4. 2001-2006 University Investment Plan (UIP): Scope, strategy and objectives

4.1 Scope of the plan

The investment plan presented here will cover the six-year period from 2001 to 2006. An overall review of the plan will be carried out in 2003.

The 2001-2006 plan includes all anticipated investments in university equipment directly related to instruction, infrastructure, and general services.

The UIP does not cover investment in research, innovation or technology transfer centres and equipment, unless these are specifically intended for university academic activity. This is the case even when these facilities depend on the universities or are located within the universities. Research centres and equipment may be funded by the research plans covering the same planning period.

The new plan, like the previous one for the 1995-2000 period, does not include investments in the OUC (Open University of Catalonia). The particular nature of this distance university means that the OUC cannot be compared with other universities, in terms of equipment and infrastructure.

4.2 Objectives and programmes

There are two basic needs underlying the development of the 2001-2006 UIP. The first is to bring to a conclusion the actions initiated under the terms of the previous investment plan. As has been pointed out, as a result of financial constraints affecting all branches of the public administration, the funds allocated to the previous plan were not sufficient to complete all of these actions.

The other area that the new plan will focus on is the need to provide resources to replace existing equipment and to meet current needs in terms of safety and quality. Due to the previous plan's emphasis on expansion, this area did not receive the required attention. A significant proportion of existing assets are ageing or becoming obsolete, and in the coming years a good deal of effort will have to be directed to replacing buildings and equipment, or adapting them to new needs. This will make these resources more productive and extend their useful life.

To sum up, the new 2001-2006 UIP is seen essentially as an instrument to deal in an effective and orderly fashion with the challenge of consolidating the Catalan university system. The orientation of the plan is clear: to improve the quality of the service offered to students in particular, and, more broadly, to the society as a whole.

In this context, and bearing in mind the current situation (section 2), and the evaluation of the results of the 1995-2000 plan (section 3), the new 2001-2006 UIP is structured around two key objectives and four programmes.

Objective 1: Replacement, conservation, adaptation and minor works

Catalan universities have a total building surface area of more than1.5 million m², of which more than 1.3 million m² are directly used for academic activity. These building assets require constant work - replacement, conservation and minor works - to ensure that they can be used for as long as possible, and to avoid accelerated deterioration as a result of inadequate maintenance.

The new plan places progressively greater emphasis on actions aimed at replacing and improving existing assets: in the planning period as a whole, almost a third of total resources are allocated for replacement and conservation of building assets, and for the last year of the period close to half of the annual budget is dedicated to this item.

Programme 1.1 - replacement, conservation and minor works - fits within the framework of this objective. The programme is broadly defined to cover a range of actions related to maintenance and adaptation of spaces to new needs, as well as major renovations for buildings with significant deterioration.

It should be noted that the need for replacement does not apply only to building assets: furnishings and teaching equipment also require periodic renewal. The useful life of these items is generally much shorter than that of buildings. Technical support items related to education (overhead projectors, video-cassette recorders, screen projectors, IT equipment, etc.) soon become obsolete and need to be modified to bring them up-to-date, or replaced with newer models. This need for replacement often arises before the useful "life span" the item has been reached.

Teaching laboratories used in studies involving a high level of experimental work also require specialised equipment that must also be replaced or brought up-to-date regularly in order to ensure that new scientific concepts are within reach of students, and that the educational and research possibilities of these concepts can be fully developed.

In the contemporary context, no one questions the need for university facilities to be designed in such a way as to facilitate the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in educational and research activities. This involves the installation of cables, connection points and other elements that must be connected to networks beyond the level of the building. In fact, these networks must extend beyond each campus or university, and, therefore, imply that the technical aspects of the installation are standardised or compatible. Given this need for specific planning, the new investment plan includes a programme for adaptation to ICT (programme 1.2). In addition to covering infrastructure and equipment, this programme includes actions related to digital content.

Objective 2: Completion of actions initiated, new actions and other matters

This objective addresses the need to complete actions that were started under the terms of the previous plan, but that could not be completed with the budget allocation available; actions that require a second phase or some complementary action to yield their full benefit; and those for which some equipment is still needed. It also includes actions that have been completed from the point of view of work done or equipment acquired, but that are unfinished from a financial perspective as further payments or unforeseeable expenses may have to be covered. These costs must be taken into account in the new plan, and all such actions fall within the scope of programme 2.1 - completion of work and covering needs.

Planning for the middle term must include allocation of resources for new actions or other matters that may arise over the next six years (related to new studies or other circumstances that were unforeseeable when the plan was being prepared). All of these matters are covered in programme 2.2 - new studies and other matters.

4.3 Criteria for the allocation of plan resources by objectives, programmes and universities

In light of the most urgent needs identified and the anticipated financial parameters of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, the total budget for the 2001-2006 UIP has been set at 402 million euros (M€) - equivalent to 66.887 million pesetas.

This amount has been distributed between the two main objectives on the UIP (replacement, conservation, substitution and minor works; completion of actions initiated and new actions) in accordance with the general objective of the 2001-2006 plan: to consolidate the university system and improve quality.

Various indicators have been analysed in order to determine each university's need for resources. These include the surface area dedicated to academic activity, and the number of full-time equivalent students for each programme and university.

The reference surface area for planning of university investments is determined by subtracting surface area corresponding to spaces that are not used for directly academic purposes from the total building surface area. The areas subtracted are those used specifically for research, those corresponding to buildings used for continuing education, and those for non-academic services (cafeterias, residences, sports facilities, etc.). Moreover, the surface area of certain older buildings is reduced by a factor of 1/1.3 in view of their less functional design, and their frequently oversized common areas.

Note
* surface area corresponding to work nearing completion is included.

Source: DURSI

The number of full-time equivalent students (FES) is determined by dividing the total number of annual credits for which students are enrolled for a particular programme by the number of annual credits needed to complete that programme. Given that programmes offered vary in length and class load, the number of FES is a better indicator than the number of students enrolled, when it comes to determining the real extent to which buildings and equipment are utilised.

Note:
Core centres and officially homologated programmes

Source: DURSI

The amount allocated to objective 1 of the plan (conservation and improvement of physical assets used for academic activity) is calculated by considering the existing surface area at the end of 2000 (approximately 1.3 million m²) and estimating the minimum amount that would be needed annually to have entirely replaced these assets by the end of their useful lives(2). This calculation, applied to the whole of the 2001-2006 period, yields a figure of approximately 190 M€.

L'import necessari que resultaria del càlcul esmentat per al conjunt del període 2001-2006, s'estima al voltant d'uns 190 milions d'euros.

During the first few years that the plan is in effect, however, a high proportion of resources will be allocated for the completion of works and actions that are already in progress. Furthermore, many buildings in the university system have been constructed quite recently. As a result, the amount for replacement, conservation and substitution will be lower in the initial years of the plan.

Accordingly, the initial 2001 figure for replacement will be approximately 6 M€, and this will increase progressively, reaching 33.49 M€ in 2006 (at current values). These are the annual sums that are estimated to be sufficient for the necessary replacement. The total amount allocated to this objective for the 2001-2006 period is 106.2 M€. Under programme 1.2 (ICT adaptation), 1.8 M€ has been allocated as a special measure for the implementation of the Digital Library project proposed by the Association of University Libraries of Catalonia. This specific amount must be matched (at least) by contributions from the universities themselves. These funds have been distributed among the universities in accordance with a cost-sharing formula proposed by the vice-rectors of research for the various universities.

A series of variables have been taken into account to determine how the total replacement budget is to be distributed among the different universities: the building area dedicated to academic activities; the number of full-time equivalent students; the number of students enrolled in technical-scientific programmes; the surface area that corresponds to buildings more than 30 years old; and the campus surface area that is not occupied. The allocation criteria take into consideration the requirements of the universities, and are intended to ensure that at the end of the planning period sufficient resources have been provided to adequately carry out the task of conserving and improving the assets of the system.

The remaining 295.74 M€ of the plan's total budget of 402 M€ is allocated for objective 2 (completion of actions initiated, new actions and other matters). The distribution of this amount among the universities has been determined in accordance with each university's need for building surface area for academic activity. This, in turn, is calculated on the basis of the number of full-time equivalent students (3) and the surface area necessary according to theoretical standards that consider the different extent of experimental work done in these areas(4) Another factor taken into account is the need for funding to complete actions that are already underway and to cover the most urgent needs identified.

(2): According to estimates (IVIE), the average useful life of educational investments is 40 years. The total cost of replacement of assets per m² is estimated at 900 €. To calculate the minimum annual amount necessary, the cost of total replacement of assets (1.3 million m2 multiplied by 900 €/m2) is divided by 40, the estimated useful life of assets. The result of this calculation is an estimated annual expenditure of 29.5 M€, at 2001 values (equivalent to 33.49 M€ at 2006 values). Return to document

(3): The FES data utilised are based on enrolment for the 1999-2000 academic year. Ongoing demographic changes are not well reflected in this data. Accordingly, an overall review of the plan is to be carried out in 2003 to adjust the plan to changes that occur. Return to document

(4): The theoretical cost of construction, and provision of equipment is estimated at approximately €1,202/m², which is higher than the cost of rehabilitation actions due to the fact that new facilities are better equipped, and, in some cases, land must also be purchased, etc. Return to document

Previous

University Investment Plan

Next