Canary public universities put their lack of funding at 40 million euros

The rectors of the two Canary Islands public universities have sent to the Ministry of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands their main complaints and allegations to the multiannual financing proposal presented by the regional executive after a year of waiting, on July 28, 2026.

Among the most relevant issues, the rectors Lluís Serra (ULPGC) and Francisco García (ULL) reiterate that the Government's economic proposal again shows an underfunding of the two public universities of the Archipelago, whose budget "has not grown in 2026 and previous years enough to cover, at least, the increase in structural expenses; that is, the cost of personnel, supplies and maintenance and repair services for infrastructure".

Since August 2025, the management teams of the two public universities, after several technical meetings with the ministry, had sent "detailed reports describing a loss of approximately 25 million euros in the period 2022-2026" to cover their structural expenses. Specifically, for the year 2027, the two public universities require approximately 290.4 million to guarantee their maintenance, and, however, the Ministry, in its multiannual financial proposal, only contemplates 286.9 million euros, so for the next year alone, a shortfall of 3.5 million euros is estimated. If the salary increase required by law, agreed upon by the State and the unions, is added to this, "this shortfall would increase by another 11 million euros, which represents a total of 15 million".

In the document sent to the minister Migdalia Machín, it is recalled that "the universities communicated these impacts of salary increases for 2025 and 2026 since February of this year 2026, so we do not understand that a proposal for a financial instrument is configured that does not incorporate, at least, these costs, which are determined by state regulations", and that, as a result, both universities have calculated that the total financing to cover their structural expenses in 2027 is 307,780,422 euros.

Among other observations, the rectors have also made special mention of the need to reduce the dependence of the universities on the autonomous community in financial matters, expressed by the minister after the presentation of her multi-year funding proposal. The rectors remind the minister that "the main alternative to reduce this dependence consists of raising the public prices of education, this being a competence of the Government of the Canary Islands," they state.

In their letter, however, the rectors also highlight that, apart from regional funding, both universities have demonstrated a notable capacity to attract resources in competitive state and European scientific calls, as well as in knowledge transfer activities. However, this funding cannot be used for the structural expenses of the institutions, as it must be invested in the research and cooperation projects that were approved and must be developed over several years.

Finally, the two universities have expressed their surprise at the introduction of penalties in the proposal of the Canary Islands Government, which can reach up to 3.5% of basic funding, as well as the abundance of limits, rules, audits, and reports that are required. All this when, "year after year, we comply with the mandate of budgetary balance imposed on us by regional law, the annual accounts, and the audit reports" that must be carried out periodically.

With this document of allegations, the rectors finally express to the minister "their full willingness to dialogue and expanded analysis, carrying out a detailed breakdown" of each aspect described in these considerations.