The UIB accelerates: the biggest expansion in years will incorporate four degrees and two double degrees

PalmThe University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) will implement profound changes to its academic offerings in the coming years, at a time of expansion for private universities, in order to establish itself and grow in the Balearic Islands. Starting next academic year, students will be able to pursue a degree in Marine Sciences and a double degree in Mathematics and Physics. In subsequent years, a double degree in Catalan and English Philology will be added, as well as degrees in Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, and a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degree, which currently has a provisional name while its final profile and implementation model are being defined. During the presentation of these new programs, the Minister of Education and Universities, Antoni Vera, emphasized the Government's "firm" commitment "to the only public university in the Balearic Islands," as part of the effort to combat the fact that the Balearic Islands have the highest school dropout rate and the fewest university students of any autonomous community in Spain. For his part, the rector of the UIB, Jaume Carot, thanked the Balearic Government for its collaboration and celebrated the UIB's progress to the point of no longer being the institution with the fewest offerings among the G9, the group of public universities that are the only ones in their respective territories. Carot explained that the main obstacle to growth has not been a lack of will but rather a lack of space: "The Polytechnic School operates at full capacity morning and afternoon, with all classrooms occupied, and also uses other buildings."

Regarding the new degree in Marine Sciences, Carot argued that the Balearic Islands have a strategic position due to both their results in scientific rankings and their environmental characteristics. "We are the first university in Spain to appear in the Ocean High ranking for Oceanography," he emphasized. The degree will offer 34 places and will train professionals specializing in the study and management of marine and coastal ecosystems, an area of ​​high strategic interest for the region. Students will be able to specialize in Oceanography and Marine Exploration and in Marine Resources and Management. "There will be one theory group and two practical groups. It will be a real juggling act with schedules, especially with the laboratories, which are already at maximum capacity," the rector admitted. This scenario of limited space will be resolved in the coming years, as the foundation stone of the new Science building will be laid in January 2026. The building will free up the older part of the Mateu Orfila building, which will be used for laboratories, offices, and classrooms. This is a long-awaited project. "Funding has been promised for four years, but because we are public institutions, we must adhere to the Public Procurement Law. This doesn't apply to private institutions," Carot pointed out, referring to the university projects slated to arrive in the Balearic Islands: ADEMA—which aims to become the University of Mallorca and has government support—and the Beato Luis Belda Center, which will be affiliated with the university next year. It doesn't yet have a definitive location: the initial plan was to establish itself in the Riskal building, but the repeal of the decree that declared the CEU project strategic and reclassified the land as educational has ruled out this option and altered the plans for the time being. The double degree in Mathematics and Physics will be implemented to meet the demand for a qualification that, wherever it exists, enjoys high employment rates and excellent job placement rates. Today, many mathematicians and physicists find work before even finishing their studies. Regarding the double degree in Catalan and English Philology, Carot explained that it aims to reflect "the UIB's deep roots in the region and, at the same time, its international reach in comparative language and literature." In a later phase, they also plan to promote double degrees in Spanish and English Philology and in Spanish and Catalan Philology.

Island Exodus

Every year, a significant number of young islanders are forced to study elsewhere because the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) cannot offer them the degree they want (52% of those who leave do so for this reason). Architecture is one of the fields that causes the greatest exodus, even though the Balearic Islands are experiencing a new cycle of construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of buildings. Its implementation also aims to address the UIB's chronic deficit in engineering studies compared to other Spanish universities. Similarly, the creation of the degree in Mechanical Engineering responds "to the shortage and strong demand in sectors key to economic diversification," according to the rector.

The new STEM degree program was created in response to a serious problem in the Balearic Islands: the shortage of teachers, especially in Mathematics, Science, and Technology. This situation stems from the high employability of these professionals, who are often paid significantly more by the private sector than by the public administration, and the fact that the teaching profession is held in very low regard. With this new degree, the UIB aims to lay the groundwork for developing a larger pool of potential teachers, at a time when a massive retirement of teachers from the [unclear] generation is expected in the coming years. baby boomIn addition, the Master's programs in Terrestrial Ecosystem Studies and Management and in Geospatial Sciences and Technologies will soon be launched. Furthermore, work is already underway to create a doctoral program in Medicine.