The Ramon Llull University
(URL) was founded on the 1st of March 1990 and proclaimed
by unanimous vote by the Parlament de Catalunya (Catalan
Regional Parliament) on the 10th of May 1991. It is
a private, non profit-making university providing a
public service. Its aim is to offer quality in training,
person-centred, to meet society's needs.
Its founding centres
are: the current Facultat de Filosofia (Faculty of Philosophy)
-which goes back to the last century-, the Institut
Quimic de Sarrià (Chemical Institute) -founded
in 1905-, the Fundació Blanquerna (Blanquerna
Foundation) -set up in 1948 as "Escola de Magisteri"
(Teacher Training College) and La Salle -which origin
goes back to 1903-.
The Ramon Llull University encompasses a series of federated
higher education centres with a long history in Catalonia
. These institutions, along with the Fundació
del Cercle d'Economia and personalities of catalan civil
society, under the chairmanship of Cardinal Narcís
Jubany, created the University on the 10th of October
1989.
In the years since it first opened its doors, the Ramon
Llull University has extended its activities and, at
present, comprise the following federated institutions:
the Chemical Institute, the Blanquerna Foundation, La
Salle Engineering and Architecture, the Faculty of Philosophy,
the Ebro Observatory, ESADE (Higher School of Business
Management and Administration), the Pere Tarrés
Faculty School of Social Education and Social Work,
the Vidal i Barraquer Mental Health Institute, the Borja
Bioethics Institute and the ESDi Higher School
of Design (as an affiliated centre).
The URL's federal structure
boosts the personality of its Centres and allows it
the high degree of agility, flexibility and adaptability.
It is a university option in tune with the demands of
an increasingly dynamic and demanding society. |
CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE URL
Teaching and
quality. Course contents, methods and techniques
of learning and teaching, small groups and close teacher-pupil
relationship are essential elements for encouraging
the personal and intellectual growth that necessarily
accompany a quality university training.
High-level
research. The Ramon Llull University makes
substantial contributions to the fields of thought,
culture, science and technological development, the
fruit of high-level research and co-operation with leading
institutions and companies.
Service to
society. From the training of professionals
required by society, complementing academic training
with in-service company training, taking special care
to help graduates find work via employment offices.
At the same time it encourages individual and collective
thought about the social context in which we live and
gives special emphasis to the value of solidarity.
International
projection. The Ramon Llull University is open
to a world which is becoming increasingly globalised,
at the same time going deeper into a knowledge of our
surrounding environment. It serves Catalan society and
is open to other cultures. Its relations and frequent
exchanges with prestigious Universities and institutions
around the world open the way to a great many possibilities
for joint co-operation.
Private initiative
and a social vocation. The Ramon Llull University
promotes quality higher education through private initiative.
At the same time it makes available various types of
grants and subsidies to its students.
A Christian
inspiration.. The URL promotes an overall formation
of the individual, based on a Christian concept of man,
life and the world, in the image of Ramon Llull and
his emblematic tree of science, which also simultaneously
evokes its corporate image.
BRIEF HISTORY
1864
Creation of the Faculty of Philosophy in Tortosa, later
moved to Sarrià and Sant Cugat del Vallès, the forerunner
of the Faculty of Philosophy.
1903
La Salle sets up technical studies in the specialities
of electrics, mechanics, and chemistry, precursors of
La Salle Engineering (first stage up to 1934).
1904
Foundation of the Ebro Observatory.
1905
Foundation of the Ebro Chemical Laboratory (moved to
Sarrià in 1915, from whence it took the name of Sarrià
Chemical Institute).
1916
Opening of the Sarrià Chemical Institute.
1932
Creation of the Social Workers' School, the first in
Spain. In 1979 it was integrated into the Catholic Institute
of Social Sciences of Barcelona (ICESB), and became
the University School of Social Work in 1983.
1948
Creation of the Teacher Training School of the Església
Sagrat Cor which was the predecessor of the Blanquerna
Teacher College.
1958
Creation of the ESADE Higher Business Management and
Administration School.
1964
La Salle goes back to university teaching by setting
up a technical school in electronics which gave rise
to La Salle Engineering (start of the second stage).
1965
Official recognition of the IQS as a Non-State Centre
for Higher Technical Studies.
1971
Merging of the Sagrat Cor Teacher Training School with
the Sant Joan of La Salle Teacher Training College.
In 1972 the Sant Joan Bosco Teacher Training College
was incorporated. In 1974 Sagrat Cor Teacher Training
School adopted the name Blanquerna.
1975
Foundation of Borja Institute of Bioethics, at the iniciative
of its current president, Dr.Francesc Abel SJ.
1988
The new Faculty of Philosophy was set up.
1989
Creation of the Textile and Dressmaking Higher Design
School in Sabadell. In 1992 it became the ESDI Higher
Design School and became an associated centre of the
Ramon Llull University.
1990
Creation of the Ramon Llull University
1991
Approval of the University by the Parliament of Catalonia.
Creation of the IQS Faculty of Economics.
Creation of the Blanquerna Faculty of Psychology and
Teaching.
Integration of the Ebro Observatory University Institute
to the URL.
1992
Creation of the Blanquerna University School of Nursing
and Physiotherapy.
Creation of the Social Education section at the Blanquerna
Faculty of Psychology and Teaching, managed by the Pere
Tarrés Foundation.
1993
Integration of the ESADE Foundation into the Ramon Llull
University Board.
1994
Creation of the ESADE Faculty of Law.
Creation of the Blanquerna Faculty of Communication.
1995
Integration of the Higher School of Business Management
and Administration ESADE.
1996
Integration of the ICESB University School of Social
Work to the Ramon Llull University.
Creation of studies of business sciences of the IQS
Faculty of Economics with the contribution of the EMI
Foundation.
Creation of the Blanquerna Faculty of Psychology and
Educational Sciences through the merger of the Blanquerna
University School of Teachers and the Blanquerna Faculty
of Psychology and Teaching.
1997
Creation of the Blanquerna University School of Labour
Relations.
Creation of the La Salle Higher Technical School of
Architecture.
Creation of the Sant Ignasi ESADE University School
of Tourism.
1998
Creation of the Pere Tarrés University School of Social
Education as a development of the section on Social
Education.
1999
Setting up of the Nou Can Caralleu sports campus, co-managed
by the URL, the Claror Foundation and the Centre Excursionista
de Catalunya.
2000
Integration of the Vidal i Barraquer Mental Health University
Institute and the Borja Institute of Bioethics.
Opening of the new premises of the Rectory and its board.
Setting up of the Lesseps University Hall of Residence
managed by RESA.
2001
Change of ownership of the ICESB University School of
Social Work which became managed by the Pere Tarrés
Foundation.
2002
Opening of the Blanquerna University School of Nursing
and Physioterapy.
2003
Opening of La Salle Tecnological Innovation Park.
2005
Opening of the new building of Pere Tarrés University
Schools of Social Work and Social Education.
2006
URL is the first catalan university and the second in
Spain that takes part of the European Credit Transfer
System Label (ECTS) and the Suplement Label ECTS and
DS from the European Comission. Official masters and
postgraduate programs start under the academic structure
of the European Higher Education Area.
2007
URL integrates all ESADE's masters and MBA programs
in Business Administration.
2009
In January the Government of Catalonia recognizes the
affiliation to the Ramon Llull University of the ESDi
Higher School of Design, under the ownership of the
Foundation for the Design Textile, and becomes the first
school in Spain in offering university official studies
of degree in Design.
From 23th of December the Blanquerna School of Nursing,
Physiotherapy and Nutrition becomes officialy the Blanquerna
Faculty of Health Sciences.
2010
From 14th of January Pere Tarrés University Schools
of Social Work and Social Education becomes officialy
the Pere Tarrés Faculty of Social Education and
Social Work.
RAMON LLULL: LIFE AND WORKS
 Ramon
Llull was the son of one of the military leaders who
reconquered Mallorca from the Moslems. He was born in
Palma, Mallorca. He entered the service of King James
I of Aragon, was appointed grand senechal, was educated
according to the rules and the knowledges of a real
gentleman and in 1257 married Blanca Picany.
Despite his marriage and two children, he led a dissolute
life, but changed his lifestyle in 1263 when he had
a vision of Christ while writing to a woman with whom
he was having an affair, followed by five more visions.
Inspired by this extraordinary passion, he began his
mission to convert other peoples (Jews and specially
Moslems) to the Christian faith).
After pilgrimages to Compostela and Rocamadour, he became
a Franciscan tertiary, gave the rest of his wealth to
the poor, and determined to devote the rest of his life
to converting the Mohammedans. He spent the next nine
years learning all he could of Moslem philosophy, religion,
and culture, and learning Arabic. He founded the Trinity
College on Mallorca in 1276 to put into effect his idea
of a missionary school, visited Rome in 1277 to enlist
the Pope's support, went to Paris in 1286 and in 1290
joined the Friars Minor at Genoa.
After a serious illness, he went to Tunis in 1292, began
preaching, but was almost immediately forcibly deported
by the Moors. Further appeals to Popes Boniface VIII
and Clement V for aid in his mission to the Mohammedans
were fruitless, as was a visit to Cyprus. After lecturing
at Paris on Arabic metaphysics for a time, he was successful
in getting to Bougie in Barbary in 1306 but was again
imprisoned and deported. He continued his appeals for
aid to the Pope and to the Council Vienne in 1311 but
with no success, resumed lecturing at Paris, and again
return to Bougie in 1315. This time he was stoned and
left for dead but was rescued by the Genoese sailors
and died on board ship near Majorca on September 29th.
Ramon Llull's literary activity was inspired in his
missionary purposes and in the educational efforts,
both subject that were reflected in a work with more
than 270 treatises (many in Arabic) on philosophy, music,
navigation, law, astronomy, mathematics and theology.
He also wrote mystical poetry of the highest order and
is considered the forerunner of Teresa of Avila and
John of the Cross; "Blanquerna" is the first novel written
in Catalan. His cult was confirmed in 1858 by Pope Pius
IX. His feast day is June 30th.
Ramon Llull's style achieved a place of honour in the
history of medieval Spanish literature. His principles
were spread with a great influence by his followers
-known as "lulistas"-, the universities of
Barcelona and Valencia founded various chairs in order
to disseminate the "Doctor Illuminatus"'s
doctrines and in 1901 the "Luliana Magazine"
came out in Barcelona, a publication dedicated to the
spreading Ramon Llull's philosophy.
Web of interest on Ramon Llull
The Ramon Llull Database is a bibliographical electronic
instrument conceived to put in order, systematize and
to facilitate the exhaustive consult of all the information
concerning to the "opus luliano" or "pseudo-luliano".
It has been created by Anthony Bonner and developed
in the Departament of Catalan Philology and in the Library
of the University of Barcelona, by a team of collaborators
with the participation of several institutions.
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