Academic and institutional events

The Miguel de Cervantes Spanish Language Literature Prize is the award for the creative work of Spanish and Latin American writers whose work has contributed to significantly enriching literary heritage in the Spanish language. It is presented in the Paranymph of the University of Alcalá on 23 April every year.

The Institution of the Ombudsman and the University of Alcalá, with the support of His Majesty the King, instituted the King of Spain Human Rights Prize in 2002. This Prize is awarded every two years and has a financial endowment of 25,000 €.

This Prize was established to give fresh impetus to collaboration between the University and social institutions, seeking greater and improved links between the University and the scientific, economic, professional and cultural fields, considering this collaboration in terms of knowledge transfer from the University to Society, involving outstanding innovation and the pursuit of excellence.

The Doctorate Honoris Causa is the highest academic distinction that the University of Alcalá can award to an individual for their extraordinary merits of academic, scientific, cultural, social or technical nature. The award is made after a proposal from the Departments and approved by the Senate.

During these ceremonies, the students on each course, accompanied by the faculty of teaching staff and their families, are presented by the President with the diploma certifying that they have successfully completed their studies and thus obtained their degree.

The calendar of the University of Alcalá includes academic events throughout the year. It starts with the inauguration ceremony of the academic year, in which a delegation of University lecturers, dressed in the academic costume of their Faculty, walk along the traditional route from the Cathedral to the Paranymph, following the tradition dating back to the first day of its history.