Spanish Minister criticizes university funding as Valencia announces budget increases

Spain’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, has accused regional governments of underfunding universities, arguing that insufficient capacity prevents high-achieving students from accessing public education. Speaking at the University of Valencia, Morant proposed an equity law to guarantee universal access and noted that the Valencian Community specifically requires 10,000 additional university places to meet demand.

In response, the Generalitat Valenciana announced significant financial measures for the 2026-2027 academic year. Regional Secretary for Universities, Esther Gómez, stated that investment in university scholarships and aid will increase by 67% to exceed 52 million euros.

Furthermore, the regional government’s 2026 budget allocates over 1.097 billion euros for the ordinary financing of Valencian public universities, a 33% increase compared to 2023. This includes approximately 40 million euros to offset reductions in public university fees to facilitate student access.