The PSIB joins the right and facilitates the creation of a private university named Mallorca

PalmThe plenary session of the Parliament will give the green light to the creation of a private university that will bear the name of Mallorca with the favorable vote of the PP and Vox, the abstention of the PSIB, and the vote against MÉS per Mallorca. This is the Universitat de Mallorca (UMAC), promoted by the private higher education center ADEMA, chaired by Diego González, former general secretary of the PSIB in Palma and former director general during the mandate of Francesc Antich. The vote will take place tomorrow in the plenary session of the Parliament. From here, both the Consell de Govern and the Consell d'Universitats will also have to approve it.

The PP presented the bill to create it, which will have the favorable vote of Santiago Abascal's party, while the PSIB will abstain. The Obra Cultural Balear (OCB) complained especially about the naming of the new center. For the entity, the fact that it is called Universitat de Mallorca may lead to thinking that it is a public institution, and may cause confusion. The spokesperson for the PP, Sebastià Sagreras, has celebrated the "constructive processing" of the legislative text, and has defended that it will complement the public system by offering degrees that are not currently available on the Islands. "The plurality of the training offer is increased," he said. The leader of the PSIB, Iago Negueruela, has limited himself to confirming that his party will vote the same as in the debate for consideration, when they abstained. While Vox has confirmed to Europa Press its vote in favor.

On the other hand, the spokesperson for MÉS per Mallorca, Lluís Apesteguia, has said they will oppose the approval of the law despite the PP having accepted some of their amendments, such as granting the Government the right of first refusal and pre-emption, in case the center changes shareholders, or allocating, at a minimum, 5% of its income to student scholarships. In his opinion, the amendments "do not solve the root problem" of the law, which is that it responds to "private interests." "Public service planning must be prioritized, the rest must be subsidiary," he stated. The project arises from the decision of ADEMA, until now affiliated with the UIB, to disaffiliate from the Public University of the Balearic Islands and embark on a solo path. Currently, ADEMA offers teaching in Dentistry, Fine Arts, and Nutrition. It met with the rejection of the Ministry of Science, which in a report considered that it presented some viability and teaching research problems. However, this opinion is not binding, and ADEMA requested that the Government validate it nonetheless.