Barcelona

Building for the future: the new report suggests major changes for university tenure. Credit: ABILIO LOPE/CORBIS

In an attempt to bring the structure and operating procedures of Spanish universities in line with those of other advanced nations, major reforms aimed at increasing the quality of scientific research and education at such institutions have been proposed in a report released in Madrid last week.

Entitled ‘University 2000’, the report has been drawn up by Josep Bricall, former president of the Council of European Rectors, at the request of the Council of Rectors of the Spanish Universities (CRUE).

Saturnino de la Plaza, CRUE's president, describes the proposals in the report as “unprecedented”. In particular, the report recommends a complete revision of selection procedures for tenured university staff. It admits that this results from criticism of current recruitment procedures reflected in the large number of recent lawsuits which usually “base their claim on allegations of favouritism” (see Nature 400, 203 & Nature 401, 419; 1999).

The report points out that, when the current higher-education law that confers increased independence on universities came into force in 1983, it was initially thought that the high level of complaints over unfairness in the new recruitment system adopted at the time would be transitory. But even after 17 years, there are still a worryingly high number of legal challenges to selection procedures.

The new report now proposes that, once a post for an associate or full professor has been advertised, a panel of experts with no link to the university should make a judgement on the quality of the professional activities of the applicants, including their research, teaching and other activities.

The committee would list the candidates individually according to the results of this evaluation. A second panel, drawn from individuals at the institution advertising the post — but not from those dealing with the same professional tasks as those of the applicants — would select the successful candidate based on this external evaluation.

The report says that this system would improve the selection of professors because evaluation would not be based on a series of tests (or exams) assessed and voted on at the time of selection but instead on the previous activities of the candidates.

CRUE, in its report, also recommends the creation of a nationwide independent Agency of Accreditation aimed at monitoring the quality of assessments being made at different universities (see Nature 404, 211; 2000). This agency would be staffed by individuals from the academic and professional worlds, both in Spain and abroad. The report says that it should make its results public, and that these should take the form of recommendations to the government.

The report's proposals have been widely welcomed in the academic community. Jordi Camí, for example, professor of pharmacology of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, says that it is likely to boost competition between university researchers, as well as between universities. He is particularly enthusiastic about the novel system for selecting professors that the report proposes.

As far as research is concerned, the report makes a series of recommendations that are in agreement with the recently approved National Plan on Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation (see Nature 400, 393; 1999). It proposes in particular that there should be increased support for basic research and that links between universities and industry should be boosted.

In order to increase human resources in research and development, it says that a new permanent post of research professor should be created. The occupant of such a post would be employed directly by the universities and would address the research needs of a particular department as well as carry out PhD teaching activities.

A revised version of the report is likely to be presented to the Parliament in September, after comments received during a period of consultation have been taken into account.

The move no doubt reflects the high dissatisfaction level expressed by researchers and professors at Spanish universities. Such concerns appear to be sorted out, at least in part, in the CRUE report.

Raul Villar, rector of the Autonomous University of Madrid, says that the report should be considered as a consultation document which is now open to comment from academics and other social groups.

He points out that, although other countries may have adopted different recruitment procedures, those that are proposed in the report seem the most appropriate for Spain, as the report respects the independence of universities from the government.

“The report has to be strongly taken into account,” says Juan Carlos Guerra-Zunzunegui, the parliamentary spokesman on education for the ruling Popular Party. He adds that he is keen to encourage a broad debate on university recruitment.