The Council of Mallorca supports the establishment of private universities on the island

PalmThe Council of Mallorca has approved a motion defending a "pluralistic" university system that maintains the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) as the "central reference point," but allows for the incorporation of other institutions. private universities of "quality" to "expand the range of degrees offered and make it easier for students to study in Mallorca without having to leave." The plenary session of the island council approved this initiative from the PP, which also received votes in favor from Vox and El PI, while PSIB and MÁS per Mallorca voted against it.

In a press release, the People's Party (PP) indicated that the elected island councilor responsible for defending the motion was Maria Garrido, who celebrated the approval of a proposal she considers "essential" to give "more opportunities to young people in Mallorca and stem the brain drain they have suffered for decades." The PP representative pointed out that only 10 percent of young people aged 18 to 24 study at university, one of the "lowest rates in the entire country." She deemed the situation "unacceptable" and, in her opinion, the left's decision to vote against it is "yet another example of their disconnect from the educational and employment realities of the island." The PP also warned that Royal Decree 640/2021, which establishes requirements such as a minimum of 4,500 students and the obligation to provide accommodation for 10%, is designed for "large cities" and makes it "virtually impossible to create new universities in Mallorca." Along the same lines, Garrido argued that the State "cannot impose conditions that have nothing to do with the island's reality," and therefore affirmed that this motion is "a first step to ensure that Mallorca has the same opportunities as any other community." The approved initiative calls for strengthening higher education in Mallorca by expanding the university offerings, guaranteeing the excellence of all degrees, and reviewing state requirements so that they "are adapted to the territory." The island councilor concluded that this Thursday marks an "important step" to "modernize" Mallorca's university system, while "the left remains entrenched in sterile ideological debates." "The PP will defend a high-quality, diverse, open university model adapted to the 21st century, because the young people of Mallorca deserve to study and thrive here," she stated.