Target Achieved

It will be necessary to come to the conclusion, without any trace of a doubt, the fact that the University of Washington has elected this Community as head office of its second university center in Europe, which certainly is , a step forward. And of a certain importance.

If it is true, asit seems to be, that Castile and León should move with quick pace towards a newmodel of production; and if it is true, as it seems to be, that in such a way newactivities emerge strongly as a source of wealth, language teaching is found amongthem.  It will be necessary to come tothe conclusion, without any trace of a doubt, that the fact the University ofWashington has elected this Community as head office of its second universitycenter in Europe certainly is, a step forward. And of a certain importance.

It is one morestep towards the final target. Undoubtly, an important step. And an example of cooperationbetween public and private institutions, starting with President Herra's visitto Seattle in 2004, which to my judgment consolidates, an efficient culture of workwhich somehow people from  Castile and Leonare demanding.

The inner storyof this Castile and León's success closes, in my opinion, high value aspects:generosity, Highmindedness and vision offuture. In general terms things have been done correctly - with the inestimablecollaboration of Fernando Esteban, the Spanish consul in Seattle - therefore ithas been valued by the responsible of the American university, whose efficiencyhas stemmed the speed with which all the necessary steps have been achieved.

The outcome isencouraging. Students from the Universities of Leon and Salamanca will havedouble qualifications due to the agreements which their respective rectors willsign in these days with the University of Washington, in addition to the newopened possibilities in the wide chapter of training of grant holders,students' exchange, and the new training routes at the teachers staff'sdisposal. Moreover, half a thousand of American university students will settlesince next course onwards in León to make our language their own. Which means agiant leap in the development of one of the main aims of the Fundación de laLengua Española: To turn Castile and León into a pivotal international referenceof Spanish teaching..

From this point of view, targetachieved.

 Translated by Miguel San José