The Universitat de València has a tight connection with the city from its origin. An excellent example would be the “sabatinas”, public debates about medicine, law, science, theology and philosophy, in which all the professors had to participate mandatorily under penalty of fine. Citizens could attend to check on the level and dedication of the studies that they were defraying. On this “sabatinas” or “disputatio” it was customary that Emeritus professors such as peacemakers or arbitrators attended, if the occasion was suitable for it. Let us remember that Gregorio Mayans was the one who had to: “personarse para salvaguardar su dignidad y derecho contra los engaños que trataban de atravesarle con los dardos de la maledicencia (…)*.

The city is not only the setting and the Universitat cannot be understood without the society which is born and develops, therefore, public debates about academic or social topics are still in force and promoted through the programme “Acadèmia Pública”. This programme contains meetings, debates, conferences and dialogues that are proposed by the civil society and which also maintains the relationship with the city alive and free-flowing.

*_{La Universitat de València i l’Humanisme: Studia Humanitatis i renovació cultural a Europa i al Nou Món. Ferran Grau Codina/ Xavier Gòmez Font et all (eds) 2003}