Activities of the RRG “Alfonso IX Cultural History and Universities”

One of the objectives of the Recognized Research Group is research in thematic areas related to university history and academic culture.

The RRG “Alfonso IX Cultural History and Universities” (CUNALIX) is considered the heir to the lines and activities of the Alfonso IX Center for University History (CEHU), a Center pertaining to the University of Salamanca and created by agreement of the USAL Governing Board in July 1997 and which lasted for sixteen years until May 2013, when it became part of the Institute of Medieval and Renaissance Studies and of Digital Humanities (IEMYRhd) of the University of Salamanca.

One of the objectives of this Recognized Research Group is research in thematic areas related to university history and academic culture. Thus, GIR HIUNHIS-CUNALIX members have participated in National Research Projects developed from the Centro de Historia Universitaria Alfonso IX, first, and from the Institute of Medieval and Renaissance Studies and Digital Humanities (IEMYRhd) afterwards.

In addition, the RRG has been collaborating with the Alfonso IX University History Center and the IEMYRhd in the organization of lecture cycles and periodical research seminars, entitled “Alfonso IX Colloquia”, which deal with various topics related to university history. The Colloquia, which have been held in the Faculty of Geography and History of the University of Salamanca, are carried out in the framework of the Research Projects in which the RRG participates and its proceedings are published as monographic numbers in the series «Miscellaneous Alfonso IX ». In addition, the RRG has collaborated in the organization of seminars on Sources Editing, held over the years 2012-2017 at the Pontifical University of Salamanca under the coordination of Miguel Anxo Pena González. These seminars were developed within the framework of the Research Projects already mentioned, with reference numbers HAR2009-06937 and HAR2012-30663, and their proceedings have been published.
Furthermore, the RRG has collaborated with the Alfonso IX Center for University History in creating the collective work on the History of the University of Salamanca, of an institutional nature, which the Center coordinated on the occasion of the celebration of Salamanca as the European Cultural Capital in 2002. As a result of this work, four tomes have been published, in five volumes, between the years 2002 and 2009, with the notable participation of the RRG in the last three volumes.
Finally, the RRG has sought to promote the publication of monographic and collective works on the history of universities, paying special attention to the history of the University of Salamanca, the Hispanic Universities in general, and their cultural contexts. Among these works is the periodical “Miscelánea Alfonso IX”, which includes, among other contents, the proceedings of the Colloquia organized by the Alfonso IX University History Center throughout its existence, and which has continued with the Alfonso IX RRG.