Migdalia Machín, counselor of Universities, Science and Innovation of the Government of the Canary Islands, presented a series of contributions to the prior public consultation on the reform of the state regulations for the creation, recognition, and authorization of universities and university centers. Specifically, she requested that regional competencies be preserved and that the requirements for new projects be adapted to the characteristics of the archipelago.
"We share the need to strengthen the quality guarantees of the university system. To do so, the State must respect the competencies of the Canary Islands and establish conditions that take into account our territorial reality. Insularity and remoteness must be reflected in the future regulation," stated Machín.
The Ministry questioned in its contributions that virtual or hybrid teaching be used as a criterion to transfer competencies over universities located on the islands to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. It also argues that autonomous communities can exercise their functions over these institutions in accordance with state quality requirements, as is the case with face-to-face universities.
On this matter, the Canary Islands recalled that its Statute of Autonomy grants it competencies in university education. The contributions also include the observations made by the Council of State during the processing of the previous regulation, in which it warned that offering virtual or hybrid training is not enough to de-link a university from the territory where it was created or recognized.
Less populated territories at the center of the discussion
Another of the main requests is that a minimum number of students identical for all projects not be established, without considering the population of the place where they are implemented. The Government of the Canary Islands warns that this requirement could prevent the creation of universities in less populated territories and limit access opportunities to higher education.
"The viability of a university project must be rigorously evaluated. Applying the same student threshold to territories with very different demographic conditions can close training opportunities. The Canary Islands needs a regulation that considers this difference," said the counselor.
Therefore, it is requested that any requirement regarding student numbers consider the particularities of the archipelago and its status as an outermost region, recognized by the European Union.
Other contributions
The contributions also request that the requirements relating to the initial offering of degrees be proportionate. The Canary Islands support the verification of the solvency of new projects, but ask that the conditions established to guarantee quality do not introduce unjustified restrictions on the freedom to establish educational centers.
On the other hand, the Government of the Canary Islands also requested that the reform be processed through the ordinary procedure, considering that the exceptional circumstances that would justify resorting to the urgent route are not present. With this request, it seeks to preserve the deadlines for public participation and the guarantees of the reporting and consultation procedures during the development of the regulation.
The Ministry has opened this prior public consultation to prepare a new reform after the annulment of Royal Decree 905/2025 by the Supreme Court due to procedural defects. This is a phase prior to the drafting of the regulatory text.
The Canary Islands had already raised objections during the processing of that regulation and, after its approval, filed a prior judicial claim. With these contributions, it requests that its proposals be incorporated from the beginning into the future regulation.
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