Scholarships for studying Catalan philology: a strategy to combat the teacher shortage

BarcelonaThe lack of Catalan language and literature teachers and, in general, of graduates in Catalan philology has set off alarm bells in recent years, to the point that 40% of substitutions were not covered last year. The Department of Education and the Consortium for Linguistic Normalization not only foresee a growing need for specialists to teach the language to adults in reception and secondary school classrooms, but also a significant number of retirements in the next decade, even among language planning technicians in the administration.

According to data from the University Quality Agency (AQU), 83% of Catalan philology students at the University of Barcelona found work within three months of graduating, and virtually all of them are employed, in teaching, administration, or in companies in the publishing, communications, and language technology sectors.

Last year, the then Secretariat for Language Policy launched a campaign to increase the number of enrollments, which has been noticeably noticeable this year, with a 21% increase in enrollments in Catalan philology, up to 351.

The new campaign, presented by Minister Francesc Xavier Vila this Saturday at the Saló de l'Ensenyament (School of Education), is not only an advertising campaign but also includes a pilot scholarship program to encourage more students to pursue the degree. With an initial grant of more than €100,000, 25 scholarships will be offered starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, with a monthly award of approximately €500. The scholarships will be accessible to any student in Catalonia, as they will be awarded based on criteria such as academic excellence, financial situation, and language skills. Five of the scholarships will be reserved for students who speak languages linked to immigration, and two will be for students of Aranese.

"The language needs the best professionals to respond to the challenges we face as a country, and the market demands graduates with a Catalan philology background," said Minister Vila, who affirms that the scholarships seek "to channel the talent of the new generations toward studies in Catalan language and literature."