23 March 2026
Bilbao
The Basque Government and the University of Deusto will be holding the I International Congress “Promoting the Development of High Intellectual Abilities in Inclusive Schools,” which will take place in Bilbao on 13 and 14 May. The Congress was presented on 23 March in Bilbao, with the participation of the Minister of Education, Begoña Pedrosa; the Dean of the Faculty of Education and Sport at the University of Deusto, Isabel Rubio; the Director for Diversity and Inclusion at the Department of Education of the Basque Government, Mikel Juaristi; and the Head of the Support Unit for the Development of High Intellectual Abilities at the University of Deusto, Myriam Martínez.
Over two days, the Congress will address strategies for identification, educational intervention and support for students with high abilities, as well as educational response models aimed at equity and inclusion. The event will bring together education professionals, researchers, families, and institutional representatives in a space for exchange and shared learning.
Within this framework, the programme will provide a broad and up-to-date perspective through presentations by international specialists, discussion sessions, and the sharing of good practices. The opening day will feature a keynote by Dr Rena Subotnik (University of Berkeley), an international expert in talent development, who will examine the main challenges and opportunities in this field.
Throughout the Congress, key issues such as low performance in students with high abilities and strategies to prevent it and promote school success will be addressed by Betsy McCoach (University of Connecticut), as well as the evolution and pending challenges in the educational response, with contributions from the Department of Education and the University of Deusto.
The programme will also focus on educational practice, featuring a symposium on personalised learning and the development of student potential, alongside a roundtable dedicated to the role of the family and extracurricular environment in supporting students, incorporating the experiences of specialised associations and projects.
The second day will broaden the perspective with international contributions on twice-exceptional students, the use of artificial intelligence in educational responses, and emotional development as a key element for well-being. The programme will also showcase intervention models and good practices in schools, highlighting specific experiences applied in the classroom.
The aim is to share knowledge, experiences, and tools that enable the recognition and development of talent in diverse educational contexts, contributing to the advancement of an increasingly inclusive education system capable of meeting the needs of all students.
Promoting an increasingly visible reality
The Regional Minister of Education has framed the congress within the need to make progress in providing a better response to student diversity and in offering each student what they need to fully develop their potential. In this regard, she emphasised that it is an area of growing interest for families and schools, and that it “requires continuing to share knowledge and develop practical solutions for the educational community, based on evidence and practice.”
For this reason, the Basque Country Congress aims to establish itself as a reference platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge, educational best practices, and experiences, contributing to improving educational support and strengthening collaboration among schools, families, and the research community.
Begoña Pedrosa also stressed that "high abilities are part of student diversity, and we must provide each student with the opportunities and stimulation they need to develop their potential, ”adding that “improving support for these students means making the most of their talent, offering equal opportunities, and moving towards an education system that is fairer and better adapted to the real diversity of students.”
For her part, the Dean of the Faculty of Education and Sport at the University of Deusto, Isabel Rubio, after outlining the programme details, stated that “we will address the challenges that concern families and teachers: low academic performance, examining why students with high potential do not achieve the expected success; socio-emotional development, essential for the personal balance of the child; and twice-exceptionality, to provide support for those who have giftedness alongside other specific educational needs.”
Other initiatives underway in the Basque Country
Since 2019, the Department of Education of the Basque Government, together with the University of Deusto, has been developing a specific line of work focused on supporting highly able students, as part of the Educational Support Plan for Students with High Intellectual Abilities. This initiative aims to improve early identification and educational responses in schools, as well as to strengthen teacher training and collaboration with families.
Within this framework, various initiatives have been launched to advance better detection of students and the development of tools and guidance for schools, promoting a response that is better tailored to the diversity of student profiles.
Among these actions is Zur-ekin, a support programme that contributes to the early detection and educational monitoring of students with high abilities, providing resources to schools, teacher training, and guidance for families.
Through this sustained line of work, the Basque education system aims to identify and develop talent from an early age, ensuring an inclusive educational response that allows each student to realise their full potential.
Information and registration
The full programme of the congress and information on registration can be found on the event’s official website.
