The new University Law enters into force tomorrow: Strike for students and end of segregated residence halls

   MADRID, 11 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The new Organic Law of the University System (LOSU), which recognizes students the right to academic unemployment and prevents residence halls attached to public universities from segregating by sex, comes into force this Wednesday, April 12, 20 days after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

Among the modifications of the new norm, the commitment to spend 1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030 stands out; It includes among the functions of the university faculty "analyze and debate issues of special importance"; or that a non-functional person can be rector of the University.

Precisely, the regulation states that candidates for rector "should be full-time permanent teaching and research staff with a doctorate and have the merits of research, teaching and university management experience determined by the Statutes".

Likewise, the initial text approved by the Government was modified during its parliamentary process in the Senate to establish that, until the Statutes are adapted and the university determines the merits of research, teaching and university management experience that must be To gather the candidates for rector, they will be required to have at least three six-year research periods, three five-year teaching periods, and four years of university management experience in a one-person position. Universities have a maximum period of two years to adapt their Statutes to LOSU.

Regarding the academic strike, which may be total or partial, the law establishes that it must respect "the right to education of the student body." "Universities will develop the conditions for the exercise of said right and the procedure for declaring academic unemployment, which will be carried out by the student representative body," the document specifies, which also indicates that, with the new Law on Universities, the Student participation in the governing bodies of the university, such as the Senate or the Faculty or Department Councils, reaches a minimum of 25 percent at LOSU.

In addition, it establishes that the figure of Associate Professor will contribute his knowledge in those subjects in which his professional experience is relevant, limiting his teaching to a maximum of 120 class hours; and incorporates the figure of the Substitute teaching staff whose purpose is to replace the PDI with the right to reserve a job that temporarily suspends their services, with the aim of avoiding that the universities are forced to resort to other figures, such as the Associate .

Another of the main points of the new law is in relation to lifelong learning, that is to say, ensuring that universities are aimed at all ages, to respond to the skills needs in adulthood and due to the demographic change expected in the coming years.

It also places emphasis on aspects related to returns to society, incorporating new principles for teacher evaluations; These will be qualitative and quantitative, will take into account the open access of publications, the territorial impact of research, linguistic plurality, professional experience, and the particularities of each academic discipline. In addition, and in order to avoid inbreeding dynamics, in all public competitions the calling university will be in the minority and the members will be chosen by lottery.

In relation to governance, it states that the election of the representatives of the different sectors of the university community will be carried out by vote, and will have four basic structures: Senate, Governing Council, Student Council and Social Council. The Senate will be the highest body of representation and participation of the university community.

In terms of gender, it establishes that in order to create a university, public or private, equality plans must be in place, measures to eliminate the wage gap and protocols against all types of harassment. On the other hand, the Equality and Diversity Units will be mandatory and all university bodies and the evaluation or personnel selection commissions will be equal. In addition, in contests, positive actions may be applied to hire, under equal conditions of suitability, the minor sex represented.

The Congress of Deputies included that the new law will ensure the inclusion of Catalan, Basque and Galician in the Erasmus program, as well as other mobility programs that have public funding, and it has been included that the autonomous communities and universities "will promote the presence of universities, students and the different instances of the Spanish University System in the bodies and forums of international university representation".

Regarding access to permanent training qualifications and throughout life, the LOSU incorporated that people who do not have any qualifying university qualification to access permanent training qualifications and who can prove work or professional experience with a level of competence equivalent to the university academic training, will be able to access permanent training university education through a procedure of recognition of professional experience.

The text also opens the door for non-profit private universities to participate in public research promotion programs. Thus, it points out that the programs to promote projects for research, creation and transfer and exchange of knowledge promoted by the Public Administrations "will facilitate the participation of universities of a social and non-profit nature declared of public interest".

The Upper House has also introduced notable changes to the text, such as a transitional regime in the call for teaching positions and in the requirements for candidates for rector.

Another of the notable changes that has been introduced in the Senate is that the Government must present a bill of the Statute within a period of six months, instead of one year established in the text, from the entry into force of the norm. of Teaching and Research Staff.

In this way, the LOSU halves the term that the Executive has to approve the Statute of Teaching and Research Staff after the entry into force of the norm, after an amendment was approved in the Plenary Session of the Upper House despite the vote against the PSOE.