The Canary archipelago will be the epicenter of educational and cultural cooperation between Spain and the United States during the 2026/27 academic year, receiving a total of 46 participants from the Fulbright program. This figure places the Canary Islands at the head of Spain in hosting these assistants, who will collaborate with educational centers in English language teaching and in bringing American culture into the classrooms.
The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands, under the direction of Poli Suárez, has promoted this collaboration with the Fulbright Commission. The main objective is to improve the English language communication skills of Canarian students and strengthen the international dimension of the educational system.
David Pablos, Director General of Curriculum, Inclusion, and Innovation, highlighted the direct impact of these assistants on plurilingualism programs and linguistic immersion. He noted that the Fulbright Commission has positively assessed the management and quality of programs developed in the Canary Islands.
In addition to leading in the number of assistants, the Canary Islands have been chosen as the venue for the Fulbright Mid-Year National Conference in January 2027. This meeting, the main event for monitoring US assistants in Spain, will be held at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), with the Paraninfo as the primary venue.
Pablos described the choice of the Canary Islands as the host for the national meeting as a recognition of the Ministry's "good work." Various activities and visits are planned during the first semester of the academic year, with potential representation from the Embassy of the United States.
Fulbright assistants support teachers in English instruction, facilitating real communicative contexts for students. They also participate in preparing materials and activities, and help bring American culture and society into classrooms, enriching foreign language learning.
The hosting of the Fulbright Mid-Year National Conference 2027 in Gran Canaria will make the archipelago a national meeting point, bringing together assistants and institutional representatives to evaluate the academic year, exchange experiences, and address relevant issues for the program within the Spanish educational system.
