With the intention of influencing language habits, the heads of the four universities of the territory and the deputy general of Gipuzkoa, Markel Olano, have signed today a commitment to influence the motivation in favor of the Basque language among the student body. The University of the Basque Country / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), the University of Deusto, Mondragon Unibertsitatea (MU) and Tecnun - School of Engineering of the University of Navarra will organize together with the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa participatory meetings in which they will reflect and discuss experiences related to the Basque language.

This was agreed today at the ceremony of signature byMarkel Olano, Deputy General of Gipuzkoa; Agustin Erkizia, Vice President of campus of Gipuzkoa of the UPV/EHU; Josean Rodríguez Ranz, Vice President of the University of Deusto; Raúl Antón, director of Tecnun, and Vicente Atxa, President of MU.

Certainly, motivation is closely related to language learning and, especially, to language use. For this reason, it is essential to focus on motivation when learning a language language , but it is also necessary to provide arguments for using Basque, offer strategies for managing situations that occur in the use of languages, disseminate good practices that are developed with respect to language management, socialize some basic ideas on sociolinguistics, organize workshops that facilitate the leap between knowledge and the use of a language language, work on leadership in the field of language standardization, etc., all of these values will be cultivated by the four universities and the Provincial Council through jointly organized events.

According to the agreement, the program will have a specific topic or content for each course, which will have to be addressed in a coordinated manner by the universities in the respective sectorial events under their responsibility. In recent years, both the UPV/EHU and the University of Deusto and MU have already organized events of this subject together with the Provincial Council in the framework of the Ika Mizka initiative. With the signature of today's agreement, Tecnun-University of Navarra adheres to these dynamics.

According to the deputy general of Gipuzkoa Markel Olano, "the language is a choice, and this linguistic choice is largely based on personal motivations". "Being able to influence these motivations is interesting and enriching at any age, but it is especially so in youth, because that is where many of the attitudes of adulthood are established, especially linguistic ones. Now that it is so important to promote the use of the Basque language, it is very positive to be able to have an impact on motivations", he added, highlighting the contribution that the collaboration they have undertaken today will make in this sense.