Spain university rules: 50% of lecturers need PhDs
Every university course in Spain would need at least 50% of its lecturers to hold a doctorate, or PhD, under planned new rules. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the move on Friday in Madrid. The government is starting work on a royal decree, which would also require 40% of teaching staff on each course to have full-time contracts.
Rules move from campus to course
At present, at least half the teaching staff across a whole university must have doctorates. Sánchez wants that threshold to apply separately to every degree course.
He said the aim was to strengthen the requirements for staff on each course, improving teaching standards while tackling insecure work. The government tightened the rules for setting up and recognising new universities last year.
In-person teaching for health subjects
The planned decree would also demand in-person classes where they are needed, especially in areas such as health. Sánchez said this was intended to stop some private universities expanding online courses to meet rising demand without maintaining standards for quality and face-to-face teaching.
The Spanish Universities Rectors’ Conference, known as CRUE, said it supports a high-quality university system that creates new knowledge and trains highly innovative professionals. But it said it must see the proposal in detail before giving a fully informed view.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com