More universities, more inequality?
PalmThe Balearic Islands have lived for decades on the margins of boom Private universities have transformed a significant portion of the university landscape in Spain and in other countries around us. Until recently, the region seemed resistant to projects that often had more to do with urban development and tourism than academic endeavors—projects that were ultimately halted. But that scenario has changed. Starting next academic year, the Canary Islands will open their doors wide to the arrival of private universities, with new programs, financial resources, and large buildings that promise to shake up the university system as we have known it until now.
This phenomenon is neither anecdotal nor local. In Spain, there are now 50 public universities, exactly the same number as at the beginning of the century. In contrast, during this same period, the number of private universities has more than doubled: there are now 42, and all indications are that this number will continue to grow. The university, increasingly, is also a business. And when higher education is subject to market forces, it is worth asking whom it serves and whom it leaves out.
Without diminishing the value of any educational initiative, it is essential to warn of the evident risks of elitism and increased inequality. Studying at a private university can cost between ten and twenty times more than studying at a public one. This economic difference is significant: it can turn access to certain programs—which the UIB does not offer or can only offer with very limited places—into a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. The result is a two-tiered university system that reproduces and reinforces social inequalities.
To this quantitative issue is added a qualitative debate. Research is a priority—almost an obligation—for public university faculty due to their commitment to knowledge and society. In the private model, however, research is often not understood as a strategic investment, but rather as an expense that does not always align with the main objective: profitability. There is also another key factor in a region like ours: language. Private universities, in general, show little interest in the local language and tend to prioritize Spanish and English, with their cultural impact.
It is true that the Balearic Islands were late to the university system and that a sufficiently ambitious and sustained commitment has never been made. Even today, too many young people have to study elsewhere, with the associated financial costs, and many never return. Therefore, the debate should not be about how we are replacing public universities, but about how to strengthen them.
Believing in public universities is not an ideological slogan. It is a strategic decision. The future of our young people—that is, the future of the Balearic Islands—depends on their values: equity, research, and a strong connection to the region.
