HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

Wednesday, April 12 marked the official implementation of Spain's new 'Organic Law of the University System' (LOSU), which includes a wide range of reforms to the country's university system. Some of the key changes include a commitment to spend one percent of Spain's GDP on universities, a ban on gender-segregated colleges, and caps on public university fees.

Speaking about the law, Spain's Universities Minister Joan Subirats emphasised the importance of universities in promoting democratic values, social rights, and diversity. He also expressed pride in the law, stating that it allows universities to maintain their essential functions of promoting ideological pluralism, generating critical knowledge, preparing young people for their careers, and supporting research and innovation.

Among the specific changes introduced by the law are modifications to the way teaching staff are evaluated, with an emphasis on quantitative and qualitative data. The law also establishes the inclusion of Catalan, Basque, and Galician in the Erasmus exchange program and other publicly funded mobility programs and bans private colleges with segregated practices from being ascribed to a public university.

Moreover, the law addresses the issue of job insecurity among university teaching staff in Spain. It introduces a ceiling on temporary contracts, with a maximum of eight percent, and aims to reduce the number of associate professors and visitors by making those roles indefinite positions. This move aims to provide greater job stability for teaching staff, who currently face a high percentage of temporary contracts.

The law also commits to spending a minimum of one percent of GDP on universities and aims to encourage lifelong learning by making universities more accessible to students of all ages.

Furthermore, the law strengthens the regulations surrounding public university fees by consolidating measures to establish caps on their pricing. This involves empowering regional authorities to determine fee levels while requiring them to progressively reduce prices over time. This move is aimed at ensuring that higher education remains affordable and accessible to all, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

Spanish universities can also create 'centres' or campuses abroad that provide teaching that counts towards official university degrees valid across Spain.

Another significant aspect of the law is its commitment to gender equality in the university system. The reform on gender segregation prohibits private colleges with segregated practices from being ascribed to a public university, thus promoting a more inclusive and diverse learning environment. This amendment was introduced following a recent episode of sexist chanting at the Colegio Mayor Elías Ahuja in Madrid, a segregated college, which led to a hate crime investigation by the prosecutor's office in Madrid.

Additionally, the law aims to increase access to higher education and lifelong learning opportunities. Lifelong learning will become a basic function of universities, with courses of varying lengths to accommodate students of all ages and backgrounds. This move aims to help adults respond to the demands of the job market and address the expected demographic changes in the coming years.

Overall, the new university law in Spain is a significant step towards a more inclusive, diverse, and accessible higher education system that provides job stability, linguistic plurality and promotes gender equality. These reforms are expected to have a positive impact on the Spanish university system, its teaching staff, and students alike.

Sources

https://www.thelocal.es/20230412/spains-new-university-law-eight-key-points-you-should-know