The UK’s Spanish Ambassador was on campus at Lancaster University this week to further engagement across education and research with Spain.

And there was a full house for His Excellency Mr José Pascual Marco Martínez, the Ambassador of Spain to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, when he met staff and students from across campus.

Mr Marco Martínez gave a talk at the Cavendish Lecture Theatre in the Faraday Complex on campus, discussing EU-UK Relations and UK-Spain bilateral ties.

The session was hosted by Lancaster University's School of Global Affairs, the Department of History and the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion.

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), Professor Edward Simpson, welcomed everyone and expressed his hopes that the session would help further talks between Lancaster University and Spain.

FASS Director of Internationalisation Professor Christopher Macleod introduced the Ambassador, who then gave a short talk on some the changes he had experienced during his 40-year-long career and the opportunities and challenges that now presented themselves and for which the results would only be seen in the next 50 years.

Mr Marco Martinez spoke about ‘a crazy cocktail of a world’ and mentioned various world leaders who, he said, were over 70.

“But it’s going to be your world not their world,” he added. “This is going to put pressure on you and provide you with some really big challenges.”

He then opened a ‘dialogue’ with the 150-strong audience and answered questions on a wide range of subjects including Brexit, referendums, good books, career advice, the diplomatic service, the importance of languages, Spain’s links with Latin-America and an Ambassador’s skill set.

Senior Teaching Fellow Olga Gomez-Cash, from the School of Global Affairs, thanked the Ambassador for his time and presented him with a commemorative gift.

The Ambassador, who earlier in the day had enjoyed a tour of Lancaster Castle and the University’s facilities there, was accompanied on the visit by the General Consul of Spain, Laura García Alfaya, and the Director of the Instituto Cervantes in Manchester, Pedro Jesus Eusebio Cuesta.

The Spanish Embassy initiated the meeting as part of its ongoing engagement with UK universities.

After France and Italy, Spain sends the third highest number of students from Europe in the UK, according to recent figures.

Mr Marco Martínez also met the Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, Professor Andy Schofield, members of the University’s senior management team and members of the recently announced School of Global Affairs.

The Ambassador of Spain'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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in August 2021.