Overview

• Madrid says it is working with Rey Juan Carlos University to address its deficit after announcing a €34.5 million loan to the Complutense to cover payroll and other obligations, which will require an adjustment plan.
• The draft law creates a three-part financing model that adds a €10 million annual performance pot to base funding and targeted support for specific needs.
• Performance goals are streamlined and to be agreed with each university, with incentives tied to research programs and recruiting high-performing faculty, particularly from the EU and Latin America.
• The government describes current nominative transfers as outdated and outlines a multi-year framework with five-year reviews to underpin university funding under the new law.
• Governance changes include the rector, with the Social Council, appointing each university’s manager and replacing the auditor with a two-person Economic-Budget Office, and a centralized ‘Distrito Único de Prácticas’ to ensure students secure required placements.