At the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages, we recognize that news and up-to-date information are essential for integrating meaningful aspects of everyday life into course content. This way, our students embrace our philosophy while engaging in social, environmental, historical, and even political topics while acquiring the knowledge to become successful language teachers —not only focusing on language acquisition and communicative competence, but also on their responsibilities as members of the community and citizens of the world.

A recent example is the rise in interest in Ecuadorian activist Helena Gualinga, who at 22, has won several awards for her work defending the Amazon. At such a young age, this girl, who speaks Kichwa, Spanish, English, Swedish and Finnish is an inspiration to many young people and an example of what can be achieved when you follow your passion and work hard for a cause. As a professor of the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages program, news like this warms my heart with the hope that my students find passion in what they do and become role models and leaders in their work.

If success were measured by the number of lives you transform, teachers would be the most successful human beings in the world. Teaching is not only about the academic pursuit, but about shaping, changing and inspiring. By integrating real-life stories, authentic materials, and interdisciplinary projects, our program ensures that students gain knowledge and skills to become the best educators —ones who inspire future generations.