Tourism Economics and Business Management at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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.
Please note that although much of the online information provided on the host institution's website is in Spanish, most faculty speak English, and the scholar will only be expected to teach in English. Detailed information about his/her tasks will be provided to candidates in a timely manner and in English after being selected, but candidates can expect to dedicate 50% of their time to teaching and 50% to research.
Teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level: Teaching undergraduate-level courses for third-year students earning their Bachelor’s degree in Tourism. The lecturer is expected to teach a course as part of the Bachelor's degree program in Tourism and may be invited to give lectures on different topics related to that field:
- Any of the third- and fourth-year undergraduate courses and any of the following Master’s degrees courses: Master in Economy of Tourism, Transportation and Environment.
- Four lectures on different topics in the field of tourism, according to his/her expertise (one per month: one-hour talk plus 30 minutes questions and comments).
Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development Tides, belonging to the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
4 months. February to May 2026
The ULPGC sponsors this award and, in addition to financial benefits for the scholar, offers housing advice and, if needed, assistance in finding a school for dependent children. A contact will be available to help the scholar adapt to the university. The Scholar will enjoy all the benefits and rights of a regular faculty member of the ULPGC, including access to all digital resources.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
The ULPGC welcomes scholars to seek more detailed information.
Contact: Dr. Jin Taira, Vicerrector for Internationalization and Cooperation.
Email: v.internacional@ulpgc.es
Classes will be taught in English, and the Lecturer should expect students to complete all their written and oral assignments in that language. Most of the faculty of the Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development Tides speak English.
The Canary Islands are a major travel destination for tourists from around Europe, and English is widely spoken as a result. However, while not required, some proficiency in Spanish is recommended for daily life.
For academic candidates: Associate or Full Professor. Assistant Professors with substantial teaching experience will also be considered.
Direct grant benefits (stipend, travel, and relocation allowances) are provided by the host institution, the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC).
€3,200 per month. This amount covers the monthly stipend, housing, and living allowances. 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.
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).
For information about the cost of living in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, see: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Las-Palmas.
Both public and private schools in Spain have bilingual or English language instruction available. If needed, the ULPGC will provide assistance in finding a school for dependent children.
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, take a look at the 2023 Mediterranean Research Seminar organized in Alicante: https://fulbright.es/mediterraneanresearchseminar/
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
The Department of Economics, Business and Tourism of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a teaching and administrative management organization responsible for the definition, organization, coordination and control of regulated education aimed at obtaining undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the three main areas of scientific and professional knowledge of Economics, Business Administration and Management, and Tourism.
The University Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development (TIDES), belongs to the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). It is a research institute that aims to develop outstanding tourism research, generating and circulating scientific knowledge, and integrating itself into international tourism networks of excellence. In addition, it provides education, training, and raises awareness to improve the development of tourism. Finally, it applies the knowledge generated to promote the improvement of economic, social and environmental tourism development in tourist destinations.
TIDES, as the institute responsible for research in tourism at the ULPGC, has contributed to the fact that it occupies fourth place as a research center for scientific productivity in tourism in Europe, second worldwide, shared with other institutions, in scientific productivity in marketing and management of destinations, fourth worldwide in scientific productivity in research on image and brand, and first in Latin America in scientific productivity in hospitality.
Likewise, the prestigious Shanghai (ARWU) rankings put the ULPGC in first place in the European Union for research on Hospitality and Tourism Management, and among the 23 best centers in the world in the field of Tourism.
The University Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development (TIDES) was established by decree in 2010. The formal proposal for its creation was made in 2008 by a group of research teaching staff from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) who were aware of the priority role that tourism research should play in the progress and prosperity of our society, represented and led by the Professor of Applied Economics, Dr. D. Carmelo Javier León González, Director of the UNESCO Chair of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development of the ULPGC and Director of the Economics, Environment, Sustainability and Tourism Research Group (ECOMAS).
This proposal was signed by a large group of professors from the ULPGC who were joined by a First PromoTides Meeting held in October 2009, which included researchers with extensive experience in tourism, representing different fields of knowledge, as well as prestigious foreign professors who participated as collaborating members.
The TIDES University Institute has the support of the main Public Administrations of the Canary Islands with authority over Tourism, Town Halls and Companies, as well as the support of different international centres of reference in tourism research at a worldwide level.