The Koldo Mitxelena Awards are prizes organized by the University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea and Euskaltzaindia to promote and promote research in Euskera. This has been its eighth edition and, as always, the awards ceremony was held at the headquarters of Euskaltzaindia.

For each of the areas of knowledge mentioned, the President has appointed a winner. The winners have received a diploma and a prize of €2,000 gross.

The event was organized for the first time 16 years ago with the objective of promoting doctoral theses in Basque. Thus, in addition to promoting science in Euskera, the work of young researchers is recognized and the goal is to increase the prestige of Euskera through the highest level of recognition. In fact, they have published theses from other editions such as the structure and reflections of the Basque Literary Translation of Miren Ibarlucea 1975-2015, or the old western Basque Country of Eneko Zuloaga: characteristics, chronology and geography.

Eva Ferreira, head of the University of the Basque Country, has stressed that the number of theses in Euskera is increasing. Thus, if in 2020/21 this type of thesis was 25, in 2021-22 it was 61. In this sense, it highlights the importance of the public university, where more than 90% of doctoral theses have been completed.

The theses presented have been written and defended in Basque between September 2020 and July 2022. Finally, the winners and thesis titles are:

Science area:

• Awarded: Iñigo Arrazola Maiztegui.

• Thesis title: Light-Matter Interaction Design for Quantum Technologies.

Engineering and Architecture Area:

• Awarded: Eneko Iradier Gil.

• Thesis title: NOMA 5G Power Domain for Networks and Beyond.

Area of Health Sciences:

• Awarded: Manu Araolaza Lasa.

• Thesis title: Analysis of the epigenetic effect of morphine on DNA methylation using second-generation sequencing techniques.

Area of Social and Legal Sciences:

• Awarded: Maitane Basasoro Ziganda.

• Thesis title: The participation of students as key to the construction of democratic schools. Antzuola Herri Eskola educational project based on a renewed view of teachers.

Art and Humanities Area:

• Awarded: Beñat Garaio Mendizabal.

• Thesis title: Analyzing the classes taught by Basque in plurilingualism: identifying the strengths of two schools in Vitoria of model D.