A new reform process of the education system is currently taking place with the passing of the 2006
Ley Orgánica de Educación, LOE (Act on Education) and the 2007 Act modifying the Act on Universities.
As far as higher education is concerned, the
LOE
includes changes as regards the organisation of vocational training,
Artistic studies and Sports studies. The Act will be gradually
implemented over the next five years, starting in 2006/07 and finishing
in 2009/10. All the aspects which have not come into effect yet will
continue to be regulated by the previous legislation.
As regards vocational training, the new legal framework set by the 2002
Ley Orgánica de las Cualificaciones y de la Formación Profesional, LOCFP (Act on Qualifications and Vocational Training) and by the
LOELOE will be gradually implemented from 2007/08 to 2009/10.
In
November 2007, a Royal Decree establishing the general organisation of
specialised Sports studies was passed. However, those aspects which
have not come into effect yet will continue to be regulated by the
previous legislation until the new certificates and provision are
approved.
As regards university education and its adaptation to
the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the Spanish education system
had taken important steps with the passing of certain regulations (the
Royal Decree 55/2005 establishing the structure of university studies
and regulating official Graduate studies and the Royal Decree 56/2005
regulating official Postgraduate studies). Nevertheless, it was
necessary to establish a legal framework which would support the
construction of the EHEA on a global scale. To this end, the 2007 Act
modifying the Act on Universities and the October 2007 Royal Decree
establishing the organisation of official university studies were
passed. These regulations lay down the new legal framework of
university education.
The 2007 Act modifying the Act on
Universities takes into account the European agreements on higher
education as well as the encouragement that the European Union is
trying to give to research. The changes of this Act aim to encourage
university autonomy and to increase the demands related to the
evaluation of university functions. Some of the new measures are the
following:
Has made it necessary to establish a new regulation of the organisation
of vocational training in the education system. To this end, the Royal
Decree which establishes the structure of the new qualifications of
vocational training, in accordance with the National Catalogue for
Vocational Qualifications, the guidelines determined by the European
Union as well as other aspects of social interest, was passed in
December 2006. Vocational training as regulated by the
Establishment
of a new structure of official university studies and degrees. As a
result, university studies are organised into three cycles: Bachelor,
Master and Doctorate.
Promotion of
university autonomy through the following measures: flexibilisation of
the system of election of the rector through the participation of the
University Senate or the university community, so as to allow
universities themselves to take those decisions they deem most
appropriate; academic decision-making by bodies in which teaching and
research staff have majority representation; and other measures which
aim to ensure an institutional balance and to increase professionalism
in university management.
Creation
of the General Assembly for University Policy and setting-up of the
Council of Universities, with the aim of strengthening both the role
and the responsibility of all the players involved in university issues
as well as organising the relationship between the State, the
Autonomous Communities and universities. These two bodies will replace
the current University Coordination Council.
Authorisation of the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (A
NECA)
to become a state agency instead of a foundation. Thus, the Agency will
have a more prominent role within the university system.
Change of the current
teacher selection system by replacing the authorisation system with an
accreditation one, allowing universities to select their teaching staff
from among those who have been previously accredited. It also envisages
the drawing up of an statute concerning university teaching staff and
researchers within a year.
Proposal
to draw up a university student statute and to set up the council of
university students with the aim of organising the necessary student
participation in the university system.
Proposal
to establish joint research institutes comprised of universities
together with public research bodies or with National Health Service
institutions, with the aim of linking university research to the
productive environment of science and technology as well as encouraging
the exchange of researchers between the university and the productive
system.
Inclusion of a section
devoted to university sport, which considers sport as a core aspect in
the education of university students.
In accordance
with the 2007 Act modifying the Act on Universities, the 2007 Royal
Decree establishing the organisation of official university studies
adopts some measures which, apart from being compatible with the EHEA,
make the organisation of university studies more flexible: they promote
increased curricular diversification and allow universities to make
innovative proposals. Some of these new measures are the following:
Entrust
universities with the responsibility of drawing up and proposing the
syllabuses they consider most attractive and appropriate to their
resources and interests.
Establish that syllabuses should be assessed by the
ANECA
before their implementation, and that all qualifications should be
subject to an evaluation every six years in order to renew their
quality accreditation.
Universities must establish their own
schedule of adaptation to the structure of the EHEA, complying with
what is laid down by the new regulations including the agreements made
by the Spanish Government in the Bologna Declaration, by virtue of
which, by 2010, all types of provision should be adapted to the new
structure.
CONSEJO DE COORDINACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA c/ Juan del Rosal, 14 Ciudad Universitaria
28040 Madrid Tel.:+34.91.453.98.00 Fax:+34.91.453.98.86/91.453.98.86 Website: http://wwwn.mec.es/educa/ccuniv/
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