The university system in Catalonia and the functions of the Commission in university matters

The Catalan university system

Seven public universities:
· University of Barcelona
· Autonomous University of Barcelona
· Polytechnic University of Catalonia
· Pompeu Fabra University
· University of Lleida
· University of Girona
· Rovira i Virgili University

Four private universities:
· Ramon Llull University
· University of Vic
· International University of Catalonia
· Abat Oliba CEU University

A university offering distance learning:
· Open University of Catalonia

The Interuniversity Council of Catalonia (CIC) is the coordinating body for the university system, as well as an advisory and consultative body for the Government on university matters

Full powers
The Government of Catalonia, acting through the Secretariat for Universities and Research to the Ministry of Innovation, Universities and Enterprise, has full powers in relation to higher education, in accordance both with Law 1/2003, governing Catalan universities [link to the Law] and Decree 127/2000, of 3 April, governing the structure of the Department of Universities, Research and the Information Society [link to the Decree].

Three support instruments for the Catalan university system and the financing of the public universities
  • The University programmes

  • University Investment Plans

  • University financing programme
The Government of Catalonia allocates funding on the basis of objective indicators and formulas, while taking into account the principle of equality between all students in the system. In this way it aims to provide public universities with the resources necessary to enable them to fulfil their study, teaching and research functions .

A total of 657.615.000 euros has been allocated to universities for 2006, representing an increase of 9.1% over spending in 2005. Through its University programmes, the Government decides the courses and qualifications to be offered by each Catalan university.

Through its multi-annual University Investment Plans, the Government selects and finances infrastructural and educational equipment projects, as also other services directly associated with third-level academic activities.

The current plan is the multi-annual University Investment Plan for 2001-2006 (in catalan), which has been allocated a total budget of 402M, equivalent to an annual spend of 67M.

The Catalan university system in the European higher education area
 One of the main motivations inspiring the Government’s activities in the universities area is full integration of the Catalan university system in the European higher education area.

With the aim of ensuring that the Catalan university system plays an active role in the construction of this European higher education area, the Government of Catalonia actively fosters the participation of Catalan universities in European Union training and mobility programmes.

It also promotes Catalan universities in Europe and worldwide, with a view to creating a truly international university system in Catalonia.

Languages in the university system
Catalan, as the rightful language of the Catalan universities, is the language of normal use in university activities.

The Government of Catalonia actively fosters linguistic coordination and the development of linguistic normalisation policies within the university system.

It also provides support to programmes to promote knowledge of other languages and to promote their use in specific academic activities, including by means of the offer of a range of specific subjects in these languages.

For further information

See the main indicators of the university system, broken down into three basic categories (students, graduates and academic staff), in Catalonia compared to Spain and the European Union, as also the statistics (in catalan) which are published in the reports of the Catalan university system.

See also the annual reports providing information on the DURSI actions and activities. These evaluate the results obtained and state objectives for the following year.

Last updated: 6 February, 2007