Yesterday the 35th edition of the Summer Courses of UNED Denia, Xàbia and Benidorm. These courses have been gaining academic relevance and prestige in the educational offer of the summer season in the regions of the Marina Alta and down.
For the 2024 edition, nine courses have been planned that will take place at the locations of Dénia (5), Xàbia (1), Benidorm (1), as well as at the Alicante Penitentiary Center and the Fontnivel Penitentiary Psychiatric Hospital.
The presentation included the participation of Raquel Martí, director of UNED Dénia; Vicent Grimalt, mayor of Dénia; and Valentin Alcala, Sports Councilor. These courses, which have become a reference at the national level during the last thirty-five years and in Dénia for forty-four years, were described by the secretary of UNED Dénia, Jose Monserrat. He explained how the city and the Marina Alta were pioneers in offering these courses since 1981, starting with courses for foreigners that later became official as Summer Courses.
Vicent Grimalt highlighted the renown acquired by the UNED Summer Courses, placing Dénia as an academic and tourist reference during the summer season.
Raquel Martí thanked the collaboration of municipalities who are part of the Governing Board of UNED Dénia, Xàbia and Benidorm. In addition, he highlighted that the courses address topics from the perspective of gender equality, aligning with the Center's Equality Chair, whose main objective is to eradicate gender violence.
Starting today, June 19, the Alicante Penitentiary Psychiatric Hospital (FontCalent) hosts the course "Psychological 'normality' and its deviations: an exploration of the variability of human behavior" (until June 21, in person). Subsequently, at the Alicante-Compliance Penitentiary Center, the course "Compliance with sentences and alternative measures and supervised release" will be taught (from July 1 to 3, in person).
Between the featured courses, there is one dedicated to Sport, which will be held at the Casa de la Paraula of the Maritime station from Balearia. It will begin on Thursday, June 27 in the morning and, according to Valentín Alcalá, it will address four thematic areas: Didactics, Training Theory, Physical Preparation, Sports Measurement and Psychology, and Management and Direction of Sports Entities. This course will offer an overview of the world of sport from various perspectives, with debates, discussions and specialized experts.
Vicent Ahuir, municipal technician of the Sports area of the Dénia City Council, highlighted the relevance of this course due to the quality of the speakers who will travel from all over the Valencian Community to share their experiences.
Samantha Agulles, university extension coordinator at UNED Dénia, gave a brief tour of the courses and their themes. The course "Literature and mental health: socio-emotional well-being, gender and eco-anxiety" (July 3 to 5, online or in person) aims to objective to create a space for exhibition and discussion about the key role of literature in activating emotional and mental processes that improve the well-being of individuals.
The other three courses that will be taught in Dénia are «Psychology of Music» (July 15 to 17, in person); «Greece and Rome in opera librettos» (July 17 to 19, in person); and "Suicide in Classical Antiquity» (from September 18 to 20, online or in person).
The course "Culture and media as agents of change in the face of gender violence" will be held at the UNED Xàbia headquarters (from July 10 to 12, online or in person), which will analyze the representation of gender violence from various cultural areas and communicative to propose good practices.
Finally, at UNED Benidorm the course «Disinformation and digital literacy» (July 3 to 5, online or in person), where experts will analyze citizen vulnerability to the transformation of the information ecosystem and the proliferation of misinformation.
These Summer Courses are renewed annually to adapt to the changing needs of society, promoting values of social justice, equality and quality in an open and public university like UNED, which seeks to bring knowledge to all corners of society.
