The Government declares the expansion of the CEU Beato Luis Belda a strategic project

PalmThe Government approved on Friday the declaration of the expansion of the CEU Beato Luis Belda University, part of the San Pablo CEU University Foundation, as a Project of Special Strategic Interest (PEIE), with the incorporation of the plot located at 3 Son Serra Parera Street, known as the Son Serra Perera estate. This expansion, integrated into the university project that had already been declared a PEIE on September 25, 2025, is designed to complete the campus with new institutional spaces and facilities for teaching and research. The Son Serra Perera estate, acquired on February 5, 2026, by the San Pablo CEU University Foundation, will house administrative and faculty offices, a library, an exhibition and conference hall, and outdoor spaces for students, as explained at a press conference by the Government spokesperson. With the PEIE declaration and in accordance with Decree Law 8/2025, the primary use of the plot will automatically become educational.

This project, according to the Executive, addresses the structural need for healthcare professionals in the Balearic Islands—given the aging workforce, nursing staff shortages, and increased pressure on healthcare services attributed to insularity and seasonality—and anticipates that, once the necessary approvals and authorizations are obtained, the program will expand to include Physiotherapy, Psychology, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. The Executive argues that the increased number of positions will contribute to improving the sustainability of the healthcare system and curbing the brain drain of young talent from the archipelago.

Controversy and opposition

Despite the government's arguments, the processing and authorization of the center have been surrounded by controversy from the outset. One of the main sources of controversy has been the accelerated pace at which the permits and declarations related to the center are being processed. Critics have pointed out that the authorization to affiliate the center to the San Pablo CEU University and declare it a strategic project was carried out through emergency mechanisms or decrees, bypassing the full parliamentary debate and the usual controls in university processes of this type. This expedited route to expedite its implementation has raised doubts about transparency and the possibility of preferential treatment by the regional government. The privatization of higher education has also been called into question. This project has become a symbol of a broader discussion about the future configuration of the Balearic university system. On the one hand, the government argues that the creation of the center responds to a real need to expand the range of health sciences degrees and retain young talent in the Islands. However, some members of the university community and the political opposition warn that this initiative could commodify higher education, expanding the reach of private universities at the expense of public ones. This could consolidate a dual education model in which only those who can afford expensive studies will have access to certain prestigious programs.

Critics argue that, even with the provision of scholarships, the high cost of private tuition (for example, Medicine exceeds €20,000 annually) would make it difficult for many local families to access higher education and could reinforce social inequalities in higher education. It has also been pointed out that private centers like this one could attract faculty from the public university, further weakening its capacity. Other voices have emphasized the academic and educational planning criteria. Some sources have noted that the regional government authorized the center's affiliation before all the usual technical reports had been completed, and at a time when national regulations on the creation of new university centers were about to change, introducing more stringent requirements. This has fueled accusations that a regulatory loophole was exploited to facilitate the project's entry.