psychology, psychological support, sexuality and general academic information regarding courses, grants, scholarships, languages, accommodation, leisure activities and sport.

Spanish language tuition is an integral part of the USAL´s history, and the University has offered specific International Courses in Spanish language and culture since 1929, which now attract over 7,000 students from around the world each year. The University guarantees teaching excellence in a small and welcoming city of enormous historical and cultural significance (the Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and offers students and staff an impressive range of cultural events and leisure activities throughout the year. The USAL´s international dimension is increasingly apparent, particularly in the growing number of Erasmus students who spend periods of study in Salamanca every year, most of whom come from universities in Italy, France, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Extensive relationships are also maintained with Latin America through a series of funding and exchange programs, and over 40% of the students enrolling on postgraduate courses at the University are graduates of Latin American universities. http://www.usal.es - informacion@usal.es

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