Among the main axes and novelties of the LESUC, Díaz Ayuso has highlighted that the first Higher Education Law of the most important university region in Spain will pioneerly unify all higher education: universities and scientific research, higher vocational training, higher artistic education, sports education, and business schools. This legal recognition will bridge the gap between education and employment, promoting continuous learning and professional development.
The future Law on Higher Education, Universities, and Science faces the challenge of dual training by creating a unique District of internships, with a coordination Committee involving all interested parties, and a unified software application, to ensure that no university student or Vocational Training student is left without internships.
The Law aims to protect the Humanities and promote the Spanish language in university life, with measures such as lowering fees for Hispanic-American students so they pay the same as any young Spaniard or EU citizen. Additionally, a minimum level of Spanish proficiency will be required to study at public and private universities, except for programs taught in another language.
A new funding model for universities
Regarding the new funding system for public universities, which will be multi-year and revisable every five years, it will include three levels: basic funding for the normal operation of campuses; special needs funding that may allow, for example, building rehabilitation; and an additional and optional third level for achieving various objectives, such as promoting dual training in bachelor’s and master’s programs or enhancing admission tests that raise the standards for accessing degrees like Early Childhood Education and Primary Education, among others.
To complement this funding, new financing tools will be provided to these institutions, such as managing their investment portfolios, interuniversity loans of their surpluses on preferential terms, managing their own properties, activating a purchasing center to reduce costs, or developing common administrative management services.
Other novelties of the upcoming regulation will include the recognition of accreditations of teachers from across Spain, following the model of the Open Market Law; the possibility for universities to recognize credits for volunteer activities; access for students and teachers of higher vocational training to research calls for the first time in Spain; the promotion of public-private collaboration in the university field; the recognition of business schools, granting them university status and a legal framework to ensure their quality; or the requirement for universities to inform families whether the master’s programs they offer are official or not to prevent confusion.
With educational freedom
In addition, Díaz Ayuso has announced that the Community of Madrid will take the Government to court over the Royal Decree on the recognition and accreditation of universities being prepared by the central government, «which attacks private universities, goes against the Constitution, and infringes on regional competencies.» The Community of Madrid, through the Ministry of Education, Science, and Universities, has already submitted objections to this text to the Ministry.
This Royal Decree will be processed under an urgent procedure and establishes additional requirements for private institutions, such as having a minimum of 4,500 students.
The regional government will oppose this regulation with all the means at its disposal to defend not only the centers in Madrid but also that 60% of private universities approved by PSOE regional governments that would now be condemned to illegality and disappearance with this Royal Decree.
The Madrid university system consists of six public centers and 13 private ones offering over 1,800 official degrees in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs to more than 300,000 students (over 200,000 in public institutions and the rest in private universities). The Community of Madrid, which represents 14.4% of the Spanish population, concentrates 22.4% of university students in Spain, compared to regions like Catalonia, which has fewer higher education students (15.9%) than its population percentage (16.5%); or Andalusia, with 17.7% of the population and 17.3% of the total university students in the country. More than half of university students in the Community of Madrid attend public institutions.
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