The rectors and presidents of the social councils of the Catalan public universities have agreed to demand from the Government of the next legislature a budget of 1,400 million euros for 2025 with the idea of reaching the equivalent of 1% of the GDP in 2030 (2,500 million ) as established by the law on Spanish universities (LOSU).
The planned financing for the 2024 budgets was 1,325 million. This is one of the 12 points that the universities have signed in what they have called the Calonge Declaration and that have been established within the framework of the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP). The document was delivered yesterday to the representatives of all political parties, who held a debate, with the aim of getting them to commit to their objectives.
Campuses also ask to be able to work in the medium and long term in exchange for accountability, for which they require a multi-year program contract agreed upon with each university to respect the uniqueness and strategy of each institution. These programs are being extended to other Spanish universities.
On the other hand, they propose that the investment plan (PIU) be established for the period 2024-2028 of 100 million annually so that the infrastructure can be modernized. Since the 2008 crisis, campuses have not had funding to renovate buildings, classrooms, laboratories and other facilities. In the last two years, the recovery of these investments has begun, but far from what the rectors consider necessary. Thus, they demand that the future administration enhance research equipment and unique infrastructures and ensure the provision of teaching infrastructure appropriate to the diversity of students.