Galician university rectors oppose Xunta's expedited law reform

The Xunta de Galicia is pursuing an expedited reform of the regional university law to align with new state regulations, specifically the Organic Law of the University System (LOSU). The regional government intends to implement these changes through the budget process via an ‘accompagniment law’ to ensure legal and parliamentary efficiency.

However, the rectors of Galicia’s public universities—representing Vigo, Santiago, and A Coruña—have expressed significant opposition to this approach. They are advocating for the drafting of entirely new legislation that reflects the modern academic landscape. A primary point of contention is the proposed removal of Article 16 of the Galician University System Law, which currently allows the regional Ministry of Education to authorize the implementation of degree programs from non-Galician universities within the territory.

Rectors warn that eliminating this specific article could create a loophole for private university ‘franchises’ to expand into the region, potentially undermining public institutions that face strict limits on increasing student capacity. While the Ministry of Education maintains that state law already requires regional authorization and that removing the article simply avoids legal duplication, university leaders remain concerned about losing a vital local control mechanism.