Privatization of education: San Gayetano and CEU San Pablo promote a teacher training institute

PalmSan Gayetano School and the San Pablo CEU University Foundation have announced the creation of the Balearic Islands Higher Teacher Training Institute, a new center dedicated to the continuing education of teachers in the region. The project is part of CEU's strategy for establishing a presence in the Balearic Islands, which also includes the launch of the Beato Luis Belda University Center, affiliated with CEU San Pablo University—a process marked by political and academic controversy. Meanwhile, CEU's university project in Mallorca has already begun forging external partnerships. The Beato Luis Belda University Center has signed an agreement with RCE Mallorca so that its students can complete academic internships at the club's facilities, such as the stadium, the training complex, and the Mallorca Sport Clinic. The agreement, valid until 2028, will allow students to immerse themselves in the dynamics of a top-division club and reinforces CEU's strategy of associating its educational offerings with prestigious professional environments.

According to both institutions, the new institute will offer continuing education, specialized courses, and professional development programs for educators in the Balearic Islands. The training programs will be jointly designed by Sant Gaietà School and the CEU Foundation, but validated and academically coordinated by CEU San Pablo University, which will also provide university oversight. The offerings will range from programs focused on pedagogical innovation and updated teaching methods to specialization pathways in areas considered key by schools. Furthermore, the institute will incorporate courses and qualifications aligned with the values ​​of Christian humanism shared by both institutions, an element that CEU considers central to the project.

Strengthening Christian identity

The headmaster of San Gayetano School, Pablo Guerrero, argued that the creation of the institute "opens a space for the exchange of concerns, knowledge, and expectations among teachers from the Balearic Islands and other parts of Spain who share a vision of education based not only on knowledge but also on its transcendent dimension." Similarly, the director general of the San Pablo CEU University Foundation, Javier Tello, pointed out that the initiative aims to "contribute to the professional excellence of teachers" and address current challenges in the education system, such as innovative teaching methods, improved educational quality, and the strengthening of Christian identity in schools that incorporate it into their curriculum.

This new institute adds to CEU's expansion in Mallorca, where the Beat Lluís Belda University Center, affiliated with CEU San Pablo University, will begin operations next academic year. This center plans to offer degrees in the health sciences starting in the 2026-2027 academic year. Its authorization and processing have generated considerable controversy, both from criticism within the university community and from the political opposition, which has questioned the appropriateness and the procedures followed by the Balearic Government in allowing the arrival of a new private university offering in the Islands.