The President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, has stated that the Andalusian government is trying to tackle the challenges of higher education with the determination to turn them into opportunities. He also assured that the Andalusian university system is undergoing a significant transformation, thanks to the work of the university community and the role of its Rectors, to make it more effective, efficient, competitive, internationalized, accessible, and responsive to the demands of society and the job market.
«Andalusia aspires to be a reference in university policy thanks to the structural reforms that are being undertaken, processes in which I want to thank the Rectors for their dialogical attitude, which has led to important agreements. It has not been easy, but it has been possible,» he added.
He emphasized that Andalusia now has a funding model that aims to provide certainty for the ten public universities in Andalusia and highlighted that, since 2019, the system’s funding has increased by 26%, approaching 1% of GDP.
He indicated that the budget growth path continues in 2025, reaching €1,726 million thanks to the new funding model. «All of us, the Andalusian government and the universities themselves, must make an effort in budgetary balances, be efficient in spending, and effective in management.»
The Andalusian President, who spoke at the inaugural session of the General Assembly of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) held at the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, highlighted an achievement such as the fact that all eight Andalusian provinces now have a Medicine Degree, a milestone that will gradually help alleviate the shortage of doctors in Spain.
Juanma Moreno greets the President of the CRUE and Rector of the Universitat Jaume I, Eva Alcón.
In addition, before the end of the Legislature, new laws are expected to be approved to consolidate the transformation of the system, such as the new University Law, which will respond to the demands of our time with guarantees, and another one on Science in line with the commitment to innovation and supporting researchers.
He also mentioned the renewal of the Courses Map after fourteen years with a frozen offer and the approval of a total of 188 courses for the period 2025-2028. «In this necessary adaptation, higher education needed to take a brave and decisive step. Together, once again, we have made it possible, through the most exemplary social dialogue.»
In this regard, he emphasized that next year, Andalusian universities will offer courses on artificial intelligence or data science, in addition to topics related to sustainability.
Group photo of speakers and attendees at the CRUE event at UPO.
Moreno pointed out that, just as Vocational Training is doing, Andalusian universities must be flexible and cross-cutting, opening up to the new profiles increasingly demanded by companies. «We are working to have an even stronger, more competitive public university system whose investment approaches that of the leading universities, and to make this possible, we need the commitment of all Public Administrations and also the Government of Spain, in accordance with what is established by the Organic Law of the University System (LOSU).»
The event was attended by the Minister of University, Research, and Innovation, José Carlos Gómez Villamandos, the President of the CRUE and Rector of the Universitat Jaume I, Eva Alcón, and the Rector of the Pablo de Olavide University, Paco Oliva, among others.
