The University of La Laguna (ULL), located in the picturesque Canary Islands of Spain, has recently launched an innovative seminar aimed at enriching the educational experiences of medical and nursing students. This initiative, which focuses on Moroccan Arabic, commonly known as Darija, is part of a broader effort to enhance practical communication skills and foster a deeper understanding of Moroccan culture and society.
This program is featured in the fifth edition of the university's Arab and Islamic Studies Days, which is organized by the Department of Classical, French, Arabic, and Romance Philology. Scheduled sessions are set to take place on September 29, October 6, and October 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the university's Guajara campus in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife.
ULL has designed the course with a specific emphasis on Morocco, intertwining language instruction with essential cultural, historical, geographical, and tourism-related themes. The primary focus is on Moroccan Arabic, which serves as the principal means of daily communication for many people in Morocco. This initiative highlights the significance of understanding the linguistic diversity within Morocco, where Modern Standard Arabic, or fusha, coexists with Darija in everyday interactions. The university emphasizes that for students aspiring to gain proficiency beyond formal Arabic, recognizing this distinction is crucial.
The course is accessible not only to students already studying Arabic but also to researchers from various disciplines and members of the public. Nonetheless, the university has underscored that the program is particularly pertinent for nursing and medical students, providing them with a valuable communication tool when interacting with Moroccan-speaking patients. Basic familiarity with Darija can significantly improve interactions, especially in healthcare settings where language barriers can create challenges in conveying essential information.
This seminar represents an open educational opportunity rather than a mandatory component of ULL's medicine or nursing degree programs. It is worth noting that the university's published curricula for the 2026-2027 academic year do not incorporate Darija as a standard required subject for these degrees.
The significance of this initiative is further amplified by the demographic context in Spain, where Moroccan nationals constitute the largest foreign national population. As of January 1, 2025, the National Statistics Institute reported that there were 968,999 Moroccan citizens residing in Spain, accounting for approximately 14% of the total foreign nationals in the country.
Moreover, the seminar is part of a growing trend of academic collaboration between the Canary Islands and Morocco. In July, a delegation from the University of La Laguna engaged in discussions with Moroccan higher education institutions to explore avenues for cooperation in training, research, innovation, and knowledge transfer. Rector Francisco García Rodríguez also undertook a visit to Laayoune and Dakhla in Morocco's Western Sahara, where agreements were signed with Ibn Zohr University to advance fields such as medical humanities, narrative medicine, clinical ethics, and anthropology, as well as to facilitate student and researcher mobility and joint projects.
Through this initiative, the University of La Laguna aims to contextualize Arabic not merely as an academic pursuit but as a practical communication tool within a professional environment. By linking language acquisition with everyday interactions, the seminar serves to bridge the gap between two closely related societies, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
