The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has reacted to the claims by the rectors of the underfunding of the six public universities in the region (Complutense, Autonomous, Polytechnic, Alcalá, King Juan Carlos and Carlos III). Ayuso has promised that The budget allocated to these will increase by 4.2% in 2025which translates into 47.3 million euros, instead of the 0.9% that was allocated until now and unlike 18% – translated into 200 million euros– that the rectors demanded.
This is how he has advanced it The Country and sources from the regional Government have confirmed this, after the meeting held this Tuesday by the president of the regional Executive with the rectors of the six public universities. As detailed by the same sources, 20 of the 42 million will be dedicated to infrastructure and the other 22 for payroll and current expenses.
The regional government reacts minimally to the help calls that have occurred during recent months by universities and that have intensified during recent weeks, with the letter published by the six rectors in which they warned that the situation was “critical” and that, “in a few years, it could become catastrophic.”
The regional government has explained that, among the main measures, it has been agreed to “start work to develop a model of stable financing of Madrid public universitieswhich will link a part of the financing to the achievement of certain objectives.” This will be reflected in the draft regional accounts for 2025, which already It is being processed in the Madrid Assembly for approval before the end of the year.
They have also detailed that “the Ministry is already working together with university officials in an infrastructure plan to define the state and needs that each institution presents” and that “in the second half of January 2025 the works on the financing model linked to the new University Law”.
María Goyri Program
Minutes before the meeting between both parties, sources from the Ministry of Education, Science and Universities have announced that they are finalizing the signing of the agreement of the María Goyri Programthrough which they will be created new positions for doctor’s assistant professors in Madrid’s public universities, although they have warned that it will be adapted to the reality of their centers.
The objective is rejuvenate and stabilize university teaching staff with the creation of up to 1,100 new places. 60% of them will be covered by the central government during the first six years and the remaining 40% by the Community of Madrid, which will be responsible for all these contracts after that six-year period and which is willing to contribute 17.5 million annually to undertake this action starting in 2025.
This announcement comes just one day after the Ministry of Science and Universities published that all the autonomous communities, except Madrid, had joined the program. The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morantsent a letter this Monday to the regional government asking it to rectify its position so as not to lose 169 million in financingsince the deadline to join ends this Thursday.
Added to the urgency to sign the aforementioned agreement was the rush to negotiate different financing. before the 2025 Regional Budgets are put to the vote at the end of this month. This Thursday the amendments to the entirety presented to next year’s accounts by the three opposition parties will be debated in plenary, which It is foreseeable that they will not succeed due to the absolute majority that the PP enjoys in the Assembly..
Letter from the rectors to Ayuso
The minister’s letter has not been the only one that has reached the central government in the last week. The rectors of the six public universities in Madrid opted for the same communication system last Thursday to show unanimously their discontent and concern about the planned financing for next year. In the statement, the rectors warned about the “economic unsustainability” that makes “the quality of public service” impossible.
“The draft budget does not contemplate the transfers necessary to address the impact of inflation on suppliesto fully cover the salary increase agreed by the central Government or to finance the demands of the new Organic Law of the University System (LOSU),” they stated in the statement.
The draft also does not contemplate the resources necessary to maintain infrastructure “indispensable for its operation and safety in adequate conditions,” they added.
Until this Tuesday’s meeting, the response of the Ministry of Education, Science and Universities, which heads Emilio Vicianaentrusted everything to the new Law of Higher Education, University and Science (LESUC) of the region, which will include a new multi-year financing model adapted to your needsaccording to Ministry sources.
The LESUC contemplates basic financing and the possibility of receiving both investments for unique needs, as well as a additional financing The amount of which would depend on the fulfillment of certain strategic objectives in teaching, research or competitiveness.
Tense relationship between both parties
Friction between the regional government and public universities has been happening for months. This is what emerges after the Ayuso’s statements on November 14 in the control session of the Plenary Assembly in which accused the left of “colonizing” institutions, starting with the universityand made it ugly that “titles are given like churros.”
A few words to which the rector of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) responded 10 days later: Joaquin Goyachewho described the president’s words as “unfair and false” and expressed that “generate irreparable damage to the prestige of an academic institution which is an essential pillar of higher education in Spain and which enjoys widely deserved international recognition”.
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