Spanish university funding and faculty expansion

The Spanish central government has initiated a major funding program for higher education through the María Goyri Program. The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities approved approximately 150 million euros to be transferred to autonomous communities to fund the hiring of assistant professors. This initiative aims to add 5,638 assistant professors to public universities by 2028, a 70% increase from the 2023-2024 academic year.

Following this, tensions regarding university funding emerged. The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, accused regional governments of underfunding institutions and argued that insufficient capacity limits access for high-achieving students. Morant proposed an equity law to ensure universal access.

In response to funding pressures, the Valencian Community announced significant budget increases for the 2026-2027 academic year. The regional government allocated over 1.097 billion euros for the ordinary financing of Valencian public universities, representing a 33% increase compared to 2023. Additionally, the region plans to increase investment in university scholarships and aid by 67%, exceeding 52 million euros.