Cabildo and ULPGC launch specialized adult training program with 16 subjects and 200 lecture hours per course
The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through the Department of Education and Youth, announced the launch of a new edition of the Diploma in Canary Gastronomy Studies. The programme, developed in collaboration with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), expands this year to two academic years.
“Our island corporation is committed to these specialized trainings, which have deep roots on the island and rank among the most attended adult‑education initiatives,” said Cabildo President Lola García.
The diploma is aimed specifically at adults and aligns with the Canary public university’s lifelong‑learning strategy, offering open access regardless of age and requiring only minimal academic prerequisites.
16 Subjects and an Integrated Approach
The main innovation is the new two‑year structure, comprising 16 subjects and roughly 200 lecture hours per course. Classes are held in the evenings, Monday and Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The first session began with the subject “Fish and Shellfish of the Canary Islands,” focusing on the archipelago’s key species, marine sustainability, and the added value of local products.
The curriculum examines Canary gastronomy from historical, cultural, scientific, and economic perspectives. Core subjects include:
- The Canary Recipe Book
- Canary Island Cheeses
- Canary Island Wines
- Archipelago Oils and Honeys
- Salinas and Sea Salt of the Canaries
- Canary Industry (ASINCA)
- Gastronomic Neuromarketing
- Gastronomic Photography
- Applied Physics in Cooking
- Food Trends
- Eco‑gardens and Urban Gardens
- History of Canary Food
- Food, Culture, and Sustainability in the Canaries
Teaching combines lectures with practical workshops, tastings, and visits to dairies, wineries, oil mills, and salt pans. Students can choose between a certificate of attendance or a full diploma, the latter requiring the completion and passing of academic projects over the two years.
Training, Identity, and Sustainable Development
Education and Youth Counselor Adargoma Hernández emphasized that the two‑year format represents a qualitative leap:
“The expansion to two years represents a qualitative leap in gastronomic training in Fuerteventura, highly demanded by students. The diploma not only deepens knowledge of the islands’ products and traditions but also helps form ambassadors of Canary identity, strengthening the link between education, culture, the primary sector, and sustainable development.”
ULPGC Vice‑Rector for Sports and Culture José Miguel Álamo highlighted the university’s outreach:
“Bringing the university closer to all sectors of the population consolidates our commitment to lifelong learning and opens the classrooms to older Majorero residents.”
Through this initiative, the Cabildo of Fuerteventura reaffirms its commitment to lifelong education and to delivering high‑quality, accessible training that is closely tied to the territory, positioning the Canary gastronomic heritage as a cultural, social, and economic engine.