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EUNEIZ University has today started the 2024-25 academic year with almost 500 students and has added an extra floor to its facilities in the Biosfera building. Of the total student body, around 230 students have enrolled for the first time in one of the eight technological and health degrees that the University of Vitoria-Gasteiz will be offering as of Monday 16 September.

The Rector Eva Eguiguren, accompanied by the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Luis Llurda, and the Vice-Dean of the Music Department, Norberto Bayo, greeted the first-year students on a welcome day in which, in addition to getting to know the EUNEIZ facilities, they had their first contact with what will be a decisive academic stage for their professional future, “but also full of experiences for their personal baggage”.

“The university stage marks our lives in an undeniable way. Not only do we prepare ourselves to fulfil our professional dreams, but we also benefit from experiences that make us grow as people. At EUNEIZ we are aware of the double learning that students face, so in addition to offering knowledge, supporting innovation and encouraging creativity and talent, we accompany them through their personal development, encouraging their transformational and responsible role in society”, he emphasised.

The Rector highlighted the ‘consolidation’ of the EUNEIZ project, which is growing in terms of students and facilities”, quintupling the number of students in two years and increasing the space of its facilities in the Biosfera building by 50%, from 2,500 to approximately 3,750 m2. He also recalled that, together with the degrees in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Physiotherapy, Multimedia, Music and Sound Production for the Entertainment Industry, Art for Video Games, Video Game Design and Development and Cybersecurity, a new degree in Sports Management will be added this academic year 2024-25.

After expressing her satisfaction at welcoming the new students, the Rector highlighted the diversity of origin of the students, coming from different communities in Spain, and even from other countries such as France, Italy and Nigeria, “making the University a meeting place and a space for cultural exchange”.

As part of EUNEIZ’s commitment to contribute to the welfare and development of Alava and the Basque Country through the training of new professional profiles, the head of EUNEIZ’s academic department highlighted the role of the University of Vitoria-Gasteiz in the generation of knowledge through research, as well as in the consolidation of emerging sectors with significant professional prospects. “We want to train a new generation of professionals who can respond to the great transformational challenges of our society.”, she concluded.

EUNEIZ University this week hosted the 1st Training and Teaching Innovation Conference to address the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom. Over two sessions, teachers from the Health and New Interactive Technologies faculties attended this training seminar where they shared their knowledge and experiences with the aim of enriching the EUNEIZ model.

The conference began on Tuesday with the workshop “Large Language Model in the Classroom. How generative AI is transforming education and improving teaching practice”, by Miguel Velasco López, an expert in Information Systems Management. During the session, the transformation of higher education through the use of AI as a tool to support teaching was discussed. In this context, issues related to the automation of administrative tasks, content creation, translations or data security, among others, were discussed. This is all aimed at integrating generative AI in an ethical and positive way for our students.

Using “academic capsules”, the second session of the conference created open spaces for discussion and reflection on methodological and practical issues in EUNEIZ teaching that have allowed us to strengthen our educational community and to continue working on the innovation of our academic activity.

From 1 July to 1 August, EUNEIZ University is hosting the campus with the five selected teams, who will receive training and personalised advice on developing and presenting their video game projects at Gamescom, the sector’s most important European trade fair. Two Basque teams, two Catalan teams and one from Zaragoza are taking part in the GAME.EUS video game accelerator campus run by the EUNEIZ Foundation at the university’s facilities. This fifth edition of the intensive programme is the culmination of four years of F2P Campus experience and has become a major contribution to the creation and retention of local talent and to the promotion of the video game sector in Alava and the Basque Country.

As a result of this new approach, GAME.EUS is expanding the platforms, the business model to be developed among the participants and emphasising their Basque origin. Two of the five teams, selected from the thirteen proposals submitted, are creators from the Basque Country – from Vitoria-Gasteiz and Bilbao – while the rest of the groups are from Catalonia and Zaragoza.

This initiative, promoted by the Provincial Government of Alava and the Basque Government, under the direction of the EUNEIZ Foundation, increases efforts to position the Basque Country as a centre for the generation of talent and the promotion of the video game industry with this new approach. The Deputy for Economic Development and Sustainability, Saray Zárate, the Deputy Regional Minister for Culture, Andoni Iturbe, the President of EUNEIZ University, Jordi Roche and the Executive Director of GAME.EUS, David Darnés, this morning welcomed the five teams participating in this year’s campus. The programme, coordinated by BIC Araba, is also sponsored by the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council and EUNEIZ University, where the campus is being held for the third consecutive year.

The Regional Councillor for Economic Development and Sustainability, Saray Zárate, said “this campus is a reflection of the strong commitment of the Alava Provincial Government to the video game sector, which is enjoying rapid growth and is very much in line with our values as a territory: innovation, talent and creativity”.

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Andoni Iturbe, added that the Basque Government is committed to promoting creative talent and generating new spaces of opportunity for personal, community and territorial development. He also highlighted the importance of the video game sector in the new modes of communication, mainly among the younger generation, noting that this was ‘an opportunity to work with high added value content that will help us to grow in terms of values. Finally, the Deputy Minister concluded by stressing the importance of cooperation and agreement between institutions with the aim of creating focal points and generators of new knowledge to place us at the forefront.

Jordi Roche, from EUNEIZ University, highlighted the commitment of the University of New Technologies, Sport and Health which, this year, through the EUNEIZ Foundation, has taken on the management of this intensive programme with the aim of “sharing knowledge and professional experience” in order to consolidate the video game ecosystem in the Basque Country. “This is an emerging sector that could have a significant future in this territory, as it has had in Catalonia, in terms of employment and economic growth”. Likewise, the President of EUNEIZ underlined the “opportunity” provided by this campus to give a “qualitative leap” to teams that have the creative tools and knowledge, but “need that extra professionalisation to develop successfully in this sector”. In this context, he recalled that the University also contributes to the creation of talent with two degrees in video games – Degree in Video Game Art and Degree in Video Game Design and Development – opening the door to artist, designer and video game programmer profiles. “We want to be a launching pad for future industry professionals while nurturing existing ones. This campus is the perfect way to link training with the labour market and entrepreneurship and to do so with the best guarantees”, he concluded.

It should be remembered that the video game sector has considerably more favourable growth forecasts than other cultural and creative industries, given that – according to the 2022 White Paper on Spanish Video Game Development – it is expected to have a turnover of 1,897 million euros this year and that this figure will increase to 2,239 million euros in 2025. In terms of employment, the sector is expected to generate 1,098 direct jobs in Spain this year. In the case of the Basque Country, it should be noted that, of the 760 video game studios existing in Spain in 2022, only 4% are located in the BAC.

As David Darnés explained, the main objective of this programme is to prepare teams of developers from the Basque Country with a sufficiently advanced video game to take part in Gamescom, the largest and most important trade fair in the sector in Europe. In contrast to the F2P Campus, which revolved exclusively around the creation of video games where it is not necessary to pay to play, GAME.EUS is open to any platform and business model (mobile, PC/Console, Free-to-Play, Premium…), expanding the opportunities for teams and getting closer to the real workings of the video game sector.

This campus grew out of the need to support small indie developer teams as a strategy to bolster the videogame industry. The aim is therefore to promote the professionalisation of these small teams so that they can obtain more funding, grow and generate employment. Through training and mentoring, teams will be infused with a business mindset, focusing on aspects such as how to draw up a Business Plan, improve their communication skills or implement marketing or sales strategies. During the campus, meetings will also be organised with publishers to negotiate publishing and investment agreements, so that they can legally establish their companies and contribute to the development of the sector.

Among the mentors, experts with extensive experience in the videogame industry and with participation in international projects, are professionals such as Oscar Sahun, entrepreneur, videogame designer and producer, Gerard Fernández, entrepreneur, investor and videogame developer, Ignacio Marín, producer and Game Manager at Gameloft, Arturo Monedero, vice president of AEVI (Spanish Association of Videogames), professor at EUNEIZ, entrepreneur and videogame designer, Sandra Samper, academic director of the EUNEIZ videogame degrees and expert in business development and videogames, Sergi Manaut, elevator pitch and public speaking coach, Antonio Santo, founder of Jaleo PR and content director of the BIG Conference, and finally, David Darnés, director of this campus, entrepreneur, consultant and mentor in videogames and technology. In addition to mentoring, these experts will offer ‘mixers’ open to the public in order to introduce and promote this sector in society.

After five weeks of work, GAME.EUS will end on 1 August with Demo Day, where the five teams will present their projects to publishers, investors and industry professionals. It will be the stepping stone to Gamescom, one of the world’s most influential trade fairs, which will give them the opportunity to showcase their work, make key contacts and explore new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The names of the teams and the genre to which the projects participating in this fifth edition belong are as follows:

Dhelpra Games (Barcelona): Nomad Defender is a video game where you wake up in a gloomy room in which you are imprisoned. Only by defeating an enigmatic tower defence, roguelike, deckbuilder can you unravel the secrets that lie in the shadows of this facility.

Can Pixel (Barcelona): They present Catcelona, a videogame about finding 300 very real hidden cats. A 2D black and white experience that promises tranquillity and fun in equal measure!

Gaua Games (Bilbao): Darby Is Here Forever is a 2D pixel art platformer about a cute vampire.

Sidral Games (Zaragoza): Enchufao is a 2D space shooter arcade game with pixel art aesthetics, roguelike elements and wire-based resource management.

Ametz Games (Vitoria-Gasteiz): Detective Firefly is a detective videogame, with narrative puzzles that take you on an interactive adventure where you decide the ending.

Eva Eguiguren Medinabeitia, PhD in Business Administration from IE University, Master of Science Executive Education from the Instituto de Empresa (IE) Business School, MSc in Analytics, Design and Management Information Systems, from the London School of Economics (LSE) and Bachelors in Business Administration from Texas Tech University, is the new Rector of EUNEIZ, following the appointment approved yesterday by the University’s Board of Trustees.

The new academic head, a native of Bilbao, replaces Lluís Vicent, who led the university through the initial implementation phase of the University of New Technologies, Sport and Health, as it embarks on a new period with important challenges ahead, such as the growth and consolidation of its academic project, the territorial anchoring, and the internationalisation of the institution and its students.

At the presentation ceremony of the most senior academic officer to the teaching staff of the University of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the university president, Jordi Roche, stated that “we are continuing to take the steps envisaged in the EUNEIZ development plan”. “After the first start-up phase, we are embarking on a new stage in which the aim is to achieve the goals that will enable us to make a qualitative leap forward as an academic institution with weight in the Basque Country and beyond”.

EUNEIZ President Jordi Roche thanked the former Rector, Lluís Vicent, for his work during these first two years, which “are always complex when a new project is launched”, and expressed his confidence in the new phase “because it will mark a before and after in the life of EUNEIZ”. “We are at a turning point where the institution is strengthening itself, while reaffirming its commitment to creating talent and transferring knowledge in order to contribute to the economic and social development of Alava and the Basque Country”, he stressed.

The President of the University of Vitoria-Gasteiz wanted to highlight Dr. Eva Eguiguren’s training and proven competence “in leadership, management and academic management, skills that will be vital to the university’s growth and consolidation”. Prior to her incorporation, she served as Head of Training at various institutions, as well as a lecturer at the San Pablo CEU University, after holding various management and academic management positions at Deusto Business School and Esade Business School.

For her part, the new rector underlined “the privilege of leading this dynamic and pioneering institution, integrating three key and interrelated disciplines necessary for training in the labour market of the 21st century”.
“We aspire to become a benchmark for knowledge and a driver of change for the progress of our territory. To this end, we work on the continuous improvement of alliances and agreements, both national and international, which benefit not only our students and teachers, but the entire ecosystem surrounding the university”, she concluded.

Euneiz Irratia, the university radio dedicated to creativity and knowledge, has concluded its first season with the launch of the final episodes of its four podcast programmes. These episodes, which are now available on the university’s Spotify channel, bring to a close an inaugural season full of learning, entertainment and reflection.

Euneiz Irratia has managed to capture the essence of modern university education with the launch of its first season of four exciting podcast programmes dedicated to health, video games and technological challenges: “Not everything is lettuce”, “Nerd on Air”, “Tech Travellers” and “Hangover in the Mushroom Kingdom”. “Each series, consisting of three episodes, has become a benchmark for creativity, knowledge and passion, highlighting the importance of a university radio dedicated to health and new interactive technologies”, says Norberto Bayo, director of the Bachelor’s Degree in Music and Sound Production for the Entertainment Industry and head of EUNEIZ Irratia.

At a pivotal moment in the university calendar, Euneiz Irratia is launching the latest episodes to coincide with the start of the ordinary exam period. “Aware of the intensity and stress that accompanies this period, university radio seeks to offer our university community the opportunity to take a well-deserved break between exams”, he says.

On its debut, “Not Everything is Lettuce” explored the relationship between health and movement. Students from the physiotherapy degree, together with guest lecturer Noe Labata, offered valuable advice and reflections on how to integrate exercise into our daily routine. This episode set a motivational and educational tone, stressing the importance of staying active for a healthy life. The second episode addressed a crucial topic: the impact of exercise on cancer prevention and treatment. With the participation of specialist Borja Gutiérrez, listeners gained an in-depth insight into how physical activity can be a powerful tool in the fight against this disease, making health accessible and understandable to all. Wrapping up the season, “Medicine for All” highlighted the importance of making medicine accessible to the community. Specialist Ibón Lopez discussed how medical information can be simplified and disseminated for the benefit of all, promoting better community health.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5blHju9JbkJ4n6pdsJ5bSo?si=75ZRVwa4Rx-XDtjTfrapqQ

 

The “Nerd on Air” programme began with an in-depth analysis of Hot Line Miami, a video game lauded for its storytelling and design. Students on the videogame art degree, together with professors Koldo Gutierrez and Carlos Díaz, unravelled the secrets behind their success, providing an enriching perspective on videogame development. The second episode focused on sound and graphic art in videogames. With contributions from specialists Arturo Monedero and Nerea Alberdi, this episode explored how these essential elements create immersive atmospheres and impressive visuals, underlining the importance of design in the player experience. Closing on a high note, “Spiderverse” took listeners on a journey through the Spider-Man universe, analysing its cultural, visual and narrative impact. This episode highlighted the ability of video games and animated films to capture the imagination and tell powerful stories.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mkf5COW3lbzLW44TQAxUI?si=cOHuz0C9T8a2Lijckl3Wmw

 

The ‘Tech Travellers’ podcast started its journey on a timely and highly relevant topic: artificial intelligence and gender bias. Cybersecurity students, joined by Rector Lluis Vicent, discussed how biases can affect technological development and the importance of creating inclusive and equitable AI. In the second episode, listeners were introduced to the fascinating world of quantum computing. This episode explained how this technology is revolutionising the computing landscape in an accessible way, highlighting its potential to transform a variety of fields. The season finale, “From Mitnick to Assange” offered a journey through the history of cybersecurity, exploring the key figures who have shaped the field. This episode provided a historical and contemporary perspective on the challenges and developments in digital security.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hXeIVgaGFROxfKTd8nrCS?si=ls25AxLiQTenXt_VY-AUDg

 

Finally, “Hangover in the Mushroom Kingdom” started with a dynamic and fun-filled opener. Students on the videogame development degree offered a preview of events and releases in the world of gaming, setting an energetic and exciting tone for the programme. The second episode took listeners on a romp through the world of video games. With a focus on the latest trends and events, the students offered a fun and insightful analysis, reflecting the vibrant gamer community. With guest speaker Sandra Samper, the final episode recapped the year’s highlights in gaming. This episode provided an entertaining and thoughtful overview, closing the season on a note of celebration and anticipation of what is to come.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3v7ZFq6h5kJuVjGlzjUWZ5?si=uoHe_HJnTNCBtGVKifItCw

 

Euneiz Irratia has become a beacon of innovation and knowledge in the university community. With programming ranging from health to new interactive technologies, these podcast programmes not only educate and entertain, but also foster a sense of community and belonging. “University radio remains an invaluable resource for students, teachers and listeners alike, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and the promotion of lifelong learning”, concludes Norberto Bayo.

The videogame accelerator campus, held for the last four years in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in its fifth edition becomes GAME.EUS, a firm commitment to the creation and retention of local talent and the promotion of this sector in the Basque Country. The new programme is the culmination of the four years of experience of the F2P Campus, now converted into an intensive five-week initiative, expanding the platforms and the business model to be developed among the participating teams and emphasising their Basque origin. With this new approach, the fifth edition of an already well-established campus begins, which from today until 16 June opens the period for the presentation of candidates, from which the five best proposals will be selected.

The initiative, promoted by the Provincial Government of Alava and the Basque Government under the direction of the EUNEIZ Foundation, and which has placed Alava and the Basque Country on the map of the videogame industry, redoubles its efforts with this new approach to turn this sector into a magnet for attracting talent and generating wealth in the Basque territory. The main objective of this programme is to prepare teams of developers from the Basque Country with a sufficiently advanced video game to take part in Gamescom, the largest and most important trade fair in the sector in Europe.

GAME.EUS stems from the need to support small teams of indie developers as a fundamental strategy to strengthen the videogame industry in the Basque Country. David Darnés, director of the programme, funded by the Provincial Government of Alava and the Department of Culture of the Basque Government, coordinated by BIC Araba and sponsored by the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council and EUNEIZ University, stresses that the priority is to create new industrial fabric through the professionalisation of small teams in order to obtain funding, promote their growth and generate employment. “The programme’s mission is to provide knowledge and resources to these micro-enterprises, which usually have only creative profiles, to improve their efficiency in terms of development and production, providing them with a business vision that allows them to maximise their business opportunities”, explains Darnés from the EUNEIZ Foundation.

The programme will include individual mentoring by national and international industry experts, mainly focused on business aspects, such as the elaboration of a Business Plan, the improvement of communication skills and the preparation of a good presentation. The campus will culminate with a Demo Day on 1 August, followed by the opportunity to showcase their work at Gamescom, where they will be able to make key contacts and explore new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The Councillor for Economic Development and Innovation, Saray Zarate, stated that “this campus is an initiative that is part of the Provincial Government’s firm commitment to consolidating a future industry such as videogames in Alava; a sector that combines creativity, technology and innovation and which is a clear opportunity to generate economic activity, employment and talent in the Territory”.

GAME.EUS will take place, for the third consecutive year, at EUNEIZ University in Vitoria-Gasteiz between 1st July and 1st August. During the five weeks of the programme, the teams will receive training and personalised advice with the aim of professionalising the production process of the teams, instilling a business mentality, helping them to obtain funding and/or publishing and encouraging the legal incorporation of videogame studios in the Basque Country.

For further information, interested parties can consult www.game.eus.

EUNEIZ University has decided to go one step further with its commitment to create a space for knowledge and the exchange of ideas that is open to everyone. As part of this commitment, EUNEIZ Irratia was created, a university initiative to share innovative ideas and educational content. “We want to generate debate and contribute our vision, that of the EUNEIZ community, which is made up of teachers and students, on issues that we believe are of interest to many citizens”, says the academic director of the Degree in Music and Sound Production and head of EUNEIZ Irratia, Norberto Bayo.

So, EUNEIZ Irratia is launching today with four podcasts dedicated to health, videogames and technological challenges. The programmes of this online radio station, ranging from science to art, offer a window into the world of education, entertainment and reflection. “It is a unique platform for students to share their passions and knowledge with the world”, insists the head of university radio. This first season will consist of three episodes of each of the podcasts, which will be released fortnightly on the university’s Spotify channel between May and June 2024.

In the inaugural episode of the podcast ‘’Not everything is lettuce‘’, Health and Movement, students from the Physiotherapy degree, together with guest lecturer Noe Labata, explore the intersection between health and movement, offering practical advice and inspirational reflections on how to stay fit and healthy.

In episode 1 of the “Nerd on Air” podcast, Hot Line Miami, videogame fans will enjoy an in-depth look at Hot Line Miami. Students of the degree in Videogame Art, with the expert reflection of guest lecturers Koldo Gutierrez Larrañaga and Carlos Díaz, unravel the mysteries and excitement of this acclaimed game.

In episode 1 of the “Tech Travelers” programme, AI and Gender Bias, students from the cybersecurity degree, with an interview with the university’s rector, offer a fascinating insight into the intersection between technology and society, addressing current issues such as Artificial Intelligence and gender bias.

Finally, the ‘Hangover in the Mushroom Kingdom’ podcast offers a ‘feast’ for videogame lovers in its first session ‘The Preview’. Students from the videogame design and development degree “introduce us to a teaser full of fun and anticipation, offering an exclusive look at what’s to come in the world of gaming”.

“These four episodes are now available on our Spotify channel, so we encourage everyone to tune in, discover and join the conversation on EUNEIZ Irratia”, concludes Norberto Bayo.

EUNEIZ University will open its campus in Vitoria-Gasteiz next September. Structured around two faculties – the New Interactive Technologies Faculty and the Health Sciences Faculty – EUNEIZ will offer four innovative degree courses with a total of 180 places in the 2022-2023 academic year. The Multimedia Degree, the Music Production and Sound for the Entertainment Industry Degree, the Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Degree and the Physiotherapy Degree are the qualifications with which EUNEIZ launches its university activity in the Basque Country.

 

These are four degrees offering state-of-the-art training, both in their content and academic approach as well as in their methodology. In fact, the last two degrees are pioneers in the Basque university offer.

 

With a strong commitment to train graduates who are able to offer solutions efficiently in a global and interconnected world, the University of New Technologies, Sport and Health presents a university model of interdisciplinary learning, highly personalised and focused on strategic and emerging sectors with greater professional projection. Located in a privileged environment next to the Green Belt of Vitoria-Gasteiz, EUNEIZ will offer innovative training supported by new technologies as a differentiating and cross-cutting element in its entire university offer.  The ‘learning by doing’ method, close collaboration with the business sector, the internationalisation of students and an excellence-based research strategy are the hallmarks of EUNEIZ.

 

The European University of New Technologies, Sport and Health is created with the involvement in the project of strategic partners, such as the two main sports clubs of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Saski Baskonia SAD and Deportivo Alavés). A participation with enormous added value, given that this implies the direct link between the university and the professional world, a flowing transfer of knowledge and a strategic commitment of applied research.