Frederik Verbeke

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Philology and History at the Faculty of Arts, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). I hold a PhD in Comparative Literature (cum laude) from UPV/EHU and a degree in "Language and Literature: Romance Languages" from Ghent University (Belgium). My academic path integrates teaching, research, academic management, and international collaboration. My research focuses on comparative literature, translation studies, imagology, and the dynamics between minoritized literatures. In recent years, I have increasingly explored ecocriticism as a potential driver of a paradigm shift in literary studies. I have carried out research stays at prestigious institutions such as CETRA (KU Leuven), Université Paris III – Sorbonne Nouvelle, and IKER (CNRS/UPPA/UBM), and I regularly share my work in international conferences and as an invited speaker at various European universities. I currently contribute to the IBERMAGIC21 project, which examines 21st-century Iberian magical realism from a comparative and cognitive perspective. Since 2016, I have been teaching courses in the French Philology undergraduate program and the Master’s in Comparative Literature and Literary Studies. I incorporate active and student-centered methodologies and lead Erasmus+ initiatives such as the Blended Intensive Programme “Connecting Cultures”, recognized as a best practice in teaching innovation and internationalization by the ENLIGHT alliance. I am also an active member of the ENLIGHT Thematic Network (ETN): Linguistic Equity in Multilingual Regions (LEMuR), where I collaborate with colleagues across Europe to understand - and ultimately transform - how historical language regimes shape present-day opportunities for minoritised speakers, across both indigenous/historically minoritised communities and migrant communities. I am also a member of the CBE i3lab Living Lab, focused on Challenge Based Education, fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary learning experiences that respond to real-world challenges. My background also includes professional experience as a translator and journalist at EITB, and I have held key academic management roles, including undergraduate and master’s program coordination and my current position as Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at the Faculty of Arts. Deeply committed to the transformative potential of the humanities, I strive to bridge critical research, engaged pedagogy, and international cooperation to meet today’s cultural and educational challenges.