Consolidating and expanding the international Catalan studies community, broadening its geographical reach and promoting academic research are just some of the future objectives of the Language and Universities Area of the Institut Ramon Llull (IRL), which this year celebrates the 40th International Conference for Teachers of Catalan.
From 14 to 17 July, 80 teachers of Catalan from 25 countries meet at the University of Barcelona to reflect on and discuss teaching activities and learning strategies for Catalan as a foreign language. According to Anna Guitart, Director of the Ramon Llull Institute, “This anniversary recognizes the immensely important work that began in the 1980s to teach Catalan at universities outside the Catalan-speaking territories. Since taking over responsibility for this area in 2002, it has been one of the Institut Ramon Llull’s core missions and priorities“. She added, “The teaching of Catalan at universities around the world gives the language and culture a global presence, promotes their visibility and supports their growth. None of this would be possible without the dedication, commitment, care and devotion of teachers, which we at the institute see renewed each year with great satisfaction and gratitude“.
The Xarxa Llull, a network of Catalan studies lecturers abroad, of which these teachers form part, is a key tool for promoting Catalan language and culture and includes 130 universities across 30 countries, 93 of which receive funding from the IRL.
Since 2025, the conference has included a central theme that allows for in-depth exploration of key issues. This year’s edition focuses on “Teaching and Learning in Diversity”. During the conference, leading specialists from universities within the Xarxa Vives will share insights and strategies for understanding and addressing situations of functional, sexual and gender diversity in the classroom, the impact of socioeconomic inequalities and the importance of linguistic diversity. According to Josep-Anton Fernàndez, Director of the Language and Universities Area at the IRL, the topic of diversity in Catalan language classrooms abroad is an integral part of teachers’ work: “We understand diversity as the natural context for teaching Catalan worldwide and as a responsibility in preserving linguistic diversity“. Addressing diversity aims to ensure inclusive and equitable access to Catalan. According to Fernàndez, “We want everyone to have access to Catalan, regardless of their socioeconomic background, and for the Catalan classroom to be a safe space for everyone, in terms of both functional diversity and sexual and gender identities“.
Various institutions under the Government of Catalonia, including the Lectureship Commission (1980s) and the Department of Universities, Research and the Information Society (1990s), supported universities outside the Catalan linguistic domain where Catalan was taught and established the University Network of Catalan Studies Abroad, now known as the Xarxa Llull. This remit was taken over by the IRL when it was created in 2002.
The International Conference for Teachers of Catalan has given rise to 40 years of connecting talent, universities and cultures through the Catalan language, and has helped build a network that allows teachers to share knowledge and experiences and forge personal and professional ties.
Over the decades, the conference has been held across the entire Catalan-speaking territory, including the cities of Palma, Andorra, Morella, Perpignan, Girona, Gandia, Vic, Lleida, Castellón, Tarragona and Valencia. Since 2009, the conference has been held at universities within the Live Networkwith which the IRL maintains a fruitful collaborative relationship.
Date for the 2024-2025 academic year
- 130 universities in 30 countries, 93 of which receive funding from the IRL (2025-26).
- 4,000 students.
- 160 Catalan studies teachers.
- Catalan is taught at four of the world’s top-10 universities according to the Times Higher Education ranking (Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford and Berkeley), and at 14 of the top 50.
- Three summer language programs with 90 students from 20 countries.
- Three professional development seminars with 50 students from six countries.
- 61 cultural activities across 16 countries.
- Six conferences held by international Catalan studies associations.
- Call for applications for doctoral scholarships in Catalan studies (first edition, 2025: 19 applications from 10 countries).
- Degrees in Catalan studies at universities such as Brno (Czech Republic) and Toulouse (France).
:
- 2025-26: centenary of Catalan studies in Liverpool, 50th anniversary in Venice and Rome, 20th anniversary in Belgrade and Zadar, 10th anniversary of the degree in Catalan Language and Literature at Brno (Czech Republic) and 20th anniversary of the Joan Coromines Chair in Chicago.
- 2027: 50th anniversary of the Center d’Études Catalanes at the Sorbonne, 20th anniversary of Catalan studies in Leeds, Zadar, Massachusetts and Milan and 10th anniversary of the Marià Villangómez Chair at Universität Leipzig.
- 2028: 20th anniversary of the Josep Pla Chair at Stanford University, and 50th anniversary of the North American Catalan Society and the Associazione Italiana di Studi Catalani.
Furthermore, as the official body for assessing and certifying proficiency in the Catalan language, the IRL has awarded 790 certificates across 74 examination centers in 28 countries, with 1,185 candidates sitting the exams.
The most notable initiatives carried out recently and planned for the 2026-27 academic year are:
- The opening of the Pôle d’études catalanes at the Université de Montréal in September 2026. This will be the fifth center for Catalan studies in the world, joining those in London (UK), Paris (France), Siena (Italy) and Poznań (Poland), and the first outside Europe.
- Beginning of teaching in Beijing.
- Expansion of teaching at Edinburgh.
- Renewal of teaching at Grenoble.
- Teaching has officially begun at Yale University (United States), the Università degli Studi di Udine (Italy) and the Universidad Nacional Abierta ya Distancia (UNAD) in Colombia.
- Consolidation of projects in Toulouse and Salamanca.
- New chair initiatives with the North American Catalan Society, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Université de Mons.
- Second call for applications for doctoral training grants.
- New certification center in Bogotá, Colombia.
- Online learning: asynchronous A1-level course with 30 enrolled students.
- Faberllull residencies: Catalan Studies Association Conference (2025), Doctoral Researchers Meeting (2026).
The primary goal for the coming years is to consolidate the network and its diverse audiences.
This will involve:
- building a researcher network to ensure the continuity of the academic community through doctoral training grants and other aspects of the research programs;
- expanding the network into three strategic areas: Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Brazil), the Arab countries (Morocco and Egypt) and Asia (China, India and Korea);
- expanding student programs: increasing the number of places on summer language programs and developing new specialized course formats; and
- building a network through cultural activities such as From Xarxa Llull to the worldthe annual online event organized in collaboration with Catalan studies students and teachers to promote Catalan culture across the entire Xarxa Llull.
The program for the 40th International Conference for Teachers of Catalan, to be held at the University of Barcelona and other venues across the city, is available here.
