2. Current situation and future trends

The multi-year university investment plan for the period 1995-2000 helped consolidate the transformation of the university system in Catalonia. Since the achievement in 1985 of the goal of having responsibility for university services transferred to the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, much has been accomplished in terms of the expansion of the Catalan university system.

There were two sides to the main strategic objective underlying the 1995-2000 plan: to make significant progress in increasing the number of buildings and the supply of equipment in Catalan universities in order to cover the existing needs in these areas, and to adequately respond to the growing demand for university places that was taking place. This increased demand, which amounted to 40% between 1985 and 1995, resulted from the fact that, on the one hand, those born in the mid-seventies were now reaching the age for university studies, and, on the other, there was increased interest in the pursuit of post-secondary education.

Another objective was to achieve a significant decentralisation of the Catalan university system. To this end, three new public universities were created outside of the Barcelona area. Decentralisation was intended to provide services in higher education that were closer to the students living outside the capital and its surroundings, and to promote cultural, social and economic development in the areas where the universities were located, and in their spheres of influence.

The actions initiated within the framework of the 1995-2000 plan have gone a long way toward accomplishing its two main objectives: the University of Girona, the University of Lleida and Rovira i Virgili University (the new universities established) are now a reality of ever growing significance; and the chronic shortage of university places in the Barcelona area is now a much more limited problem, well on the way to being solved. Major progress on the latter point has resulted from the creation of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the new Baix Llobregat campus of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), along with other new centres at various public universities located in the Catalan capital and its metropolitan area.

Nevertheless, it must be kept in mind that due to past and current financial constraints on the public sector, the financial resources allocated to the plan have not been sufficient to complete the necessary actions. Moreover, given the conjunction of financial constraints and the need for expansion, not enough attention has been directed to the maintenance and replacement of the system's assets: there are still buildings that are in poor condition, and some should be replaced or undergo basic renovation (as in the case for the building that houses the Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineering at Polytechnic University of Catalonia).

The context for the new 2001-2006 investment plan is markedly different from that of previous plans. The increase in building surface area in the public universities has substantially ameliorated earlier shortages of space: surface area has nearly tripled since 1985; at the end of 2000, approximately 1.5 million square metres of space were available. The number of square metres per student has improved significantly in all Catalan universities, though we have still not achieved the levels generally found in the most advanced European countries.

UB= University of Barcelona; UAB= Autonomous University of Barcelona; UPC= Polytechnic University of Catalonia; UPF= Pompeu Fabra University; UdG= University of Girona; UdL= University of Lleida; URV= Rovira i Virgili University

Notes
* Includes m² for works nearing completion
** This information corresponds to buildings that at that time belonged to UB, UAB and UPC, located in Girona , Lleida, Tarragona and Reus

Source: DURSI

The trend in the number of students enrolled is also now quite different than in earlier periods. Since the mid-nineties, student numbers have stablised, a natural result of demographic trends. It is estimated that between 1995 and 2000 there was a 17% decrease in the 18- to 22-year-old age group in the population - equivalent to approximately 86,000 individuals. The decrease is even more significant for the 18-year-old population group: a decrease of 25.2% or 25,000 individuals.

Notes:
*In core centres and officially recognised programmes
ns= not significant


Source: University system statistics, various years

Of course, while at levels of obligatory education the demand for school places is strictly subject to demographic factors (given that school age children must attend school), in the case of university studies, only a certain, albeit growing, proportion of young people at the age for higher education choose to enrol at university.

It should also be noted that there is a significant demand for higher education from people in other age groups. Consequently, variations in demographic trends are not necessarily directly translated into corresponding variations in the demand for university studies.

Extrapolation from current trends points to a continuing reduction in the number of students enrolled at Catalan public universities. Due to the continued growth expected in the rate of university enrolment, however, this reduction will be much less than the reduction in population in the relevant age groups

Clearly a good deal of progress has been made in achieving a level of infrastructure and equipment that meets the needs associated with the increased demand for university services, and that brings us closer to the international standard of m²/student. Nevertheless, there are still areas that have not been fully addressed in previous plans or that are the result of new needs(1); these areas will have to be dealt with in the new plan that is now to be presented. Accordingly, and given the reduction in demographic pressure, it is now possible to present a plan that focuses on bringing to a conclusion the actions that could not be completed during the previous plan, as well as on improving quality and meeting emerging needs. In line with these priorities, one of the key underlying principles of the new plan is to focus on conservation and maintenance of assets that the university system has acquired in recent years - an area that it has not been possible to adequately deal with in previous plans, given the urgent need for expansion generated by the significant increase in demand. Maintenance and conservation of assets is essential to extend the useful life of buildings, and, in the long term, it will lead to savings in resources for the system as a whole.

(1) For example, increased activity at universities in the areas of R&D and continuing education have resulted in an increased need for space. Although these activities do not fall within the scope of the UIP (University Investment Plan), it is sometimes difficult to clearly separate them from activities associated with officially homologated academic programmes. return to document

 

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