Educational Cooperation Between Lithuania and Spain: Training Teachers, Expanding Learning Opportunities
Lithuania and Spain have committed to strengthening cooperation in the field of education. Closer ties between the two countries will open up more opportunities for Lithuanian students and educators, and help attract more Spanish language teachers to Lithuanian schools.
On May 12 in Brussels, Lithuania’s Minister of Education, Science and Sport, Raminta Popovienė, and Spain’s Secretary of State for Education, Vocational Training and Sports, Abelardo de la Rosa, signed a memorandum of understanding.
“As recent trends show, the Spanish language is becoming increasingly popular in our schools. This bilateral memorandum aligns perfectly with the goals of Lithuania’s education system: under the renewed national curriculum, Spanish is recognised as a second foreign language, and starting in 2026, second-grade students will be able to choose Spanish as their first foreign language. This is a meaningful step toward fostering multilingualism and intercultural competencies,” said Minister Raminta Popovienė.
From now on, Lithuania and Spain plan to work more closely in training Spanish language teachers in Lithuania, offering them linguistic and pedagogical skill development courses, and organising internships in Spanish educational institutions. Lithuanian students will also have more opportunities to engage in learning activities related to the Spanish language and culture.
An assistant teacher program is also being considered, through which native Spanish speakers would support Spanish teachers and students in Lithuanian schools. Additionally, efforts will be made to expand opportunities for the official recognition of Spanish language proficiency in Lithuania.
The memorandum aims to contribute to the development of Spanish language instruction and cultural awareness within Lithuania’s education system, to strengthen ties between Lithuanians and Spaniards, and to provide students with more international learning opportunities, including participation in academic exchange programs and more.
According to the Education Management Information System, 2.4% of sixth-grade students studied Spanish as their second foreign language in the previous academic year. This year, that number has risen to 9.04%.
Last updated: 20-05-2025
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