Observatory of Spanish in Europe
Observatory of Spanish in Europe | OSE
The Observatory of Spanish in Europe is a research center founded in 2023 at Heidelberg Center for Ibero-American Studies (HCIAS), Heidelberg University. Its main goal is to offer data that can help tackle the emerging trends related to Spanish and its speakers in Europe.
News
Call for Papers: El rumañol y los rumañoles. Nuevas configuraciones sociolingüísticas de la comunidad rumana de España
As part of the Annual International Conference of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Bucharest, taking place from November 19 to 21, 2026, the colloquium El rumañol y los rumañoles. Nuevas configuraciones sociolingüísticas de la comunidad rumana de España will be held under the coordination of Conf. Dr. Paul Buzilă.
The scientific committee includes Prof. Dr. Óscar Loureda Lamas and Dr. Pilar Valero Fernández, alongside researchers from other universities and institutions. Invited speakers include Maria Pop (ICR Madrid) and Kim Schulte (Universitat Jaume I).
The call for papers is open until October 15, 2026. Abstracts may be submitted in Romanian, Spanish, or English and should be no longer than two pages, including references.
Prof. Dr. Óscar Loureda Lamas at the 36th International ASELE Conference
Prof. Dr. Óscar Loureda Lamas took part as a plenary speaker in the 36th International Conference of the Asociación para la Enseñanza del Español como Lengua Extranjera (ASELE), held in Leuven from September 8 to 12, 2026. On September 10, he delivered the plenary lecture El español como lengua de herencia en Europa.
In his lecture, he presented findings from the HERESPA survey on the use and transmission of Spanish among Spanish-speaking families living in Europe. He also addressed the perspectives and challenges surrounding the intergenerational transmission of Spanish as a heritage language in European contexts.
More information about the conference: ASELE 2026
Dr. Pilar Valero Fernández at the 36th International ASELE Conference
Dr. Pilar Valero Fernández took part in the 36th International Conference of the Asociación para la Enseñanza del Español como Lengua Extranjera (ASELE), held in Leuven from September 8 to 12, 2026. On September 10, she presented Aprender español en Europa no es igual para todos: perfiles del alumnado de español en la educación preuniversitaria.
In her presentation, she analyzed the presence of Spanish in primary and secondary education across Europe from a demolinguistic perspective.
More information about the conference: ASELE 2026
New publication: El español en los sistemas educativos europeos: alcance, desafíos y perspectivas
The report El español en los sistemas educativos europeos: alcance, desafíos y perspectivas, authored by Dr. Pilar Valero Fernández and Prof. Dr. Óscar Loureda Lamas, has been published.
It analyzes the presence of Spanish in European education systems, with particular attention to its teaching as a foreign language and as a heritage language.
Read the full report here.
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Awarded the first Prize for International Hispanism
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