Linking university knowledge on the Camino
The project Linking university knowledge on the Camino promotes the heritage legacy of the Camino de Santiago in the international sphere and brings university research in the scientific-technological sector closer to the communities of the Galician town councils, located along this pilgrimage route.
This project was held on 18-25 October 2019 in Santiago de Compostela and 17 Galician municipalities. Rectors, professors, students and services staff of the Galician universities and three-member universities of the Compostela Group of Universities participated.
Linking university knowledge on the Camino is a reflection of the work that the network has been developing over the last 25 years to build bridges between Higher Education and the Camino de Santiago.

Objectives
The main objectives of this project are the university exchange of scientific-technological knowledge, the promotion of creativity, joint work and the strengthening of links and networks between participants and their universities.
Likewise the promotion of the Camino de Santiago in the academic-university environment and its link with the dissemination, outside the classroom, of scientific-technological knowledge.
It also seeks to further the Camino de Santiago as a universal classroom and space for cultural exchange between participants, pilgrims and the local population.

Organisation



Structure of the project Linking university knowledge on the Camino
The academic activities were carried out in the municipalities located along the Camino de Santiago. The main activities were the following: discussions, mentoring sessions, non-formal informative sessions and exchange of experiences.
During this first stage, the students worked on the development of prototypes and technological projects, with the collaboration of their professors and university administrative staff.


Students will have the opportunity to share with the attendees their experience on the Camino de Santiago and the knowledge acquired during the walk.
In addition, they presented the projects and technological prototypes developed in the first phase. The outstanding projects and prototypes will receive a distinction.
Programme final academic meeting Linking University knowledge on the Camino (available in Spanish)


Initiatives Linking university knowledge on the Camino
University initiative on the elderly, mobility, rural areas and pilgrims
UN BUEN CAMINO
The initiative Un Buen Camino, developed by a group of students and a professor from the University of Monterrey (Mexico), seeks to generate a non-invasive communication link between the pilgrim and the inhabitants of the communities. A link that will be created through technological tools that contribute to an improvement in mobility issues, citizen participation and pilgrim experience.
This project was recognized as the best in this category and the members of the working group received 200 euros.
Members of the working group: Vicente Montemayor, Yulyeed Avila, Angela Lopez, Sergio Caldera and Ana Lucia Farias.
Professor: Juan José Martínez.
Presentation Un Buen Camino (available in Spanish)

HACIENDO CAMINO EN EL SIGLO XXI
Haciendo Camino en el siglo XXI is an initiative, conceived by a group of students and a professor of Geography at the University of Oviedo (Spain), through the design of a local development project. The analysis concludes with the establishment of a future territorial model, which seeks social and spatial cohesion by improving habitability, the relationship between neighbours and pilgrims and the landscape. Thus, it proposes specific measures adapted to this territory based on four axes: mobility and road safety, integration, heritage preservation and dissemination-pedagogy.
Members of the working group: Adrián Pérez Sánchez, Alfonso González Fernández, Andrea Conca Castell, Benjamín González Díaz, Eduardo Cuervo Santa-Marina, Irene Muñiz Rodríguez and Javier Fernández Hevia.
Professor: Salvador Beato Bergua.
Presentation Haciendo Camino en el siglo XXI (available in Spanish)

UNIVERSITY OF MINHO
The initiative of the University of Minho proposes the creation of an app to connect pilgrims to the services offered by local communities. In addition to sharing the experience with the elderly, who could introduce pilgrims the cultural heritage of their communities.
Members of the working group: Bruno Lopes, Joao Almeida, Rafael Ramirez, Sofia Campos, Vimbai Pachawo and Acácio Costa.
Professors: Ana Rocha, Senhorinha Teixeira, Lino Costa y Paulo Afonso
Presentation Universidade do Minho

Interdisciplinary and inter-university initiative on sustainable development goals and the technological Camino
CAMINO DE SANTIAGO NETWORK
The initiative Camino de Santiago network proposes the creation of a network of intermediate points of assistance (PIA) and a digital register for locals, pilgrims and volunteers. The PIA network would provide ongoing support for pilgrims, while the digital credential would provide up-to-date information, store stamps digitally, access to personalised services and build a network of volunteerism and trust between pilgrims and local inhabitants, especially for women and the elderly.
This project was recognized as the best in this category and the members of the working group received 200 euros.
Members of the working group: Adrián Pérez Sánchez, Rafael Ramírez Eudave, Yulyeed Avila, Vicente Montemayor and Vimbai Pachawo.
Professor: Salvador Beato Bergua.
Presentation Red del Camino de Santiago (available in Spanish)

THE USE OF WATER AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES IN THE CAMINO
The initiative The use of water and renewable energies in the Camino es una propuesta para promover el consumo responsable de agua en el ámbito del consumo personal y comunitario en la ruta de peregrinación.
Members of the working group: Sergio Caldera Arroyo, Javier Fernández Hevia, Irene Muñiz Rodríguez, Bruno Novais Lopes, Angela Lopez Carrillo and Joao Manuel Ferraz Maciel Pinto de Almeida.
Professor: Senhorinha de Fatima Teixeira.
Presentation El uso del agua y las energías renovables en El Camino (available in Spanish)

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES IN THE CAMINO
Sustainable communities in the Camino is an initiative that advocates for the creation of population centres tending towards energy sufficiency. To this end, it proposes biomass as a tool to promote the cleanliness of the mountains, improve the quality of the landscape and fix the population in rural areas.
Members of the working group: Acácio Rui dos Santos Costa, Benjamín González Díaz, Eduardo Cuervo Santa-Marina and Ana Lucia Farias.
Professor: Juan José Martínez.
Presentación Sustainable communities in the Camino (available in Spanish)

Collaborators and supporters
This project is co-financed by the Xunta de Galicia, under the programme O Teu Xacobeo.
Besides, it is supported by Ayuntamiento de Mos and the Federación Gallega de Municipios y Provincias (FEGAMP).
Photos
All the photographs of the event are available on the Google photos album of the Linking university knowledge on the Camino project.