The role of humanitarian cooperation in contemporary foreign policy of Spain

Abstract

The article deals with the use of soft power in the foreign cultural policy of Spain in the following areas: the dissemination of language and culture and international cooperation in the field of education. The authors studied the factors that influenced the formation of the strategy of the cultural and educational cooperation in foreign policy of Spain, and main institutions for its implementation. In the era of globalization, culture and education are increasingly moving beyond national boundaries and transform into an instrument of interethnic dialogue and modern geopolitics. Cultural cooperation policy presents a powerful resource for foreign policy activity of a country with a large number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, the richest history and culture, but also of a country that develops constantly and dynamically, and it uses skillfully its competitive advantages. The activities aimed at expanding the educational model of Spain in other countries can be relatively divided into three components: cooperation in the field of higher education with universities in other countries, the spread of the language and culture of Spain abroad in the educational centers and institutions of culture, and teaching Spanish language for foreign citizens inside the country. In the first section, we consider the ways of attracting students to Spain through a number of programs taking into consideration Bologna educational system which Spain has joined. Second section is devoted to the analysis of diplomatic, informational and other types of assistance in the sphere of expansion of the Spanish language and culture, realized by Spanish state authorities in the Russian Federation. In the third subsection, we adduce the data about changes in policy of teaching foreign students on the territory of Spain. To form high quality and approachable teaching system, multiple steps were done both in the universities and private linguistic centers with high level of teaching guaranteed by Cervantes Institute. This study is aimed at all those who are interested in the issues of cultural and educational cooperation, foreign policy of Spain and relations between our countries.