Diego González (ADEMA): "We thought it would be nice to call it the University of Mallorca and not the University of Wisconsin"

PalmThe ADEMA university center is considering becoming a private university under the name University of Mallorca (UMAC) or affiliating with Isabel I University. According to Diego González, president of the institution, they favor the former option. "The process is progressing. Our aim is to begin in September 2026. It's a broad project that will be implemented gradually," he says. ADEMA plans to offer eleven new degree programs not currently offered in the Balearic Islands, in areas such as Biomedicine, Sociology, and Architecture, in addition to those it currently offers as an affiliated center of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB)—the public university has also announced that it will implement Architecture studies. González explains that the institution has the capacity to implement all the degree programs, but that "the bureaucratic process to launch them is not easy." When fully operational, the center aspires to have 3,000 students. The project has the approval of the PP, the party that supports the Balearic Government, which has presented a bill in favor of the University of Mallorca – it has already undergone public consultation. However, not everyone in the cultural sector is satisfied with the text of the law, and the OCB (Catalan Cultural Association) has submitted objections. The organization requests guarantees of respect for the Statute of Autonomy and the official status of Catalan, both in teaching and in the linguistic rights of students and faculty. It also warns that the name 'Universitat de Mallorca' could cause confusion with a public institution and proposes changing its name to clearly indicate its private nature. González asserts that ADEMA (Association of Cultural Entities of Mallorca) has held the trademark for years. "We thought that calling it the University of Mallorca would be appealing, that people would agree, more so than calling it the University of Wisconsin," he says.

ADEMA has been an affiliated center of the UIB for years, and the aim now is to become independent once the law is passed. However, the affiliation will continue for those students who began their training during the affiliation period, while new students will go directly to UMAC.

González explains how the separation came about: "We asked to continue and expand our degree programs within the UIB, but they told us no. We were told that, since we were close to having the minimum accredited degrees, we should establish ourselves as a university. There are no institutional obstacles. This has been the only way to expand studies not offered here." However, UIB sources counter that, while it is true that ADEMA's attempts to increase its degree programs were halted, they were never urged to become an independent university.

Free choice of language

Regarding the center's language policy, students and teachers will be given freedom, a fact that, given the sociolinguistic reality of the Balearic Islands, could be seen as detrimental to Catalan: "Most of the degrees are taught in official languages. The teacher chooses the language and the student chooses theirs. We've never had any problems with this. We also have degrees in English, designed for English speakers. It has undeniable cultural value, and it's very important," González points out.

The president affirms his awareness of the Balearic Islands' economic reality, characterized by social insecurity and poverty, and points out that ADEMA takes this into account. "We've been working here for some time, offering scholarships for years, and we have students from all walks of life. Our program is not elite, not at all. We don't have the prices that other programs charge. The scholarships allow us to reach many more people: it's easier to study here than to go to the mainland. There are also scholarships from the Ministry. We have 100% scholarships."

González emphasizes that students will have to pass the university entrance exams and the specific access tests for their degree programs, and defends the project, stating that it is neither elitist nor does it generate inequality: "There are families who can send their children to study abroad and others who cannot. That is a true inequality that has always been tolerated in the Balearic Islands. We want to offer studies that cannot be pursued here." According to him, ADEMA has planned its expansion sustainably and with consideration for the territorial impact. "We rehabilitate buildings and do not occupy new land; we prioritize areas close to public transport to avoid further congestion. The Inca campus will be next to the train station. And the others are near buses or the planned new train lines," he argues.