Agustín Azkarate Garai-Olaun, an emeritus professor in the Archaeology department at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), will be honored with the 2025 Euskadi Research Award. This award recognizes scientific careers and contributions of particular significance to Euskadi.
The jury, composed of four distinguished figures in Social Sciences and Humanities, unanimously decided to grant the award to Azkarate for his research trajectory. His personal involvement in establishing stable research groups and structures at UPV/EHU has been crucial in elevating Basque archaeology studies to an unprecedented level of development and projection.
Azkarate's commitment to the university and to Euskadi has been unwavering throughout his academic career, marked by significant international reach, evident in the recognition of his scientific work and the academic and institutional alliances he has fostered and consolidated.
The Minister of Science, Universities, and Innovation, Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, informed the laureate by phone. The Department of Science, Universities, and Innovation annually convenes the Euskadi Research Award. In odd-numbered years, like 2025, the award is for Social Sciences and Humanities, while in even-numbered years, it recognizes work in Science and Technology.
Azkarate, born in Elorrio (1953), has been a professor of Archaeology at UPV/EHU since 1999, with over four decades dedicated to teaching and research at Basque universities. His academic journey, beginning with a doctoral thesis on Christian archaeology in the Basque Country (1987), was enhanced by numerous international research stays, particularly in France, Italy, and various countries in the Americas.
He has contributed nearly 300 scientific works and is known for building strong teams, promoting research structures, securing competitive funding, and advocating for the social and axiological dimension of scientific knowledge. In the 1990s, he was a pioneer in forming multidisciplinary research groups, and from 2010 to 2023, he directed the GPAC group: Innovation in Heritage and Cultural Landscapes.
In the field of Archaeology of Architecture, Professor Azkarate is considered a leading international figure. He has played a key role in establishing this discipline in Spain and has developed theoretical and applied reflections on the heritage management of buildings, historical sites, and cultural landscapes. He has also advanced knowledge on early medieval Vasconia, Basque presence in America, and colonial archaeology in the Southern Cone.
In addition to his excellent scientific work, the jury recognized his solid research career and significant contributions to the Archaeology of Architecture, highlighting his interventions in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, especially at the Cathedral of Santa María. He has led interdisciplinary teams and demonstrated a strong ability to secure resources through competitive projects, resulting in important publications and the establishment of an original and efficient methodology.
Concurrently, he has conducted archaeological research on the pre-colonial and colonial past in America, notably the discovery and study of Basque and indigenous settlements in Argentina and Canada. His research has had a profound impact on Euskadi, particularly in the conservation and valorization of Basque cultural heritage.
