The regional government and the University of Cantabria (UC) will work together to draw up a multi-year financing program contract and develop the Science and Technology Law approved last year.
Two requests that the rector of the UC, Ángel Pazos, has transferred this Tuesday to the Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Universities, Sergio Silva, in what has been the first meeting that both have held since the latter took office, and in which the general director of Universities, Marta Pascual, has also been.
As they have explained, during the meeting they reviewed issues of a “general nature” that concern the activity of the university and especially “three fundamental ones”: the financing, the development of the Science Act and the application of the LOSU.
Regarding financing, Pazos has pointed out the “the need to start thinking about the future in a multi-year program-contract, with a view to 2025”and the counselor has transferred the commitment of the Government of Cantabria “to go towards a scenario of stable financing, therefore, multi-year”, since he recognizes that for any field of research and teaching “it is a quality factor” to have with that stable scenario.
With a view to drawing up this multi-year agreement, they have agreed create a mixed commission to work “in a calm but stable way”taking into account “the moment in which we find ourselves with legal changes in the university environment”, said Silva, who has indicated that a date has not yet been set for a new meeting but they have called for “more sectoral” meetings. to go addressing “in detail” topics of research, teaching or internationalization, among others.
And although he has specified that first the General Budgets of Cantabria for 2024 will have to be negotiated -something that will be worked on “from next month”-, the counselor has made progress regarding the financing of the UC that the new Executive of the PP aspires to “improve things”. “We start from an annual contract model and what we want is to go to a multi-year horizon. Meanwhile, seeing the needs that the University of Cantabria conveys to us in a short term, we will try to make it the most adjusted to those needs. We do not aspire to unless we aspire to more”, he explained.
SCIENCE ACT AND LOSU
Another request that the rector has transferred to the Ministry is the development of the Science Law of Cantabria, which It was approved in December “but it is still in an initial phase”and that Pazos believes that “if it is done well, it will mark a before and after”.
Silva has indicated in this regard that this rule “implies opening a whole new chapter in the field of research and transfer and in which the Ministry of Education has to start developing an entire ecosystem together with the University of Cantabria and other agents” .
In parallel, the rector of the UC and the counselor have reviewed the legislative framework to which Cantabria will have to adapt to comply with state regulations, such as the Decree of Academic Education or the LOSU. “There is important work ahead that we must do hand in hand with the university,” Silva acknowledged. In addition, other specific issues were discussed at the meeting, such as the revitalization of the University of Comillas, programs linked to infrastructures or regulatory developments linked to research teaching staff.
UNEATLANTICO
After the meeting with the rector of the UC, the counselor met with his counterpart at the European University of the Atlantic (Uneatlántico), Rubén Calderón, also in a first contact.
Silva has considered Uneatlántico as “an asset to promote development and regional balance” and has offered all the collaboration of its Ministry to “continue moving forward together” and contribute to this university “continuing to weave a network of knowledge that benefits Cantabria and expands its university offer”.
For his part, the rector has emphasized the importance of being able to carry out common collaborative projects that are of benefit to the autonomous community and has emphasized that Uneatlántico has implemented 15 degrees and 16 master’s degrees in 5 branches of knowledge.
Along these lines, he has highlighted that It has a third of all the university degrees in Cantabriawith more than 20% of all official master’s degree students, and a third of all university students in the autonomous community. In addition, it has highlighted its international character, since more than 30% of undergraduate students and 50% of postgraduate students come from other countries.
