Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) Chairman Peter Blanck, University Professor in the College of Law, has been invited for a distinguished visit and lectures at King Juan Carlos University (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos) (URJC) in Madrid. The invitation is a nod to BBI’s global reputation as a leader in disability policy, rights and advocacy.

Professor Montserrat Pereña Vicente, who extended the invitation on behalf of URJC, cited the reach of Blanck’s work and BBI’s reputation abroad, calling it “among the top such programs internationally in education, research and law.”

The visit, tentatively planned for March, will give Blanck an opportunity to discuss that work with Spanish scholars, students and members of the disability community. Blanck will also visit the University of Salamanca, located about two hours northwest of Madrid, to speak with the law faculty there.

Blanck has served as chairman of BBI since its founding in 2005. He is a nationally recognized expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws. BBI was recently awarded two competitive grants totaling $4.5 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Blanck is principal investigator on a $3.7 million competitive renewal that will continue BBI’s leadership of the Southeast ADA Center, and co-principal investigator on a $750,000 grant that will fund the Advanced Rehabilitation Research and Training Program on the Future of Employment for People with Disabilities. Fitore Hyseni, director of research for BBI and a research assistant professor in the College of Law, is the principal investigator.

URJC is a public research university that placed in the top 4.5% of institutions worldwide in the 2026 World University Rankings. The University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, is Spain’s oldest university and is one of the most historic law schools in Europe.