Community of Madrid Agrees to Fund Assistant Professors Amid Criticism of Funding Shortfalls
The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has reached an agreement to participate in the María Goyri program, which aims to incorporate 656 assistant professors into the region's public universities. This decision comes after the Community of Madrid was the last region to take action, having previously rejected state funding provided through this initiative. The María Goyri program includes a commitment from the regional government to fund an additional 435 assistant professors, effectively increasing the educational workforce in the region.
The agreement is expected to be formalized soon, as the Ministry of Education is currently working to tailor the program to the specific needs of the six public universities in Madrid. Minister Diana Morant expressed cautious optimism during a recent press conference, urging Ayuso to finalize the agreement promptly. In her remarks, Morant stated, "If she wants to correct course, she should do it sincerely and accept the conditions she herself approved in the sectoral conference. She should not keep searching for excuses to avoid signing."
Morant's comments come in the wake of her earlier correspondence with Ayuso, where she emphasized the importance of the €169 million offered through the María Goyri Program. In her letter, she criticized the rejection of these funds, noting that such a decision was neither understandable nor justifiable, especially given its detrimental impact on the public universities in Madrid. The potential loss of over 1,000 well-trained professors due to this funding gap poses a serious threat to the quality of education in the region.
During the same press conference, Morant strongly warned that the public universities in the Community of Madrid are at risk of disappearing. She highlighted the disparity in the number of institutions, pointing out that there are currently six public universities compared to thirteen private ones. Furthermore, she drew attention to the fact that public universities in Madrid have not received an increase in funding from the regional government since before the financial crisis, resulting in a significant shortfall in funding per student—21% below the Spanish average.
This situation raises pressing concerns about the sustainability and competitiveness of higher education in one of Spain's most important regions. The agreement to join the María Goyri program could potentially ease some of these pressures if implemented effectively. However, the ongoing challenge remains for Ayuso’s administration to ensure that public universities receive adequate funding and support, thereby safeguarding their viability and quality for future generations.
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