Joshi G. Prasad
CEO
He is the key piece in the machinery of the School. He ensures the successful achievement of objectives, compliance with the guidelines of the ELE USAL Group, and maintains constant communication with the Central Department in Salamanca. Likewise, he leads the administrative team and works alongside academic management to ensure the smooth operation of the school.
Don Joshi holds a degree in Business Management and is currently pursuing studies in Management and Leadership at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He brings more than 20 years of extensive experience in managing companies in the education sector. His goal is to create opportunities for at least 1 million people to have a multilingual experience during their careers.
Due to his strong social commitment and deep compassion, he is a founding member of a non-governmental organization dedicated to providing shelter to homeless orphans.
In his free time, he enjoys traveling, reading, doing volunteer work, and spending time in nature.
LANGUAGES: SPANISH (C1) – ENGLISH, HINDI, URDU, NEPALI (QUADRILINGUAL) – BENGALI AND JAPANESE (BASIC)
Paula Reyes Álvarez
Principal
Born in Vigo (Spain), she holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics, specializing in Methodology and Didactics of ELE (Spanish as a Foreign Language), from the University of Vigo (Spain) and a Degree in Spanish Philology from the same university. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Teacher Training for Spanish Language and Literature and a Postgraduate Degree in Applied Linguistics. She is a DELE Examiner for all levels and has more than 13 years of experience in the world of ELE.
Paula has been a Spanish teacher at universities in different countries: Brazil, Portugal, the USA, and Poland. In 2015 she was awarded the ASELE Award for her doctoral thesis “ELE teacher training in authentic competence assessment”. She has published various scientific articles on competence teaching, authentic assessment in ELE, and discourse interpretation.
Currently, she is the Academic Director of the ELE USAL Bilbao and Barcelona centers, responsibilities she combines with teacher training and academic advising.
In her free time, she likes running, dancing sevillanas, and enjoying the sea.
Languages: Spanish and Galician (bilingual), English (B1).
María Cabot Cardoso
Coordinator of the Teacher Training Department
Holds a Degree in Spanish Philology from the University of Barcelona (1996) and earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from the Pablo de Olavide University in 2012. She is an accredited Instituto Cervantes DELE examiner for levels A1-A2 and B1-B2.
She has been working as an ELE (Spanish as a Foreign Language) teacher for more than 25 years and has been training ELE teachers since 2008, in both face-to-face and online courses. She has taught training courses in Barcelona, Pamplona, and Bogotá. She has also taught at the Faculty of Education at the University of Barcelona.
She is the co-author of the textbook Experiencias B2, published by Edelsa, and has collaborated on the Cuadernos de didáctica collection by the Difusión publishing house.
She is currently the coordinator of the ELE Teacher Training Department at ELE USAL Barcelona.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, cinema, nature, and traveling whenever the opportunity arises.
Languages: Spanish (native) and Catalan (native), English (B2), basic knowledge of German and Japanese.
María José Figueroa Cifuentes
Coordinator of DELE and CCSE Exams
Born in Santiago, Chile, she emigrated to Spain at the age of 18 to begin her academic studies.
She holds a degree in Spanish Philology and in Literary Theory and Comparative Literature from the Complutense University of Madrid, and has a Master’s degree in Spanish as a Second Language.
With more than ten years of teaching experience, she has worked in international contexts in Spain, China, and Kenya, teaching students of different ages and backgrounds in institutions such as universities and language schools, as well as working as a private tutor both online and in person.
Additionally, she has over five years of experience as an accredited DELE examiner. She is an approachable and inquisitive teacher who applies a methodology focused on communicative, practical, and real-world language learning.
In her free time, she loves to travel and connect with different cultures, enjoys nature and animals, likes practicing sports, reading, music, and cinema, and is passionate about cooking and gastronomy.
Languages: Spanish (native), English (C1), French (A1), Chinese (beginner), and Swahili (beginner).
Cassius Guimarães
Head of Marketing
Born in Itamonte (Brazil), he has been living in Spain since 2019.
He is a strategic communicator with more than 20 years of experience in marketing and institutional communication. He has led branding projects in key markets such as Barcelona, Madrid, Dubai, Beijing, Milan, Moscow, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro for clients including the Government of Brazil, Volkswagen, Tetra Pak, Lenovo, and Faber-Castell.
He holds a degree in Communication (Unisul), a postgraduate degree in Scientific Journalism (Unicamp), an MBA in New Technologies (UNADE/IOE), and continuing education in Branding (ESPM) and Team Leadership (Harvard Business Review Brazil). Furthermore, he has studies in psychoanalysis (SBPI and Universitat de Barcelona) and holistic psychology (European School of Natural Therapies and Wellness), which brings a deeply human perspective to his approach to storytelling and brand reputation building.
In his free time, he likes playing the viola caipira, a traditional Brazilian guitar, and reading books and comics. His favorite author is Clarice Lispector, from whom he leaves an iconic quote below: “Freedom falls short for me. What I desire does not yet have a name” (from the book “Near to the Wild Heart”, 1943).
Languages: Portuguese (native), English (C2), Spanish (C1), German (C1), Catalan (B2).
International Associates
He Yi.
International Relations Manager
Born in Chongqing, China, YI is an open-minded, friendly person full of energy and dedication, with enthusiasm for both life and her work. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Cultural Industry Management and a qualification in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, and has worked in Chengdu and Shanghai on cultural projects and audiovisual planning.
Currently, YI holds the position of Head of International Relations and Director of the Chinese Department at ELE USAL Bilbao. She not only manages daily teaching operations, but also actively drives international cooperation with recognized universities, educational institutions, and agencies, aiming to offer students from different cultures a professional and immersive learning experience.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling, practicing Krav Maga, advocating for women’s rights, reading, spending time by the sea, and participating in volunteer activities.
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (native), Chongqing dialect (native), English (C1), Spanish (B1).
Amanat Ali.
Regional Associate, South Asia
Amanat Ali, born in Punjab, Pakistan, has more than 15 years of experience living and working in Spain.
Currently, he is the International Regional Manager for South Asia and IT Manager at the ELE USAL Schools in Barcelona and Bilbao.
He coordinates educational relationships with countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Dubai, promoting academic cooperation and supporting international students in their admission and integration processes.
Sama Kamiya.
Regional Associate, Japan
Born in Hekinan and raised in Takahama (Aichi, Japan), she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Sciences from Meijo University (Nagoya, Japan) and a Master’s Degree in Urban Design from the University of Barcelona. During her university years, she broadened her international perspective through short-term stays at Guilin University of Technology (China) and in Thailand, and later completed studies at San Martín de Porres University in Lima (Peru).
She has more than 10 years of experience teaching the Japanese language. Her passion for cultural exchange began during her university years, when she taught Japanese to international students and worked as an interpreter in Nagoya. During her time in Peru, she also collaborated with the JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) office in Lima. Additionally, she specializes in preparing students for official exams such as the JLPT and EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students).
In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano —especially pop music— and is currently learning “Bohemian Rhapsody”. She is also a huge fan of manga, a hobby she has shared with her father since childhood.
Languages: Japanese (native), Spanish (C1), English.
Padam S. Diyakoti
Regional Associate, Nepal
This IT professional, academic leader, and international cooperation specialist brings over 15 years of experience in education, institutional management, and project development across Nepal and India, backed by a degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s in IT. Throughout his career, he has served in key roles as a project director, coordinator, and lecturer. His recent focus centers on educational diplomacy, Nepal-Spain partnerships (such as the collaboration between the Ghodaghodi Municipality and the University of Salamanca), and building international alliances in South Asia for the ELE USAL Bilbao and Barcelona branches in the areas of student mobility, research, and vocational training.