The 31st edition of the University of Summer in Adeje (UVA) registered a high level of satisfaction among both students and faculty. This year, a total of 369 people took part in a course or workshop and many took part in a satisfaction and quality survey. Overall, 68.7% of those surveyed rated the summer courses with the top score.
Isabel Karely León Pérez, the UUL Culture Vice-Chancellor and Adeje Councillor for Culture and Education, Adolfo Alonso Ferrera, said the teamwork and synergy between the council and the university were crucial for the success of these courses.
The courses this year covered various fields such as health and wellbeing, natural and cultural heritage, sports, literature, mental health, equality, music, performing arts, podcast creation, entrepreneurship, public speaking, and sign language, among others. Additionally there were numerous complementary activities featuring Alex Roca, Mari Carme Maza, Jesús Cintora, and Faustino Afonso.
The majority of those surveyed were attending a summer university for the first time; the most cited reason for attending was personal interest (76.5%), followed by professional reasons (48.7%). Regarding the seminar content, 97.4% considered the depth of the topics appropriate, and 84.3% felt there was a good balance between theory and practice.
The ratings were even higher when participants were asked about the specific course they attended. In this case, 79.1% gave the UVA the highest score, and 18.3% awarded it the second highest score.
Regarding the student profile, the majority (73.9%) were female, with the largest age group being between 41 and 55 years old (30.4%), followed by 18-24 (28.7%) and 25-40 (24.3%). Most attendees had a university education (69%) and secondary or higher vocational education (27.6%).
A significant portion of the students (22.4%) live in Adeje, 17.2% in Arona, and 16.4% in La Laguna, highlighting the importance of the summer courses to the south of Tenerife. This also aligns with one of the founding principles of the University of Summer, i.e. to bring third level learning opportunities closer to the residents of this part of the island while also attracting students from other parts of the Canaries.
One of the most notable activities was the first edition of the UVA Awards, which recognised the work of professors, the rector, and those who initiated the very first UVA courses.
