SPAIN
  
Spain, with over 3,000 years of culture, is a country full of fascinating contrasts, with an amazingly diverse geography and its very own regional menus second to none. Spain offers excellent tourism infrastructures and is home to many of Europe’s best museums. Widely known for Flamenco music and dance, fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine, Spain also offers a variety of other unexpected treasures. It is - and has been for thousands of years - one of Europe’s most important cultural centers. It has beautiful cities and towns, offering landmark monuments as well as an amazing architecture. Its various regions are all different one to each other, geographically, climatically and even in personality.


Educational System | Partner Universities | People and Culture

Geography and Climate | Health and Safety



 

Educational System

The Spanish university system dates back to the Middle Ages. The oldest among Spanish Universities is Salamanca, founded in 1218. The present system, however, is actually descendant of the 19th century liberal university, inspired by the centralized French model. In the last years, it has experienced its greatest growth in history, while at the same time advancing towards a self-governing and descentralized system.

Higher education is provided by both public and private institutions. Universities are divided into departamentos, facultades universitarias, escuelas tecnicas superiores, escuelas universitarias, institutos universitarios, and other centres, notably the colegios universitarios.

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Partner Universities

CIS currently partners with the following universities in Spain:

Les Roches International School of Hotel Management

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People and Culture

The Spanish population is nearly 40 million people. The minority ethnic groups include
the Basques, Catalans, and Gallegos. The official language is Spanish, which is spoken
by the majority of the population. Additional languages spoken by some include Catalan,
Galician, and Basque. While there is no official national religion, the country has a strong
Roman Catholic heritage.
Spain has a long and varied artistic heritage. It has been home to such well-known
artists as El Greco, Diego Velazquez, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Architectural
highlights include prehistoric cave dwellings, ancient ruins, castles, palaces, cathedrals
and modern sculpture. Spain, while having had a long literary tradition, also is known for
the films of Pedro Almodovar. The virtuosos of Spanish guitar are well known in the
world of classical music, while flamenco dancing continues to be a popular activity for
participants and spectators alike. People in Spain are also passionate fans of football
(soccer), as well as the traditional sport of bullfighting. Festivals and holidays are
important in Spanish life, and have their own distinctive flavor depending on local
customs and the time of year.

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Geography and Climate

Spain, which is roughly the twice the size of Oregon, is located on the Iberian Peninsula
in southwestern Europe. While Portugal lies to the west, Spain is separated to the
northeast from France by the Pyrenees Mountains. Although much of the country is
elevated plain, Spain is also a country of deserts, wetlands and mountains, as well as
beautiful coastlines along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The southern tip
of the country is separated from Morocco in North Africa by the narrow Straits of
Gibraltar, which serve as a gateway to the entire Mediterranean.
Though some locations can be quite hot during the summer, Spain generally has a
temperate climate. During the summer, Spain's capital of Madrid experiences high
temperatures (average temperatures are 85 degrees Fahrenheit), so native Spaniards
and tourists head for the coast for more moderate weather. Winter tends to be cold in
the interior of the country, and cool and cloudy along the coast. (Average temperatures
are 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Also during this time, the rain (and snow) tends to fall
mostly in the north.

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Health and Safety

Spain is a safe country overall for travel and study. Most crimes that occur are classified as petty, however, as in the U.S., you still must be cautious, especially until you feel comfortable with your surroundings. You should not go out at night by yourself, and you should always carry some form of identification such as driver’s license. It is also wise to be aware of sun exposure
and wear sun block when outdoors. Rest assured that most students and tourists
who travel in Spain and have nothing but wonderful experiences. In Spain
there are not any general health risks beyond those found in the U.S.

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