The Universidad de Granada on 5 October 2026, at its Consejo de Gobierno decided to award the Medalla de Oro to the cities of Granada, Ceuta and Melilla . The Gold Medal is the highest honour under the university’s regulations for awards. The governing body is recognising the close historical ties with the three locations and the cities’ lasting contribution to the university’s academic, scientific, cultural and social development.
Rector Pedro Mercado explained the move by pointing to the growing partnership between the university and the cities. The university sees itself as an institution with three campuses and relies heavily on the support and involvement of Granada, Ceuta and Melilla in teaching, research and knowledge transfer. The Medalla de Oro is intended to make this bond visible and recognise the cities’ role as supporters and partners of the university. The decision is based on the view that the three cities have made a decisive contribution to the institution’s direction and performance at different stages of its history.
The Universidad de Granada has, in addition to its main site in Granada, had a presence for decades at the Campus de Ceuta and the Campus de Melilla . It offers its own degree courses there, as well as joint research and cultural projects that are regularly coordinated between the campuses. The university recently expanded its presence at the two sites and opened the 2026–2027 academic year in Melilla at the end of September. In Ceuta, too, programmes and facilities have been strengthened in recent years to meet regional needs in education and research.
Formally, this is an honorary award from the university, with no announced legal or financial consequences. According to the university, symbolic recognition is the priority. Sources in Ceuta and Melilla’s municipal administrations have expressed appreciation, emphasising that the university’s decision underlines the equal standing of the three campuses within Spain’s higher education system. The available statements do not point to any further commitments or specific pledges concerning new investment or study places.
The fact is that the Consejo de Gobierno adopted the decision on 5 October 2026. The Rectorate’s explanations are positions attributed to the university. The practical consequences the award may have for future projects between Granada, Ceuta and Melilla remain unclear.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).