A distinguished anatomist, university leader and advocate of democratic values
The Governing Council of the University of Valencia has approved the awarding of the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa to Professor Francisco Doñate Oliver, Professor of Human Anatomy and Embryology at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), in recognition of an outstanding career devoted to teaching, research, university leadership and civic commitment.
Born in Almansa, he was honoured by the City Council with the title of Distinguished Son of the city. Professor Doñate occupies a distinguished place in the recent history of Human Anatomy in Spain. In 1980, he was appointed Professor of Human Anatomy and Embryology at UPV/EHU, becoming at that time the youngest full professor in Spain in this discipline. Over nearly four decades, he carried out an intense teaching and research activity, educating generations of health sciences professionals and making a major contribution to the development of Anatomy and Neuroscience in Spain.
His academic career is also remarkable for its breadth and multidisciplinary character. In addition to holding a doctorate in Medicine and Surgery and being a specialist in Neurosurgery, he pursued studies in Philosophy and Letters and in Law , a combination that reflects a lifelong intellectual curiosity and a humanistic vision of the university and of knowledge itself.
Among his most significant scientific contributions are his studies in neuroanatomy and experimental neuroscience, research on the connections of the central nervous system, the characterization of neuronal receptors, and the development of biomodels applied to reconstructive surgery. He has also played an important role in the training of new researchers through the supervision of doctoral theses and the leadership of competitive research projects.
Professor Doñate’s contribution to Anatomy extended far beyond research. As an educator, he promoted innovative teaching materials, encouraged the use of anatomical biomodels and digital resources, and consistently defended anatomical dissection as an essential component of medical education. In line with these principles, he was one of the key figures behind the development of body donation programmes in the Basque Country and promoted pioneering initiatives to honour donors, including the creation of the “Forest of Life”.
The University of Valencia has also recognized his civic and social commitment. Since his arrival in the Basque Country, Professor Doñate consistently defended freedom, democratic coexistence and constitutional values. He was a founding member of the Ermua Forum and played a prominent public role in support of these principles, an engagement that was officially recognised through the award of the Constitutional Merit Medal.
That commitment also came at a personal cost. In the early 2000s, in a context marked by serious threats linked to ETA terrorism, the University of Valencia provided Professor Doñate with a safe environment in which to continue his academic work as a visiting professor in the Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology. This episode strengthened personal and institutional ties that have endured ever since and constitute a particularly meaningful part of the relationship between Professor Doñate and the University of Valencia.
Professor Doñate’s connection with the University of Valencia has also been reflected in teaching and research collaborations, participation in doctoral programmes and a profound affinity with the Valencian anatomical tradition, both belonging to the anatomical tradition established by Professor José Escolar.
With this distinction, the University of Valencia welcomes into its honorary doctorate community a figure who embodies the institution’s core values: academic excellence, commitment to knowledge, a humanistic spirit, and the defence of freedom and human dignity.
