Spanish Supreme Court annuls decree on private universities

The Spanish Supreme Court has annulled a government decree that sought to tighten the requirements for establishing and recognizing private universities. The court ruled that the use of an urgent procedure to pass the regulation was not properly justified, noting that the growth of private and online education is a long-standing reality rather than an unforeseen or extraordinary circumstance.

The ruling follows legal challenges from several autonomous communities, including the Balearic Islands and Extremadura. In Extremadura, regional authorities stated the decision is a positive development that will facilitate the arrival of new private educational centers by allowing projects to proceed under previous regulatory conditions.

While the government has pledged to respect the judicial ruling, President Pedro Sánchez indicated that the administration will continue to work on new legislation. The Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities aims to draft a new regulation to prevent the perceived commercialization of the university system, while Minister Diana Morant has criticized the decision, with political opponents accusing the ministry of targeting private institutions.