Salamanca university
The University of Salamanca is the oldest in Spain, and few years younger to those of Bologna and Paris. Its origin dates to 1218, on which Alfonso IX founded the General Study. In its first centuries of existence obtained prestige throughout the world, elbowing itself with the universities of Paris, Oxford or Cambridge. An example about its importance is the famous phrase that has its origins in this institution: "Quod natura non dat Salmantica non praestat" ("what nature does not give, Salamanca does not lend").
In addition, Salamanca was the university model that took Hispanic America at the colonization time. The university was the one in charge to promote and to maintain the name of Salamanca. Even nowadays, it is the university, with its numerous students who inhabit it, which maintains the spirit of the city. For that, this temple of the knowledge is another reason to contract Spanish courses in Salamanca.
The institution enjoys special prestige in humanist studies and, outside spanish borders, their international summer courses attract multitudes of foreigners, who contribute as a great source of wealth for the city.
University of Salamanca is outstanding by its importance in the world of Spanish Literature: Fray Luis de Leon, Elio Antonio de Nebrija, Francisco de Vitoria, Miguel de Cervantes, San Juan de la Cruz, Miguel de Unamuno or Gonzalo Torrente Ballester studied or worked there. During almost eight centuries, University of Salamanca has taught Spanish to promote the cultural and economic interests of Spain. This will be more and more important in the new millenium. In a global economy interconnected thanks to Internet, Spanish courses in Salamanca will become more necessary to develop.
