Published on Eurydice (https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice)

Higher education is integrated by:

university education advanced vocational training s [1]pecialised education: [1] advanced artistic education, plastic arts and design professional studies and advanced sports education.

Advanced vocational training: post-compulsory non-university education with a clear professional orientation.

University education: with an academic orientation and longer than non-university higher education.

2021

Draft Law on University Coexistence

In September 2021, the Council of Ministers approved the Draft Law on University Coexistence [2] proposed by the Ministry of Universities. In this last quarter of the year, its parliamentary proceedings will be carried out in both houses, Congress and Senate.

The new text seeks to establish the appropriate framework for members of the university community to be able to exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms essential for the development of our democracy, such as ideological and religious freedom, freedom of expression, rights to assembly, association and demonstration, as well as freedom of teaching, academic freedom and the right to education, among others, through the creation and protection of coexistence environments democratically set by the universities themselves. Consequently, this document will establish the bases of coexistence in the university environment. Its publication will lead to the repeal of the Regulation of Academic Discipline of Higher Education Centres which dates back to 1954.

Draft Law of the Organic Law of the University System

In August 2021, the Council of Ministers approved the preliminary draft Law of the University System [3] proposed by the Ministry of Universities. In this last quarter of the year, its parliamentary proceedings will be carried out in both houses, Congress and Senate.

The main proposals of the Law are:

commitment to a quality university system; equity, a fundamental tool for a democratic university; the university as a source of production and transfer of knowledge, and of quality employment; lay the foundations to end precariousness at the university: a priority objective; equal opportunities to access the University; internationalization of universities; a law as a fundamental tool for the future and for sustainable growth.

Strategic Plan for Subsidies by the Ministry of Universities 2021-2023

The Minister of Universities recently approved the Strategic Plan for Subsidies 2021-2023 [4], with the aim of helping the planning, execution and monitoring of the subsidies managed by the Ministry. This plan seeks to carry out a more effective and efficient management, as well as a more transparent operation. The plan consists of 5 strategic objectives and 11 specific objectives:

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Facilitate access and permanence at 1.1 University Improvement of citizens' Guarantee the fundamental right to 1.2 competencies for their personal and education, as well as equity and equal professional life. 1 opportunities of access and permanence in the Spanish education Promotion of the participation of the system most representative social agents and 1.3 student associations to guarantee the effectiveness of the right to education

2.1 Visiting and mobility

Re-qualification of teaching and 2 Improvement of the abilities to access investigation staff 2.2 and exercise of teaching and research duties in the university

Promotion of scientific and university 3.1 vocations, promoting the research- Promote scientific and technical 3 oriented spirit in young people. research and innovation in all sectors Attraction of research talent from 3.2 abroad Promotion of the internationalization 4.1 of educational institutions and centres Promote the internationalization of the Promotion of international student 4 4.2 Spanish university system mobility.

4.3 Promotion of international cooperation

Improvement of digital infrastructures, 5 Digitise the Spanish university system 5.1 equipment, technologies, teaching and evaluation

Scholarships and study aid for the school year 2021/2022

The budget for scholarships and study aid has increased by more than 128 million, to 2038 million euros, in part to include the entry of new beneficiaries because of the crisis derived from the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the third consecutive year that its funding has increased. Since 2018, the budget has increased by 39.6% and the number of beneficiaries by 24.5%. The deadline to apply for general scholarships for university students is October 14, inclusive.

All information on requirements, deadlines, amounts and procedures to be eligible for these scholarships and grants is available on the scholarships website [5] of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP) and the Ministry of Universities. The goal is to centralize the information and make it more accessible.

According to the estimations of the MEFP and the Ministry of Universities, some 850 000 students will benefit from this call for general scholarships: 390 000 of them from university education and 460 000 from non-university education.

New Organic Law on Education LOMLOE

On January 19, 2021, the Law on Education 3/2020 (LOMLOE [6]) which amends Law 2/2006 became effective. Its coming into force has repealed Law 8/2013 for the improvement of educational quality. This new educational law has also introduced changes in Organic Law 6/2001 for Universities.

University admission exam: The system based on the grade obtained in the Bachillerato and the admission exam is fully restored. The admission procedure to universities is reestablished under conditions of equality, regardless of where the previous studies were carried out or the specific need for educational support or disability. The Government will establish the basic regulations that allow universities to set the admission procedures for those who have passed the admission exam. More access arrangements are given in the university admission exam so as not to discriminate against students with a specific need for educational support and to guarantee universal accessibility for people with disabilities. Access to advanced level of Vocational Training: The degree of Professional Training Technician will allow access to both the Advanced training cycles and the Professional Teaching of Plastic Arts and Design. Advanced Artistic Education: Those who have the Bachillerato degree, or the Professional Training Technician degree and pass a more personalized test will be able to access to the Advanced degree in plastic arts and design. Likewise, those who hold the degree of Plastic Arts and Design Technician will be able to access these studies. The equivalence between advanced degrees is reinforced and those students who pass the corresponding studies will be able to obtain the title of Bachelor Degree in Advanced Artistic Education.

Digitisation Plan for the University System

This project, developed by the Ministry of Universities and which has European funds, will have a budget of 142.85 million euro. Its fundamental objectives are, firstly, to have adequate technical, material and human resources to modernize the Spanish university system, significantly improving the relationship between the digital world and the academic world.

Secondly, to stimulate innovation and digital transformation from universities. It is a priority of the Ministry of Universities to help universities to become central actors in the digital transformation processes that are taking place in our societies.

Likewise, this plan seeks to develop strategic projects in the field of educational innovation by launching a selected set of projects of strategic nature - in the field of digital training - that function as prototypes, and that operate at interuniversity levels.

For more information, see Plan de Digitalización [7]

New programmatic strategy of the Ministry of Universities

The education of people, equal opportunities for all, economic, scientific and technological development, cultural creation, the affirmation of ethical and civic values, the construction of identity, the learning of tolerance and solidarity between humans, and the defence of intellectual freedom and expression through the stimulation of a critical spirit depend on the University.

For these principles to be applied, institutional policies supported by a stable regulatory framework are necessary.

The new programmatic strategy is organized in the following areas:

Public university, free and with quality of education: priority to the student body The university as knowledge producer The university at the service of society A university that contributes to economic development and the creation of quality employment A differentiated and competitive university system An internationalized university The University as a space of freedom and cultural debate An equitable university An autonomous, democratic and participatory University A university with adequate funding from the regional budgets through the corresponding State transfers

For more information, see Estrategia programática [8]

Financing of the REACTIVAFP 20/21 plan and other programs related to VET

The Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP), has approved an investment of 33 million euros for different educational programs of territorial cooperation with the Autonomous Communities in the field of Vocational Training, in which Advanced Vocational Training is also included. These agreements were approved on October 21, 2020 by the General Committee of the Education Sectorial Conference.

This investment distributed among the AACC will go to the following programmes:

1. Evaluation and Accreditation of Professional Competences (3 481 170 euro) 2. Dual Vocational Training (9 000 000 euro) 3. Vocational Training Quality Actions of the Educational System (4 634 960 euros) 4. REACTIVAFP 20-21 Programme, within the actions to promote the quality of VET (10 583 870 euro) 5. Training, improvement and mobility initiatives for VET teachers with (5 300 000 euro).

These funds are in addition to those provided for in the Plan for the Modernization of Vocational Training. The execution period is between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021, and its justification will be made before March 31, 2022. The distribution criteria used for the delivery of these funds are, among others, the number of students, teachers and VET centres, the at-risk-poverty rate, the number of municipalities with a population under 10,000, the early school drop-out rate, the number of companies participating in Dual Vocational Training, the gender gap in qualifications, people in search of employment, or the disperse distribution of the active population and of the Public Administrations in each territory.

For more information, see Programa de Cooperación FP [9]

Accreditation of professional skills

The Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree that establishes the opening of a permanent procedure for the evaluation and accreditation of professional competences acquired through work experience, or through non-formal training channels, and which affects all productive sectors.

This is one of the actions included in the Plan for the Modernization of Vocational Training with the greatest impact on the workforce, since it puts an end to the limitations of the existing method.

With an initial budget of almost 852.5 million euro, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training will certify the skills of more than three million people in four years.

Cumulative accreditation system

This permanent procedure will have as a reference the totality of the professional competence units included in the Professional Training offer linked to the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications.

The accreditation system will be cumulative so that the beneficiary can complete the training that leads to obtaining the corresponding Professional Training title or certificate of professionalism.

The education centres that offer Vocational Training of the educational system, the integrated VET centres, and the National Reference Centres will be authorized to carry out these activities. In addition, the competent administration may determine other venues that hand over their facilities and services.

This transformation is in line with the European Union's employment strategies aimed at qualifying the workforce in order to facilitate employability, mobility, social cohesion, equity and lifelong learning.

For more information, see BOE [10]

2020

Draft Law on Education

Some of the provisions of the recent regulatory reform have an impact on certain aspects of higher education. Among these aspects, several stand out:

the layout of the university entrance examinations the amendment of the requirements for access to the advanced levels of Vocational Training (FP) the requirements for access to the advanced levels of artistic education and to higher artistic education the correspondence of qualifications between higher artistic education and university degrees. the provision of specialised further training for advanced vocational training graduates.

More information on Reforms in Vocational Training and Adult Education [11], and on An Education for the 21st Century [12].

Promotion of Vocational Training

The MEFP has established the fostering of vocational training as one of its main lines of action. Initiatives such as the First Strategic Plan for Vocational Training in the Education System, the recent establishment of the General Secretariat for Vocational Training and the setting up of a system that unifies vocational training in the education system and for employment within the scope of the MEFP are examples of how vocational training is to be prioritised.

More information on Reforms in Vocational Training and Adult Learning [11].

National Scholarship System and Study Grants Reform

The Government has increased the investment in the scholarship system by 22% reaching 1 900 million euros for more than 600 000 recipients in the coming 2020/2021 school year. the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and the Ministry of Universities have reformed the National System of Scholarships and Study Grants in order to ensure equal opportunities for all students regardless of their socioeconomic situation.

1. Reform of academic requirements: passing the previous school year will be required to obtain a scholarship, and the current additional requirements for specific qualifications will be eliminated. Scholarships for bachelor programmes will be accessed if a percentage of credits has been passed, thus eliminating the previously required average grade. 2. Raising income threshold 1 almost to the poverty threshold. This economic threshold will allow students coming from families with fewer resources to access full scholarship (tuition, fixed income, accommodation when necessary, and variable amount). This measure will benefit 161 603 people, 71 155 of which are university students in bachelor programmes (65 627) and master studies (5 528). 3. With respect to universities, the amounts per scholarship for bachelor and master degree students increase by 100 euros. The current reform increases the fixed amount linked to the student's income (from 1 600 to 1 700 euros), which is what students with fewer resources receive (threshold 1). In addition, the fixed amount linked to the accommodation which those people who reside outside their municipality receive is expected be increased by 100 euros (from 1 500 to 1 700 euros). In the event that the person meets the requirements for both types of scholarships, the amounts will be cumulative and not exclusive. 4. Increase investment in people with disabilities: Students with certified Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will be able to access the scholarships for students with specific educational support needs. For students at university levels, this reform proposes to cover the full annual cost of enrolment of students with disabilities at the UNED. Therefore, only for university level studies, this measure would have an estimated cost of 3 726 401.98 euros and would benefit 4 737 students with disabilities.

For more information, see Royal Decree 688/2020 [13], 21 of July, where the thresholds for income tax and family assets, and the amounts of scholarships and study grants for the 2020/2021 school year are established, and the general scholarships for students of post-compulsory studies [14]. 2019

I Strategic Plan for Vocational Training in the Educational System 2019-2022

st The 1 Strategic Plan for Vocational Training in the Educational System 2019-2022 [15] has been recently approved with the aim of updating this type of educational provision. Its elaboration has been supported by the ministries of Economy and Business Affairs, of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, ministry for Ecological Transition and the ministry of Labour, Migration and Social Security.

The implementation of this strategy aims to improve employability and satisfy the needs of the labour market as well as to consolidate the flexibility of this type of educational provision which allows the student to reach a high qualification and guarantee a quality labour experience to foster a competitive professional curriculum.

The Plan includes all Vocational Training provision: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Nevertheless, it focus on fostering Intermeditate VET which would provide labour market with more people with intermediate qualification instead of the great number of low-qualified workers currently existing.

More information on: I Strategic Plan for Vocational Training in the Educational System 2019-2022. [16]

Authorized military educational training centres to provide Vocational Training education

The Ministries of Defence and Education and Professional Training have signed agreements with the corresponding education authorities of the autonomous communities of Aragón, Castilla y León, Galicia and Madrid, to provide the necessary resources to the military schools authorized to offer vocational training courses located in those communities.

In addition, these agreements foresee the incorporation of teaching staff with the necessary qualifications and requirements to deliver the teaching corresponding to the professional training degrees which have been authorised.

The Ministry of Defence will transfer the amount corresponding to the cost of the teaching staff who provide services in military training centres to the educational administration of the corresponding autonomous community and the latter will provide the aforementioned staff.

The agreement will remain in force until 31 August 2022 and may be extended for up to four additional years or until it is terminated.

New Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees

The Council of Ministers has approved a total of 66 degrees, 71 master's degrees and 13 new doctoral programmes at different universities in the country.

More information on titles approved on June 28, 2019 [17], titles approved on July 26, 2019 [18] and title approved on October 18, 2019 [19]

Remuneration regime of the civil servant research staff of the scientific bodies and creation of the Evaluation Commission for the Performance of the Scientific-Technological Activity

The Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree (RD) regulating the remuneration regime for the civil servant research staff of the scientific bodies of the Public Research Agencies (Research Professors of Public Research Agencies, Scientific Researchers of Public Research Agencies and Senior Scientists Public Research Agencies).

The RD regulates an evaluation system that will be guided by criteria of transparency, objectivity, impartiality and non-discrimination. The regulations aim to stimulate and recognize excellence, quality and continuous improvement in the professional activities of the research staff at the service of Public Research Agencies (PIAs).

The Evaluation Commission for the Performance of the Scientific-Technological Activity has been set up. It will be responsible for the assessment of the merits of the research staff affected by this provision. The assessment process will be developed throughout 2019 and will be resolved during the first half of 2020.

More information on Remuneration regime of official research staff [20].

Urgent measures in the field of Science, Technology, Innovation and University education

Scientific and technological research makes it possible to create an economic, social, cultural and institutional environment favourable to knowledge, innovation and the development of competitiveness. For this reason, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities has taken urgent measures so that the bodies and entities that form part of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System can more effectively meet their goal.

The measures adopted have three objectives:

more effective public and private investment encouraging the incorporation of talent into the entities that form part of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System, halting the trend of recent years in which many researchers had to migrate or leave their scientific careers progressively streamlining the management of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System, providing it with the best procedural instruments so that researchers' careers can be fully dedicated to their own work, reducing excessive administrative burdens that can sometimes be counterproductive.

And its most relevant aspects are, among others, the following:

establishment of measures relating to the internal control of the management of the public research bodies of the General State Administration, with the aim of assisting in their purpose of contributing to the generation, dissemination and transfer of knowledge to solve the essential problems of society adoption of financial support measures for actions in science and technology parks that have a viability plan and can prove that they are in a financial situation that prevents them from meeting the corresponding payment obligations adoption of measures to enable the best possible reimbursement of the so-called "income- university loans", granted to help finance university master's and doctoral studies enabling public administrations, public bodies, public universities and other public sector entities considered agents of execution of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System to enter into contracts for the execution of public plans and programmes for scientific and technical research or innovation, financed through annual budgetary allocations resulting from finalist external revenues. New statute for predoctoral research staff in training

As proposed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the working conditions of predoctoral researchers have been regulated. A specific contractual modality is foreseen with a maximum duration of four years that will suppose a fundamental change in the conception of the research personnel in training.

With the approval of the new statute:

any period of scholarship is eliminated and the researchers in training are hired from the beginning of their participation in research work or projects leading to the preparation and defense of their doctoral thesis the condition of predoctoral research staff in training is defined as well as the object of this contract, which will be the simultaneous performance of research tasks in a specific and novel project and of activities forming part of the doctoral programme leading to the acquisition of skills and abilities necessary to obtain the official university doctoral degree.

DID YOU FIND WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? YES NO

Contact *

Message *

Leave this field blank

Source URL: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/national-reforms-higher-education-70_en

Links [1] https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/glossary-69_en#specialised [2] https://www.universidades.gob.es/portal/site/universidades/menuitem.43f867cc076c14d185cacc2c026041a0/?vgnexto id=65fd201b85fbb710VgnVCM1000001d04140aRCRD&vgnextchannel=cc3cd58bc3350710VgnVCM10000020061 40aRCRD [3] https://www.universidades.gob.es/portal/site/universidades/menuitem.43f867cc076c14d185cacc2c026041a0/?vgnexto id=6ed7e7077279b710VgnVCM1000001d04140aRCRD&vgnextchannel=cc3cd58bc3350710VgnVCM1000002006 140aRCRD [4] https://www.universidades.gob.es/stfls/universidades/ministerio/ficheros/Plan_Estrategico_Subvenciones_2021_M_Uni.p df [5] https://www.becaseducacion.gob.es/portada.html [6] https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2020-17264 [7] https://www.universidades.gob.es/portal/site/universidades/menuitem.43f867cc076c14d185cacc2c026041a0/?vgnexto id=bbc4ab427e8d7710VgnVCM1000001d04140aRCRD&vgnextchannel=cc3cd58bc3350710VgnVCM1000002006 140aRCRD [8] https://www.universidades.gob.es/portal/site/universidades/menuitem.43f867cc076c14d185cacc2c026041a0/?vgnexto id=3b9 [9] https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/prensa/actualidad/2020/11/20201103-programacooperacionfp.htm [10] https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2021/03/10/pdfs/BOE-A-2021-3700.pdf [11] https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/national-reforms-vocational-education-and-training-and- adult-learning-70_en [12] http://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/destacados/lomloe.html [13] https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2020/07/21/688/con [14] http://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/servicios-al-ciudadano/catalogo/estudiantes/becas-ayudas/para-estudiar/universidad/ grado/becas-generales-universitarias.html [15] http://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/dam/jcr:1bc3728e-d71f-4a8e-bb99-846996d8a2f2/i-plan-estrat-gico-de-formaci-n-prof esional-del-sistema.pdf [16] https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/national-reforms-vocational-education-and-training-and- adult-learning-70_en#FVT [17] https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/consejodeministros/referencias/Paginas/2019/refc20190628.aspx [18] https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/consejodeministros/referencias/Paginas/2019/refc20190726.aspx [19] https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/consejodeministros/referencias/Paginas/2019/refc20191018.aspx#universidad [20] https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2019/05/25/pdfs/BOE-A-2019-7782.pdf