His Excellency Mr José Pascual Marco Martínez met with Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Bristol, on Wednesday 20 March, in a trip which also included interactive meetings with students and staff.

During the afternoon there was a plenary talk, discussing EU-UK Relations and UK-Spain bilateral ties, hosted by Dr Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan and Professor Ana Juncos Garcia from the University of Bristol School of Sociology, Politics, and International Studies.

This was an opportunity for students and staff to ask questions and cover wide-ranging topics, such as how Spanish history and language is included in the UK education system and cooperation between Bristol with universities and research centres in Spain.

History student Thea Pilch said: “Especially at this time, there’s so much going on, and I think it’s important to hear what other countries are thinking and saying, instead of just listening to our media and being surrounded by our politics. It’s important to get an outsider perspective on key issues.”

History and English student Tilly George added: “It was interesting to cover some key topics. The fact that immigration came up a few times shows how massive it is, like it really pervades all political questions at the moment.

“The EU can seem this massive, big scary institution, especially now since Brexit. So to have someone come in and tell us this is how the EU works makes it so much more accessible and easier to understand.”

Many students have either studied abroad in Spain or are studying at Bristol from one of our Spanish partner universities, including the University of Valencia, University Carlos III of Madrid and the Complutense University of Madrid. Currently there are more than 130 Spanish students at the University and around 150 students in Spain either working abroad, volunteering or completing teaching placements.

Dr Nieves Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, Senior Lecturer in European Politics, said: “Our students had the opportunity to listen to the Ambassador's insightful talk about his 40-year experience as a diplomat. Delving into the nuances of representing Spain across the world, the Ambassador engaged our students in a lively discussion about the challenges of migration, inequality and climate change, as well as future scenarios for UK-EU relations after Brexit.  We are very grateful to the Ambassador for his thought-provoking and generous contribution.”

The Spanish Embassy initiated the meeting as part of its ongoing engagement with UK universities. After France and Italy, Spain generates the third highest number of students from Europe in the UK, according to recent figures.

The visit concluded with a roundtable discussion with Hispanic Studies representatives from the University’s School of Modern Languages Hispanic Studies department and the School of Sociology, Politics, and International Studies.

Mr Martínez’s extensive diplomatic career includes postings in Pakistan, Nicaragua, Australia, Turkey, and South Africa. He was appointed to Ambassador of Spain to the United Kingdom in 2021.

Mr Martínez said: “It was exciting to hear from the University of Bristol staff and students. I really enjoyed giving the lecture and answering students’ questions; they were all very interesting questions. Bristol has a beautiful campus. And thank you for the warm greetings from the Vice-Chancellor, Evelyn.”

Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Bristol, said: "It was a great pleasure to host the Ambassador for his first visit to the University of Bristol. We have key relationships with many Spanish institutions and this was a wonderful opportunity for students, researchers, and staff to join wide-ranging discussions on key issues affecting higher education and the research landscape across the UK and Europe.

“Mr Martínez was interested to hear that we are all set to welcome the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, which will enhance our position as a leader in AI and benefit inclusive growth. We are grateful for his help in ensuring the UK’s return to the Horizon Europe research programme and are excited about future Spanish partnerships.”