1938: the British Council opens its first English Language Teaching Centre in Lisbon, after first starting its activity in Portugal in 1936, at the Universidade de Coimbra.
So this year, in our six teaching centres throughout the country, we’re celebrating our 80th anniversary in Portugal.
80 years of bringing English language and culture to thousands of students. 80 years of celebrating cultural relations between the two countries, with a long list of past, present and future events related to arts, science and society. We also served as a cultural and educational hub for students, scholars and artists during Portugal’s dictatorship that would end in 1974. Take a look at some iconic photographs of our history in Portugal below.
Today, we face new challenges. The UK is leaving the European Union but it is not leaving Europe. Cooperation between the UK and Portugal in arts, education and science is a centuries-old tradition that we are determined to maintain. Our roots – the British Council’s roots – lie in Europe and our long presence here.
We’re creating friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of Portugal and the United Kingdom, making a positive contribution to each country by creating life-changing opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.
This year, our 80th anniversary celebrations will take place in December. Follow us on Facebook or contact us to know more about these events, to learn about our history and to see more pictures from our past.
