22 September 2026
Bilbao
On 24 September, the University of Deusto officially launched the celebrations marking its 140th anniversary, coinciding with the opening of the 2026–2027 academic year. The institution, which opened its doors on 25 September 1886 with just 115 students, is starting this new academic year with more than 12,500 students in its classrooms, of whom around 10 per cent are international students from 50 countries. This evolution reflects the consolidation of a people-centred university model focused on transforming society and fully engaged with global challenges.
The event began with the reading of the Academic Report for the 2025–2026 academic year by the General Secretary, Stella Solernou, who outlined the key figures and achievements of the past academic year. She highlighted that last academic year the University exceeded 16,000 enrolments in total, with 3,549 new students on undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes, and more than 1,000 international students. Last academic year also marked a historic milestone with the graduation of the first cohorts of students from the Medicine and Nursing degree programmes. The report also highlighted the impact of the University’s research activity, with 300 projects under way and almost 600 scientific articles published, as well as its commitment to inclusion through its own scholarship programme worth more than €2.6 million, which supported 1,341 students. It also highlighted the launch of the GRAJU global research alliance. In the ‘In Memoriam’ section, the university community paid a heartfelt tribute to those members who had passed away during the academic year, including the former Rector of Deusto, José María Guibert. Full academic report.
The ceremony was then followed by the Inaugural Lecture, entitled ‘Knowledge that serves, wisdom that opens up the future’, delivered by the Superior General of the Society of Jesus and Chancellor of the University, Arturo Sosa SJ, followed by remarks from the Rector, Juan José Etxeberría. Both speeches stressed that marking 140 years should not be a “self-congratulatory exercise in looking back”, but rather an opportunity to “renew our service” and respond to society through “creative fidelity”. They recalled that, if there is one thing a Jesuit university can contribute today, it is “knowledge that seeks truth amid the noise, wisdom that guides power towards the common good”, because “a university can be technically outstanding and yet spiritually impoverished if it does not ask whom its knowledge serves and whom it leaves out of its service.”
Reclaiming the intellectual apostolate
In his Inaugural Lecture, Father General Arturo Sosa warned of the crisis of knowledge we are experiencing today, which is threatened by two interconnected pathologies: on the one hand, a disregard for truth, fuelled by disinformation and superficial thinking; and on the other, the capture and concentration of knowledge — such as control over data and algorithms — for the benefit of a few. In response to this situation, he stressed that a Jesuit university should act as a “school of depth”, promoting an intellectual apostolate that seeks not to dominate, but to understand with ethical rigour. In his view, the institution must go beyond the mere transmission of information to foster wisdom and discernment, teaching students to ask when, how, why and for whom technology is used. This is particularly important in the age of artificial intelligence, where technology must serve human dignity, justice and the development of sound judgement.
This vision, he argued, must translate into transformative teaching and research. In the academic sphere, the University promotes an all-round education — developing competent, conscious, committed and compassionate individuals — through a supportive approach in which students are encouraged to ask not only what career they want to pursue, but also what kind of person they want to become and what kind of world they want to help build. The same approach should guide research towards the common good, addressing social justice, care for our Common Home and the ethical dilemmas arising from the technological transition. “Truly transformative research does not look down on the poor and those who are marginalised; it learns to see reality from their perspective and, whenever possible, alongside them,” he said.
For the Superior General of the Jesuits, this approach requires universities to remain open and work in partnership with public institutions, businesses and civil society, combining strong local roots with a truly global outlook. He also highlighted Deusto’s 140-year history and the commitments for the future set out in its new Strategic Plan to renew the Ignatian tradition: a more inclusive community, open science, an agile organisation, and a creative commitment to educating professionals and citizens capable of transforming the world responsibly.
In his closing remarks to the students at Deusto, he urged them “not to be content with merely receiving an education; become the protagonists of a meaningful life. Humanity needs your intelligence, but also your compassion, inner freedom and ability to work with others.” Father General’s speech.
Arturo Sosa SJ took the opportunity of his visit to Deusto to meet with the University’s Governing and Management Board and hold a meeting with the Student Council.
Deusto’s strategic challenges: Strategic Plan 2027-2032
Building on this framework for reflection, Rector Juan José Etxeberría stressed that the anniversary is a call to renew the University’s commitment to serving society and a reminder that excellence cannot be reduced to the pursuit of achievements or to complacency. Against this backdrop, Deusto’s historic motto, “Sapientia melior auro” (“Wisdom is more valuable than gold”), takes on particular significance as the University seeks to discern how best to transform the world around us.
Rector Etxeberría explained that the transformations we are experiencing today are different from those of 140 years ago, but no less decisive. He stressed that, although it is impossible to predict all the changes that lie ahead, we can decide how to respond to them, what principles should guide them and whom our institutional resources should serve. For this reason, he announced that the Strategic Plan for 2027–2032 will be titled “Deusto: Tradition that Builds the Future”, expressing the conviction that tradition provides guidance for new circumstances: “The future is not written: we must discern it and build it. And the Plan will only have meaning if it translates into concrete commitments to people and society."
Among the main commitments outlined by the Rector is a strong focus on «lifelong learning», aimed at providing a demanding education and a university experience that helps students discover their vocation and build a meaningful life project, combining academic rigour, support and ethics across undergraduate, continuing and executive education. The Plan also provides for “research geared towards major challenges”, with a focus on human development, social justice, ecological transition, health, social cohesion and the responsible use of technology, measuring scientific impact by its ability to improve people’s lives.
Deusto’s new roadmap will also work towards becoming an «open and inclusive university», strengthening its international partnerships (the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU), the European UNIC alliance and UNIJES-Jesuit Universities), while expanding scholarships and access opportunities for vulnerable groups. In doing so, it demonstrates that its strong roots in the Basque Country underpin a credible and fruitful global mission. Finally, the institution will strengthen its «local partnerships and impact» through a model aligned with regional strategies and those of the Basque University System, actively contributing to the new Universities Act, the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2030, and the key priorities set out in the Basque University Plan 2027–2030.
“When we reach 2032, it will not be enough simply to count the projects. We will need to ask ourselves whether we have supported people more effectively, whether our knowledge has helped address social challenges and whether Deusto has served with greater depth and generosity. That is the measure of a vibrant institution: not the number of years it has been in existence, but the future it is capable of building,” the Rector concluded. The Rector's speech
The ceremony concluded with remarks from the Lehendakari of the Basque Government, Imanol Pradales, who stressed that the voice of universities is more important than ever today in renewing our understanding of “humanism”, which “must be our anchor in these uncertain times and help set the moral compass for the future of our society”. In Imanol Pradales’ view, this role for universities is essential to fostering critical and ethical thinking and shedding light on the major questions arising from this new era, including how to ensure that AI serves as a universal good, the dilemmas posed by advances in genetics and biosciences, and how democracies should respond to the sense of unease or loss affecting many people, among other challenges. Read more.
The Eucharist then took place at Bilbao’s Cathedral of Santiago, presided over by Joseba Segura, Bishop of Bilbao.
Videos of the academic ceremony
