Spanish culture the focus for new collaboration

Spanish language, literature and culture is at the heart of a new international partnership between Spain’s Cervantes Institute and the University of Edinburgh.

A programme of public events throughout the year will focus on poetry, literature, music, photography, dance, cultural links between Spanish-speaking countries and Scotland.

The programme will also offer teacher training and certification.

Cervantes Institute

The Cervantes Institute is the official Spanish Language and Cultural centre. It is a non-profit organisation founded by the Spanish Government in 1991.

Its mission is to promote and support the teaching, study and use of Spanish abroad, as well as to promote Spanish and Hispanic cultures more generally.   

The Cervantes Institute has four other locations in the UK and Ireland, and 92 centres across four continents and in 47 countries. This will be the first centre in Scotland.  

Cervantes Chair

The Cervantes Institute will be hosted at the University of Edinburgh. The partnership has created a global first through the creation of a Cátedra Cervantes/Cervantes Chair.

This position will be held by Alexis Grohmann, Professor of Contemporary Spanish Literature at the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.

Celebration

An inauguration ceremony was attended by Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson; the Academic Director of the Instituto Cervantes, Carmen Pastor; Consul General of Spain in Edinburgh, Ignacio Cartagena; Cervantes Chair, Alexis Grohmann; and Director of the Instituto Cervantes Luis García Montero.

This collaboration is not just for the University, it's not just for the city, it's for Scotland.

We are delighted to have been selected as the partner for the Cervantes Institute in Scotland and proud to host the world’s first ever Cervantes Chair here at the University. It means more opportunities for communities across Scotland to engage with and connect with Spanish language, literature and culture and deepen our existing connections and partnerships between Scotland and Spain.

Related links

Spanish Language Courses at the University of Edinburgh 

Cervantes Institute partnership