What university model do we want?

The Spanish government wants to curb the proliferation of private universities that has occurred in Spain in recent years, which is on the verge of causing there to be more than 46 public ones (50). This proliferation would not be a problem if there were not the suspicion that behind many of them there is not enough academic solidity or sufficient structure, but that the corresponding regional authorities still give them the green light because it is still an entry of economic activity and prestige for the territory in question. In fact, a third of the new universities approved have not had a positive report from the Ministry of Universities, but this procedure is not binding. The regional government has the final say.

And this is where the different ideological approaches are seen, with the Community of Madrid and Catalonia at both extremes. Madrid is the territory where This type of universities have proliferated more and more private (there are 13, and only 6 public), many of them online, which seek to attract mainly middle and upper class South American students. In fact, in parallel with the green light from Isabel Díaz Ayuso's government for these centers, the Madrid executive is strangling the public system and especially its flagship university, the Complutense University, as its rector denounces. Therefore, an ideological pattern can clearly be seen, with the growing privatization of higher education, in line with what is happening in other areas, such as healthcare and primary and secondary education.

In contrast, Catalonia's university landscape is much more stable (12 universities: 7 public, 4 private, and one virtual). There have been no new universities in the last 28 years, and what they have attempted to do is strengthen the system and promote existing ones. Data indicates that Catalan universities occupy the top positions in the Spanish rankings and are the only ones with a presence in the international rankings. The University of Barcelona, ​​​​the Autonomous University, the Polytechnic University, and the Pompeu Fabra University are public centers of excellence with a very strong international reputation and brand image. The Open University of Catalonia is also a success story. Alongside the public offerings, there is also a private one that complements them, and unique cases such as the University of Vic, private but with elements of the public university.

The goal, in any case, should be for all universities to have an academic or regional justification (like those in Lleida, Girona, or Tarragona) and a level comparable to the European system. Opening the door to institutions that don't offer sufficient guarantees (perhaps there's no need to call them "chiringuitos" (beach bars), however) ends up having a negative impact on the university system as a whole and devaluing the value of degrees. The university can't be seen solely as a form of business, so the decree that tightens the criteria for creating new institutions is welcome.