September 2025

Catalan studies associations around the world play a key role in fostering this discipline abroad. Created in the 1950s with the foundation of the Anglo-Catalan Society and currently present across the UK and Ireland, France, the US and Canada, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, they are a key plank in promoting Catalan studies in different countries. Their congresses and conferences provide a meeting space for specialists to share research on the language, literature, arts, culture and society of Catalan-speaking territories, as well as being a space for students and new researchers to socialise and join the academic community of Catalan studies. The associations are also important for the outreach of research results, thanks to their journals and book collections. In addition to ensuring the health of the discipline across each territory and relating with the academic authorities of each country, the associations are the liaison bodies recognised by the Institut Ramon Llull (the official organisation responsible for the external projection of the Catalan language and culture in the university environment), which supports their activities. 

The first meeting of the associations will take place at this Faberllull residence. During their time in Olot, the participants will explore the associations' role in fostering and growing Catalan studies across their territories and fields of specialisation as stakeholders in liaising with academic authorities and other actors in the field of research and as observers of the trends and problems of the university systems of different countries. They will share past, present and future projects and dig down on the main challenges facing the humanities and modern languages disciplines with the aim of formulating shared strategies between them and with the Institut to build a robust, cohesive, innovative and productive international network of researchers in Catalan studies. Finally, they will deepen their coordination mechanisms and bring to light new opportunities for partnerships between them and with the Institut to strengthen and ensure the continuity of Catalan studies at a global level. 

The residence will feature representatives from the Anglo-Catalan Society (UK and Ireland), the Association Française des Catalanistes (France), the Associazione Italiana di Studi Catalani (Italy), the Deutscher Katalanistenverband (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and the North American Catalan Society (US and Canada), as well as the Associació Internacional de Llengua i Literatura Catalanes (AILLC), the Associació de Joves Investigadors en Llengua i Literatura Catalanes (AJILLC) and the Societat d’Ensenyament i Recerca del Català com a Llengua Estrangera (SERCLE).