Address: Avenida de los Castros, 42, 39005 Santander, Cantabria, Spain
Specialized Postgraduate Studies, Summer Courses
The Menéndez Pelayo International University, usually called UIMP, is based in Santander and began as the Universidad Internacional de Verano de Santander, created in 1932 with its seat in the Palacio de la Magdalena. The palace had been taken over by the Spanish royal family in 1913. Ramón Menéndez Pidal served as rector and Pedro Salinas as secretary general, and the programme combined summer courses on current topics, Spanish language and literature courses for foreigners and medical courses at Valdecilla until the Civil War interrupted it.
A decree of November 1945 created the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo in Santander, and the main seat returned to the Palacio de la Magdalena in the summer of 1949. The Las Llamas campus was built later for lodging and teaching, and new statutes in 2002 made UIMP an autonomous body within the Spanish central state administration. Carlos Andradas Heranz was appointed rector in 2021.
The offer is organised as summer courses and advanced courses, together with Spanish language and culture programmes for foreign students. Activity is not limited to Santander: the university also holds courses in places such as Barcelona, Cuenca, Sevilla, Tenerife and Valencia.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Food Science, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Diploma, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Collaborates extensively with other Spanish universities, CSIC, and international institutions to offer joint postgraduate programs and specialized courses.
Research:
Research activities are linked to its specific Master’s and Doctoral programs, often interdisciplinary and in partnership with other research bodies.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
150
Current students***:
1000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
5000
Pros
Renowned for high-level specialized courses and summer schools featuring prominent national and international experts. Offers unique inter-institutional Master’s and PhDs.
Cons
Focus is on postgraduate and specialized short courses, not comprehensive undergraduate engineering/science programs.
Best For
Students seeking specialized Master’s, doctoral programs, or high-level short courses, often interdisciplinary and with prestigious collaborators.
Pompeu Fabra University is a public university in Barcelona with health and life sciences, economics and business, and political and social sciences.
University of Seville, public and located in Seville, covers literature and philology, geography and history, and health sciences; the Santander institution also has a seat in Sevilla.
Complutense University of Madrid is a public university in Madrid offering medicine, sciences, fine arts, communication and law.
University of Valencia is public and covers medicine, sciences, law, economics and philosophy; Valencia is also one of the cities where courses of the Santander institution take place.
University of Granada, a public university in Granada, spans sciences, health sciences, pharmacy, law and philosophy and letters.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, is an advanced-studies school working in theoretical particle physics and condensed matter.
Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia, also in Italy, is listed for neuroscience and cognitive science and biomedical fields.
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Kanagawa, Japan, concentrates on particle and nuclear physics and fusion science.
IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands specialises in water management and environmental science.
Birkbeck, University of London in the United Kingdom offers arts and humanities, social sciences and law.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was UIMP founded?
Its origin is the Universidad Internacional de Verano de Santander, created in 1932 in the Palacio de la Magdalena. A decree of November 1945 then created the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo after activity had been interrupted by the Civil War.
Which buildings does UIMP use in Santander?
The Palacio de la Magdalena, which the Spanish royal family had taken over in 1913, became the main seat again in the summer of 1949. The Las Llamas campus was added later for lodging and teaching.
Is UIMP a state institution?
Yes, new statutes in 2002 made it an autonomous body within the Spanish central state administration.
What kind of courses does UIMP offer?
Its programme is built around summer courses and advanced courses, plus Spanish language and culture courses for foreigners. The tradition of summer and language teaching goes back to the 1930s.
Does UIMP teach outside Santander?
Yes, courses are also organised in other cities, including Barcelona, Cuenca, Sevilla, Tenerife and Valencia.
Who led UIMP in its early years?
Ramón Menéndez Pidal was the rector of the 1932 summer university, with Pedro Salinas as secretary general. After the 1945 decree, Ciriaco Pérez Bustamante became the first rector of the new university.
Where can current course information be found?
The university's own website carries the calendar of summer and advanced courses and the enrolment information. Dates and conditions change each year, so the official pages are the reference.
Innovation, Quality Management, Research and Development, Sustainability
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
Innovation.world is not affiliated with this school/university. We recommend to contact them directly on their website for any special request.
To complete or correct any information here or share your opinion, please comment below or > send us a direct message <.
