The Spring University of Alzira will debate the topic ‘Valencian biodiversity in the face of the global change challenge’ this Friday, 23 April, in what will be its sixth edition. This conference marks the beginning of the Spring Universitites stage, after the celebration of the Winter Universities of Requena and Cofrents.

Seasonal Universities are an initiative of the University of Valencia (UV), organised through the Office of the Vice-Principal for Territorial Projection and Society together with the town councils of each town and in collaboration with the Diputació de València and Caixa Popular. Its aim is to promote debate on a monographic topic linked to the singularity of each geographical area, taking its particular idiosyncrasy, history and culture into account, under the coordination of a specialist in the field. This academic action is already in all the regions of the province, with 20 editions in as many localities, guaranteeing its presence throughout territory.  

In 2021, these free conferences, open to citizens of all ages, have recovered the link with the season that names them, after an anomalous year due to the restrictions of the pandemic. In addition, they maintain the distribution by thematic areas, which reflect the UV cross-cutting knowledge and the plurality of topics studied by its specialists. They will also be blended, as in 2020 with the incorporation on the online link that allows the sessions to be followed by streaming, facilitating attendance for those interested. As in 2020, the UV will offer registration through the website and will provide the corresponding certificate of attendance, whether in person or online.

Spring University of Alzira

The Spring University of Alzira celebrates this year its sixth edition at the MUMA- Municipal Museum of Alzira (C/ Sant Roc, 16) under the title 'Valencian biodiversity in the face of global challenge change', with the collaboration of the City Council of Alzira, the Diputación de València and Caixa Popular.

The conference -which is part of the thematic area ‘Biodiversity, Development and Territorial Innovation’-, tackles global change and its impact on biodiversity in the Valencian Community. It analyses aspects such as habitat fragmentation and destruction; air, soil and water pollution; overexploitation of species; and the introduction of exotic species. In order to generally explain these factors and highlight their impact in our territory’s flora, fauna and ecosystems, experts from the UV and technical staff of the Generalitat Valenciana will participate in the event. The programme includes six conferences, aimed at teachers, professionals, students and the general public, so, without losing their rigour, they will have an informative approach. Many of the threats to Valencian protected areas in general, and to some representative examples of organisms in particular (marine mammals, birds of prey, butterflies, lichens and rare, endemic and endangered flora) will be discussed.    

The opening ceremony will be at 9 am, with the intervention of Diego E. Gómez García, mayor of Alizar; Jorge Hermosilla Pla, vice-principal for Territorial Projection and Society at the UV; Emilio Barba Campos, coordinator of the Spring University of Alzira; Inmaculada MIravalles Alberola, director of the Caixa Popular office in Alzira; and a representative of the Diputació de València.

This will be followed by the scheduled conferences. Felicidad Cuesta Peiró, form the Natural Protected Areas Management Service of the Generalitat Valenciana, will speak on ‘Imapcts of global change on protected areas of the Valencian Community’.

Emilio Laguna Lumbreras, from the Wildlife Service of the Centre for Forest Research and Experimentation (CIEF) of the Generalitat Valenciana, will address ‘Status and conservation of rare, endemic and endangered Valencian flora’.

The lectures on ‘Conservation of marine mammals in the Mediterranean’ and ‘Conservation of large eagles in Valencian territory: the big brother animal’, by Juan Antonio Raga Esteve and Pascual López López, respectively -both from the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology of the UV-, will close the morning session.

The conference will continue at 3:30 pm with a lecture by Joaquin Baixeras Almela, from the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology of the UV, on ‘The Apollo butterfly in the Valencian Community: experiences on the verge of extinction’. Next, Eva Barreno Rodríguez, from the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology of the UV, will speak on ‘Lichens, great conquerors of extreme environments that succumb to environmental changes’.

Emilio Barba Campos, the coordinator of Alzira Spring University’s sixth edition, will be in charge of the closing ceremony at 17:30.

20 Seasonal Universities, 4 Seasons and 3 Thematic Areas

The Seasonal Universities programme includes two Winter Universities, which have already held their corresponding sessions: Cofrents and Requena.

The Spring Seasonal Universities programme, after this week’s Alzira edition, will continue on 29 April with the Seasonal University of Cullera, with ‘A look to heritage and tourism under the sea’ as the topic of debate. The Seasonal University of Xàtiva will analyse, on 13 May, ‘Governance and management of cultural tourism’; the Seasonal University of Sagunt, on 20 May, ‘Consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on women and girls’; the Seasonal University of the Canal de Navarrés, on 28 May, ‘Rural development against depopulation in inland municipalities'; the Seasonal University of Alt Túria, on 11 June, ‘From territorial resource to touristic product in a biosphere reserve’; and the Seasonal University of the Racò d’Ademuz, on 21 June, ‘Rural landscapes: Sustainable tourism products’.

Summer Seasonal Universities will start on 7 July with the Seasonal University of Aras de los Olmos, whose main theme will be ‘Botany and rural development’. The Seasonal University of Gandia will debate, starting on 12 July, on ‘Changes. A kaleidoscopic look’; and the Seasonal University of Sagunt, on 15 September, on ‘Sagunt: World Heritage Site. Between myth and cultural legacy'.

Autumn Seasonal Universities will close the 2021 programme. The Seasonal University of Alaquàs, will open the cycle on 7 October, with the theme ‘The Horta at the crossroads: some crucial historical decisions.’ The Sesonal University of Bunyol, on 15 October, will be entitled ‘Bunyol. Cultural heritage. Music as a driver of social change’; the Seasonal University of l’Eliana, on 21 October, ‘Smart cities: technology and citizenship’; the Seasonal University of Oliva, on 27 October, ‘Education: Equal and diverse’; the Seasonal University of Llíria, on 29 October, ‘Music as educational tool of social transformation’; the Seasonal University of Ayora, on 4 November, ‘Challenges and threats of beekeeping in the 21st century’; the Seasonal University of Enguera, from 11 November, ‘Professions of the future and healthy living in a global and sustainable world’; and the Seasonal University of Ontinyent, from 23 November, ‘Times of transformations’. 

This year 2021, Seasonal Universities will debate on multiple aspects linked to each territory around three thematic areas: ‘Historical and Cultural Heritage’ (Cullera, Xàtiva, Sagunt, Alaquàs, Bunyol and Ayora); ‘Education and Social Welfare’ (Cofrents, Sagunt, Llíria, Oliva, Enguera and Ontinyent); and ‘Biodiversity, Territorial Development and Innovation’ (Requena, Alzira, Canal de Navarrés, Alt Túria, Racò d’Ademuz, Aras de los Olmos, Gandia and l’Eliana).