Migdalia Machín: “A high gastronomy school in Lanzarote would make perfect sense”

The Minister of Universities announces that the Summer School will return to Lanzarote and that they will increase the budget for travel grants

October 27 2023 (19:46 WEST)
Migdalia Machín, Minister of Universities, Science and Innovation and Culture
Migdalia Machín, Minister of Universities, Science and Innovation and Culture

Since Migdalia Machín assumed the portfolio of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, she takes up to four flights a day to attend to her responsibilities throughout the archipelago, but "her heart and her home are in Lanzarote."

In an interview with Ekonomus, Machín announces that the University Summer School will return to Lanzarote and that the budget for travel grants will be increased so that it reaches all students who meet the requirements. She is also in favor of creating a common campus in Lanzarote and supports the opening of a high gastronomy school on the island.

 

  • How many university students are there in Lanzarote studying the two higher education courses available, Tourism and Nursing? Have you managed to resolve the lack of teaching staff in Nursing?

In Nursing there are 170 students and in Tourism there are 96. We have signed three of the four contracts that were missing to start teaching classes in Nursing and we have decided to move the subject of 'Ethics and Legislation' to the second semester to prevent students from losing teaching.
 

  • Entrepreneurs regret the lack of qualified workers for some profiles. Could any other type of university studies be implemented on the island?

It is a possibility, all higher education studies that can come to the island are welcome. Here we have the Tourism Degree and the Nursing Degree and you can also study through the UNED or other distance universities. The University of Las Palmas also allows you to study online.

 

"Having a university campus in Lanzarote is a historical demand"

 

Training must have space on the island. For public centers, the Cabildo must propose and provide the facilities and Universities takes care of the different internal procedures to, among other things, guarantee the quality of the study plan and the hiring of professors.

 

  • Speaking of the Cabildo, shortly after taking office, Oswaldo Betancort announced his desire for a high gastronomy school to be opened on the island. Is there any news?

The president has commented on it repeatedly and we have had several conversations about it. Lanzarote has become a benchmark for good quality agricultural products with a high-level gastronomy.

 

"Our goal is for the Lanzarote Summer University to return this summer"

 

Therefore, a school would be closely linked to the development of the island's primary sector and the various events that are held, such as those of Saborea. The School would make perfect sense, we have talked about it, but I have no news. That depends on the president.

 

  • Is there going to be a university campus in Lanzarote?

Having a university campus in Lanzarote is a historical demand. It will have to be discussed with the University and the Cabildo and although it is not an issue that can see the light of day from today to tomorrow, it is an issue that can be started to work on. It would be interesting to carry it out.

 

"One of my first questions upon arriving in office was: How is it possible that we do not have data on university students by islands?"

 

  • Are you going to recover the Lanzarote Summer University?

The intention of this Ministry is to promote it. We are working on it, we have met with the president of the Cabildo to address the issue. Our goal is for the Lanzarote Summer University to return this summer.

We have spoken with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria about how to carry it out and we will also speak with La Laguna.

 

"We plan to increase the allocation of travel grants given the volume of applications. Everyone who meets the requirements will receive it."

 

  • How many people from Lanzarote are currently studying at university? Do we know exactly?

Unfortunately, the data is not disaggregated by islands. The integrated university information system only provides data by autonomous communities.

I can tell you that the majority opt for Canarian universities, due to their proximity to home, and because the costs are lower.

 

  • Being from a non-capital island, perhaps you have greater sensitivity so that this data can be offered by islands?

It is one of the first questions I asked when I started in office. How is it possible that we do not have the data by islands? How can we know who goes and who comes between islands? Let's see if we can solve it.
 

"Turning the old parador into a hotel school seems like an interesting idea to me"

 

  • The grants from your department for university travel amount to 590,000 euros for the entire Canary Islands, is that enough?

I wish we could continue to increase them. Aid for last year's expenses is being processed right now. They are convened once the course is over and 3,300 applications have been received.

We plan to increase the allocation of these grants given the volume of applications. Everyone who meets the requirements will receive it.

 

"I govern for the Canary Islands, but my heart is in Lanzarote"

 

  • What do you think of Vox's proposal for the old Parador to be converted into a hotel school and relocate the UNED?

It may be interesting. It is a training that in Lanzarote gives many jobs, but that does not depend on the Government of the Canary Islands, since the UNED is state-owned.

 

  • The César Manrique chair does very interesting things in Tenerife, but... perhaps it could present more research in Lanzarote?

Here we have the César Manrique Foundation, which spreads his message, has all his work and everything that entails... Anyway, everything that is from César Manrique, like the chair, is welcome.

 

  • Do you still live in Lanzarote or have you had to move off the island?

I still live in Lanzarote. I govern for the Canary Islands, but my heart is here, in Lanzarote. I travel a lot, but I always have a day or two in Lanzarote to do politics, hold meetings and various issues.

 

  • How many flights do you have to take a week?

It depends. There are days when I have to take three or four flights a day, others only one flight, depending on how my agenda is.

Every Monday I have to be in Gran Canaria, because I have a Government Council, then I make an agenda in Gran Canaria or Tenerife, depending on the week, one or two days in one place or another, sometimes I also have to visit another island, but I always try to be at least one day a week in Lanzarote.

 

 

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