The Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia has celebrated its tenth anniversary of being in Dubai through the UCAM Español Institute Dubai. This centre, the only one affiliated to the Instituto Cervantes in the region, has been a beacon of Spanish language and culture in the Middle East for the past decade. The event was attended by an important diplomatic representation from several countries, including the Spanish ambassador to the Emirates, Íñigo de Palacio.

María Dolores García, UCAM president, took part in the commemorative ceremony, highlighting the importance of this milestone for the university, as its presence in Dubai ‘is a testimony to our commitment to educational excellence and the dissemination of Spanish language and culture’. She recalled that the beginning of this project was due to the drive and enthusiasm of the UCAM founder, José Luis Mendoza.

The event was attended by relevant authorities, such as Íñigo de Palacio, Spanish ambassador to Dubai, who praised the work of the UCAM ‘for its role in strengthening the unity of the Spanish-speaking community in the area’, highlighting ‘the courage of UCAM, which embarked on this adventure as a very young institution in 2014. Now, after ten years, we are seeing the fruits’. Also present were Luis Miguel Merlano, Ambassador of Colombia, Etienne Berchtold, Ambassador of Austria, Jaime Pacheco, Counsellor of the Embassy of Colombia, Andrés Salinero, Commercial Attaché of the Consulate of Spain and Carlos Moreno, Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Argentina.

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of awards to institutions that have been collaborating with the UCAM Español Institute Dubai throughout this decade, such as the Spanish Embassy, the Association of Spanish Teachers, the Spanish Business Council, the newspaper El Correo del Golfo and the Council of Spanish Residents in the UAE. 

Since its opening in 2014, the UCAM Español Institute Dubai has been offering Spanish language training to students of all ages and levels, consolidating its position as a benchmark in the teaching of Spanish language and culture. Along the way, the Institute has grown in the number of programmes and students and has organised events that foster cultural exchange and community building among its students. Spanish cooking workshops, storytelling, lectures and competitions allow students to immerse themselves in the rich Hispanic culture.

Alberto Fernández, the centre's director, summarises the work they do by highlighting their enthusiasm and commitment to continue growing: ‘We are very proud to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Over the years we have trained thousands of students and contributed to their personal and professional development. We are grateful to the entire Dubai community for their trust and support, and we are committed to continue providing quality education in Spanish for many years to come’.

A full agenda for the UCAM delegation in Dubai

Since last weekend, the UCAM delegation has been carrying out a busy schedule of activities and events that reflect the intense activity of UCAM in Dubai. After the celebration of the joint graduations with Westford University and the tenth anniversary of the Spanish language centre, these days the representatives of the University, headed by María Dolores García, are holding various working meetings to set up new projects. Thursday is another important date, as it marks the graduation of the master's Degree in Sustainable Humanitarian Action, a programme with DIHAD (Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development)with DIHAD (Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development).