CEO's Words
Dear students, parents, faculty and administrators:
Thank you for considering Active Learning Abroad (ALA) as your academic program provider to study abroad in Spain.
Sincerely, I think it is a great choice. We offer excellent academic programs at an affordable cost in four of the most
dynamic and popular cities in Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca and Seville.
Our programs effectively combine academic rigor with planned extracurricular activities which allows our students to
learn, grow personally, and enjoy their stay with us. All of us at ALA want to be part of our North American students´
career and personal development. We will contribute to achieve that by providing the opportunities and the necessary
tools. However, it is the student, always the student, who will make it possible. We will support, and always be with
the student. However, study abroad is such a personal experience that the real success of the program rests with our
participants.
I am not going to extend myself here writing about all the incredible experiences that study abroad offers. Years ago
study abroad was a possibility, an option that some students considered, but rarely undertook. Today it is a must.
Students who study abroad become aware of different international situations because, for some time, they are part of
those situations. They do not only study, they live and experience realities that only take place in a culture different
from that which they are used to in their home country. They become more aware, open minded, and knowledgeable. They are
able to focus on issues and problems from a different perspective. They become citizens of the world. They are better
prepared for the future.
For more than 20 years I have personally been responsible for many study abroad programs in Spain. Working for public
Spanish universities, and for private American and Spanish organizations, I have had the privileged to serve the
interests of thousands of American students, and to work closely with academic institutions, in Spain and the USA. This
now enables me to provide the optimal conditions for our students.
From a humble point of view, ALA aims to provide the necessary support to our North American students to ensure that
they have a rewarding study abroad experience. I had this experience many years ago in the USA and, today I am committed
to give back what I received.
Count on us. We are at your disposal.
Sincerely,
Arturo Jarque, Ph.D.
CEO