Rejane Queiroz
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, known by the locals as the “Wonderful City,” but since 2001 I have called Madrid home. I now consider myself a “Madrileña” who truly believes that Madrid is just one step from heaven. My love for language drove my university studies—I studied Portuguese and Spanish language and literature before I moved to Spain. My learned ability to read Cervantes in old Spanish is one of my greatest accomplishments. I also earned a master’s degree in Portuguese Multidisciplinary Studies in Language, Literature and History from the Aberta University in Lisbon, Portugal—a magnificent experience as it is the country of my mother tongue. I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Modern Languages, specializing in Portuguese and Brazilian studies, at the University of Salamanca. When I’m not teaching or studying, I enjoy painting, traveling, literature and playing padel. During my travels, I love seeking out the charm of every city I visit, especially when it can be found in libraries and bookstores. My greatest passion, however, is spending time with my only son.
"In order to achieve success, get through each day, stay focused and be strong enough to start again even after failure."
Passion leads to success
As a specialist in teaching both Portuguese as a foreign language and Portuguese literature, Rejane is an asset to the IE University Language Center. She has written two books on teaching language and literature to foreigners, and her expertise shines through while she teaches. Before becoming a teacher, she held a job in human resources and international relations—although she liked her job, it was there that she realized she was meant to teach.
Rejane works as a professor at IE University and two other universities in Madrid. She finds working in three different universities personally enriching, but she also sees it as a way to give her students a more dynamic learning environment. IE University, with its prominent position in international rankings, offers a unique teaching experience for Rejane. With over 20 years of experience, she truly understands that a balance between theory and hands-on experience is the best way for students to apply their learning.
The ability to combine teaching and pedagogical research is one of the many advantages Rejane saw in teaching. Complementing a professional career with personal interests is an idea she strives to pass on to her students. Learning a foreign language requires an open mindset to culture, history, perspective and behavior—further proving its importance. Rejane believes Portuguese should be a highly attractive option for IE University students as it is a language spoken in the internationally recognized, future-thinking country of Brazil, as well as Spain’s neighbor, Portugal.
As Rejane shows, it is possible to combine education with passion. This mindset is demonstrated through her interest in art and painting. She has taken her passion to the next level and is working on finishing a degree in art history, only adding to her highly academic profile. Rejane believes that in order to achieve success, it is important to get through each day, stay focused and be strong enough to start again even after failure. After seeing Rejane’s success, we think we will take her advice!
