All Disciplines at the Universidad de Murcia
Spain
Number of recipients
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
Objective:
This Fulbright Fulbright Interdisciplinary Scholars for Global Challenges and SDGs award at the University of Murcia is an initiative to unite innovative scholars from diverse disciplines collectively to address some of the most pressing global challenges of our times. Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this program emphasizes the critical role of interdisciplinary methods in tackling complex issues. While the program focuses on areas such as climate change, conflict resolution, migration, social inequality, multilingualism and multiculturalism, these topics are merely a fraction of its broader scope. The program is also open to exploring issues like sustainable urban development, the ethics of emerging technologies, global education reforms or biodiversity preservation, among others. This wide-ranging approach highlights the program’s comprehensive and multifaceted strategy in confronting contemporary global challenges.
The program invites forward-thinking scholars passionate about applying their interdisciplinary skills to foster a more sustainable, equitable, and interconnected world. It offers a unique platform for engaging in meaningful cultural and linguistic exchanges, empowering participants to become agents of change and progress in line with the SDGs. This Fulbright award is not just an academic opportunity but a chance to be part of a global movement towards addressing critical issues that affect our world today.
Discipline Type:
-Inclusive of all disciplines: Welcoming scholars from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, arts, and beyond, particularly interested in fostering intersections between environmental science, political science, sociology, economics, law, public health, linguistics, and cultural studies.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration and teaching: Scholars are expected to engage in research and teaching that bridges diverse disciplines, fostering a comprehensive understanding of global challenges.
- Focus on SDGs: Projects should explicitly align with one or more UN SDGs, demonstrating a commitment to international development agendas.
The main focus of the award is to foster collaborative research and teaching activities. That would be done mainly by developing ideas for collaborative research initiatives aimed at the European Union and/or U.S. funding organizations incorporating her/his specific expertise into the projects. It would be expected that the award will participate in research and teaching seminars on topics of her/his expertise.
AWARD ACTIVITY:
- Holistic problem-solving: Proposals should showcase innovative, interdisciplinary methodologies to approach global challenges.
- Cultural and linguistic diversity: Projects that explore the dynamics of multilingualism and multiculturalism in addressing global issues are highly encouraged.
- Community and global engagement: Emphasis on projects that engage with communities, NGOs, or governmental entities, focusing on collaborative solutions with a global impact.
A) TEACHING
1) Teaching undergraduate-level courses:
One or two courses already established at the Universidad de Murcia. The Lecturer can also agree to teach parts of Bachelor degree courses worth 4, 5 or 6 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits within one of the Universidad de Murcia’s Departments.
2)Teaching graduate-level courses
The Lecturer will have the opportunity to teach courses or parts of courses, and deliver guest lectures for courses pertaining to the Master’s degrees in his/her area of expertise and/or seminars for Ph.D. students. The final work plan will be discussed and agreed upon with the host department.
Mandatory teaching will not exceed 60 hours in undergraduate and graduate courses.
B) RESEARCH
The selected scholar will be invited to present his/her research in seminars and to attend research seminars led by Universidad de Murcia professors. There will be ample opportunity for research collaboration.
- September/December 2025
- January/March 2026
- March/May 2026
Fall semester classes begin in mid-September and end around December 20, 2025. Fall Semester awards cannot end any later than December 20, 2025 due to the holiday schedule in Spain. Winter semester classes begin in mid-January and end at the end of May, 2026.
Disciplines within the following departments at the Universidad de Murcia:
Faculties:
- Faculty of Fine Arts
- Faculty of Biology
- Faculty of Sport Science
- Faculty of Labor Science
- Faculty of Communication and Documentation Sciences
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Economics and Company Administration
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Philosophy
- Faculty of Computer Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Nursing
- Faculty of Optics and Optometry
- Faculty of Psychology
- Faculty of Social Health Sciences
- Faculty of Chemistry
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences
- Advertising and Public Relations
- Art History
- Audiovisual Communication
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Biotechnology
- Business Administration and Direction
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Classical Philology
- Computer Engineering
- Criminology
- Dentistry
- Economics
- English Studies
- Environmental Sciences
- Fine Arts
- French Studies
- Food Science and Technology
- Geography and Land Management
- History
- Human Nutrition and Dietetics
- Infant Education - Location: Cartagena
- Infant Education - Location: Murcia (Bilingual English/Spanish)
- Information and documentation
- International Relations
- Journalism
- Law
- Labour Relations and Human Resources - Location: Murcia
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Medicine
- Nursing - Location: Murcia
- Optics and Optometry
- Pedagogy
- Pharmacy
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Physical Activity and Sports Sciences
- Physics
- Physiotherapy
- Political Sciences and Public Management
- Primary Education - Location: Murcia
- Security
- Social Education
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Spanish Language and Literature Spanish
- Speech Therapy
- Translation and Interpreting
- Tourism Studies
- Veterinary Medicine
The UM sponsors this award and, in addition to financial benefits, offers advice to find housing and if necessary, a school for dependent children. A contact will be available to help the professor adapt to the university.
The scholar will enjoy all the benefits and rights of a regular faculty member of the UM, including access to all digital resources.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
The host institution welcomes scholars to seek more detailed information.
Contact:
Roberto de Gea Cánovas
Partnerships, Exchange & Study Abroad Programs
University of Murcia.
e-mail: rdegea@um.es Phone: (+34) 868 88 83 50
While English suffices for academic purposes, familiarity with Spanish or other languages is beneficial for broader engagement.
Knowledge of Spanish is not required, however, some proficiency in Spanish is recommended for daily life. The city of Murcia, where the university is located, is in the southeast part of Spain. The number of foreign visitors is increasing each year but English is not widely spoken, especially among middle-aged and older people.
Rank of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor with substantial teaching experience.
Universidad de Murcia (International Version)
Contact addresses for orientation, and other logistic information:
Housing: vimur@um.es
€3,200 per month. This amount covers the monthly stipend, housing and living allowances.
The allowances will be paid by the Spanish Commission as a lump sum once the Grant is formalized (in Euros or in Dollars, at a conversion rate to be determined on April 15, 2025. View conversion rates).
Travel and relocation allowance for scholars: €1,300. Authorized dependents' travel allowance: €750 per person, for up to two dependents.
The allowances will be paid by the Spanish Commission as a lump sum once the Grant is formalized (in Euros or in Dollars, at a conversion rate to be determined on April 15, 2025. View conversion rates).
Scholars accompanied by dependents for at least 80 percent of the grant period will receive a monthly dependent allowance of €150 for one dependent or €300 for two or more dependents.
No tuition allowance will be provided. Both public and private schools in Spain have bilingual or English language instruction available. The UM offers logistical assistance in finding housing and school(s) for dependent children, if necessary.
Universidad de Murcia is a Resource-rich environment: that provides access to diverse academic departments and resources. Networking and collaboration are encouraged, offering opportunities to collaborate with scholars and practitioners across disciplines and sectors.
Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester in order to qualify for additional dependent benefits. Dependent benefits are not provided to Flex grantees.
Murcia is a medium-sized city with a moderate cost of living compared to other cities such as Madrid or Barcelona.
The average cost of room and board can be between 600 and 1000 euros per month, depending on whether or not you share accommodation.
The University of Murcia has five campuses:
- La Merced (downtown campus). It houses the schools of Law and Humanities (except Fine Arts and Philosophy).
- Espinardo (3 miles from town): UMU's largest campus. Most technical and social sciences schools are located on this campus. Bus and tramway service this campus from downtown. A tram ride takes 15 minutes, and a bus takes between 25 and 40 minutes.
- Health Science Campus (8 miles from town): this campus is located in the health science hub of the Murcia Region. It is a complex annexed to the largest clinical-university hospital in Murcia. There is a bus service every 30 minutes from town.
- Campus de Lorca (45 miles from town): This campus is in Lorca, Murcia's 3rd largest city. It houses the School of Human Nutrition and Dietetics and one of the three Nursing schools.
- San Javier Campus (30 miles from town): This campus is located in the coastal town of San Javier and houses the School of Physical Activity and Sport Science.
Transportation is only needed if the department is located on campuses out of town. A tramway route and a dense network of local buses connect the city center and the metropolitan areas at affordable rates.
Flats and houses for rent are widely available in Murcia and are affordable to Fulbright scholars. The average general living expenses in the Murcia region are lower than in other parts of Spain.
See the following websites for more information on the cost of living and housing in Murcia:
The Universidad of Murcia (UM) sponsors this award and, in addition to financial benefits, offers advice to find housing. A contact will be available to help the professor adapt to the university.
The scholar will enjoy all the benefits and rights of a regular faculty member of the UM, including access to all digital resources.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
Spain
To learn more about Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards in Spain for 2024-25, please view our archived webinar and slides to hear directly from the Fulbright Commission, IIE staff, and U.S. Scholar alums regarding award details, the scholar experience, and application guidance.
Summary
Contingent upon the availability of funds, up to 11 All Discipline awards for Postdoctoral Researchers and a variety of co-sponsored awards for Senior Research, Teaching, or Teaching/Research are available. The co-sponsored awards have unique scopes and features, and detailed information can be found in each individual award description.
The U.S.-Spain Fulbright Commission provides extensive support to selected candidates regarding administrative issues, such as the visa and documentation processes, and ample pre-departure and arrival information. However, assistance in establishing contacts at prospective host institutions cannot be provided.
Please note that candidates with dual U.S./Spanish citizenship or candidates who are residing in Spain at the time of application or anytime thereafter are not eligible for the Fulbright Program in Spain.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in Spain?
Although Spain may be known for its nice weather and beautiful beaches, there are many other reasons why Spain has long been held as one of the most desirable destinations for Fulbright grantees. Spain’s higher education and research institutions, technological advancement, cultural opportunities, and modern infrastructure add to the country’s appeal as one of the most popular tourist destinations. Additionally, Spain’s relatively low cost of living makes it very affordable when compared to most other countries in the EU.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Spain has the highest life expectancy out of all European Union member states, at just above 80 years, and it is the 8th safest country in which to live out of all OECD member states. In fact, 82% of Spanish citizens report that they feel safe walking alone at night (World Gallup Poll).
Spain is comprised of excellent public transportation networks throughout the country. With its metropolitan public transport systems, including metro networks, buses, and trains, it is very easy to get around cities, smaller towns, or even across the country.
If you plan to come to Spain with your family, you will love the child-friendly environment. Although the Commission cannot provide assistance with school placements, rest assured that there are many options for high-quality and bilingual education. In Spain, there are public schools, private schools (religious and international), and semi-private (concertados).
For more detailed information about Spain, please see the OECD's Spain profile.
General Information about Spanish Universities and Research in Spain
There are 76 universities in Spain, 20 of which are private. Spain's universities are increasingly focused on internationalization. By offering degree programs taught partially or entirely in English, they are attracting students from a wide variety of countries, providing viewpoints in studies and discussions that are often unique and enriching for U.S. Scholars. Depending on the award, Scholars will be afforded the opportunity to teach both undergraduate and/or graduate students and/or carry out research, and they are often invited to work with faculty on curriculum development. Research groups are usually multicultural, and English is the language predominantly used in lab settings.
The academic year in Spain broadly runs from September to June, with breaks during the Winter and Spring holidays (approximately December 22-January 6 and coinciding with the weeks surrounding and including Easter). Research activity continues in July, whereas August is a very quiet month, and many academic and research institutions are closed for all or part of the month.
Additionally, there are various national and public research institutions that, together with universities, form the basic core of the Spanish public system of scientific research and technological development in Spain. These include:
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
The Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT)
The Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII)
The Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC)
The National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA).
Researchers are usually fluent in English, although there may be wide variation in students’ English proficiency. For day-to-day life, a working knowledge of Spanish is useful, especially in smaller cities and towns. Language proficiency should be commensurate with the project's scope. Please discuss this point with your host institution in advance.
The friendly and open nature of most Spaniards will help make it easy for you to engage in multidisciplinary research groups and collaborate with your host institution. Many former Fulbright Scholars to Spain maintain and nurture the mutual engagement and joint research they initiated with their Spanish hosts while they enjoyed their Fulbright grant.
Prospective applicants may contact the Spanish Fulbright Commission for further information at: informacion@fulbright.es or by visiting www.fulbright.es
If you wish to hear from previous US Fulbright Scholars and Researchers about their experiences in Spain, check our Fulbright Spain- Alumni Voices reel here.
Enrichment activities: Depending on the grant dates, Scholars and Researchers are welcome to participate in enrichment activities. Research seminars are organized during the Fall and Spring semesters. For reference, please take a look at an overview of the 2023 Mediterranean Research Seminar organized in Alicante and watch the video testimonials from participants.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Selection Criteria: