The ULL and the Mapfre Foundation renew their collaboration in the Chair of Technology and Education

The rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, and the president of the Mapfre Canarias Foundation, Esther Martel, have signed this week the document renewing their collaboration with the Chair of Technology and Education from the academic center, directed by Professor Manuel Area, and intended to promote an intelligent and ethical use of ICT in the field of teaching, while offering an expert training catalog for teachers in this subject.

This participation, which has been ongoing since 2017, makes this chair one of the longest-running and most established. The chair's activities in 2026 will focus on four thematic areas. The first involves continuing the series of interviews with experts in education from the Canary Islands. Additionally, there will be progress in ongoing, open, and online professional development, with a strong emphasis on updating content for teachers.

Family photo with the chair's governing board, and the Vice-Rector for Culture and University Extension, to the right of the Rector.

This initiative also aims to launch a workshop on ICT and minors, a highly topical issue. Furthermore, the plan is to continue replicating the technology innovation workshops for practicing teachers, where a rich exchange of opinions and knowledge takes place.

Apart from the academic chair, but also connected to it to some extent, the University of La Laguna offers a Master's Degree in Education and Information and Communication Technologies, the first online training of its kind at this academic center, which year after year far exceeds the number of applications.

Esther Martell stated that this professorship is a priority for her organization because it perfectly aligns with the foundation's broad range of educational programs aimed at fostering greater social progress. Furthermore, the professorship shares activities with another dedicated to Childhood and Adolescence, meaning they address common issues from different perspectives, such as the use of mobile devices and social media among these age groups.

For his part, the rector referred to the important role that institutional and corporate chairs are playing as spaces for innovation "that connect us with challenges and opportunities in society," while also emphasizing the long-standing relationship with the Mapfre Canarias Foundation, which is part of the University of La Laguna, he asserted.