Since 1996/97, the University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) organizes annually and with great success courses called Experience Classrooms for 50 people over 55 years, without applying for any degree to participate in them.

Learning takes place in two phases. The first has a duration of four years and at the end of it is divided the University Degree in Humanities that is not official and therefore lacks labor validity. The second, Adult University Course, has a duration of three years, and to be able to do so it is necessary to be in possession of the aforementioned title. These last courses allow to go to different classrooms of the UPV/EHU, but only as listeners.

The annual activity is divided into two four-year periods with two types of subjects: compulsory or core and optional. Eighteen core subjects are studied throughout the course, all in Spanish, selected by the students of the 24 optional subjects offered. Only three of the latter are taught in Basque.

If we look at linguistic data, we could say calmly that the space dedicated to Basque in the courses we are talking about is scarce, that is, zero. It is understandable that at first almost everything is done in Spanish, as people over 55 who worked well reading and writing in Basque would be few. But since then, things have changed radically and there are many days of schooling in Basque.

For this reason, several groups of students have requested that the courses also be taught in Basque on several occasions, but those responsible have responded with a clear refusal to the last application without giving any explanation. Perhaps because behind the request there is a small group without a solid foundation.

In this sense, this year we have created the platform Aulas de la Experiencia Euskaraz ere, with the clear objective that these courses can also be carried out in Euskera. And for the request we are going to make to be taken into account, we need the help of the Basque community. In addition to the groups that make up the Basque cultural activity, we would like to bring together the general public to show that the project is well seen by many people. So if you agree with the platform’s intentions, please sign up for https://forms.gle/TEJbgUNG5RtRNMdK8. If you do, we will thank you. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can find us at esperientziarengelaeuskarazere@gmail.com.

Marije Manterola Iribar and Ander Trigos Urturi, representing Aulas de la Experiencia Euskaraz ere