Third Ricardo Echepare Lecture

Thanks to the support of the Basque Government's Department of Science, Universities and Innovation, an initiative named after Ricardo Echepare was launched in 2024 as part of the EHU Summer Courses.

Ricardo Echepare (Irun, 1948) was a professor at the University of the Basque Country (EHU) and director of the School of Technical Engineering in San Sebastián. He also served briefly as Mayor of Irun and as the Provincial Councillor for Culture in Gipuzkoa. In the early 1980s, he promoted the creation of the EHU Summer Courses with the aim of bringing the newly established university closer to Basque society. As director of the EHU Summer Courses from 1981 to 2008, he succeeded in turning them into an essential meeting point for leading figures from the academic, intellectual, artistic and political spheres of the time.

In recognition of Ricardo Echepare's commitment to the dissemination of knowledge and education, and with the aim of carrying forward his legacy, an annual lecture will be held in his name. These lectures will focus on knowledge transfer and the social impact of scientific and technological research. They also aim to become a prestigious forum for reflection on higher education, dual education in engineering and excellence in university management.

The Ricardo Echepare Lecture will take place once a year in the Royal Dining Room of Miramar Palace, where a commemorative plaque has been installed in recognition of Echepare's contribution.

3rd Ricardo Echepare Lecture

Ana Zubiaga, Professor of Genetics at EHU and President of Jakiunde, delivered the third Ricardo Echepare Lecture on 15 September 2026 at Miramar Palace in San Sebastián, as part of the EHU Summer Courses. Entitled "One Planet, One Health: The Biology of an Interconnected World", the lecture explored the connections between human, animal and environmental health.

Programme:

• Welcome address by the Academic Director of UIK.
• Lecture by Ana Zubiaga: One Planet, One Health: The Biology of an Interconnected World
• Address by the Basque Government's Minister for Science, Universities and Innovation.
• Address by the Rector of EHU.

Sponsor: