The approved management report partially corresponds to the current Executive Council, which took office in 2018 and executed the budget that was approved by a previous government. According to the documentation the Principal provided, enrolment data of the University registers a total of 47,417 undergraduate students, a number similar to the last year’s enrolments of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. This way, the Universitat de València represents more than a third part of the Valencian Public University System, both in undergraduate and the postgraduate studies.

Regarding the Administrative and service staff (PAS), it remains at a stable level with 1,929 employees. As Mavi Mestre has explained, “the process of reduction of public worker positions caused by the imposed replacement demand rate has been reverted.” She points that “the aim is to stabilize the personnel, consolidate job positions and progress in a planning that will allow us to face the generalized ageing process of the Administration. In our case, the average age of our PAS is 51 years.” 

As for the Teaching and research staff (PDI), the Principal has highlighted “the importance of the teaching staff consolidation task.” “Just as we said regarding the PAS policies, the objective is the same: to combat the effects of a replacement demand rate that, as we know, has implied an increase of adjunct professors. It was the only contractual figure that could be used, which has contributed to putting at risk the job positions of full-time trainee lecturers as their contractual periods finished.” Mavi Mestre adds: “The result of these policies is an increase of University Chairs, a relative stabilization of positions for tenured university professors and an increase of full-time trainee lecturers.”

For the Principal, “the restriction imposed on the university autonomy regarding the personnel management that derived from state regulations has greatly hindered the design of a proper personnel policy.” “This situation resulted in the ageing problem that we have seen during the presentation. In the case of PDI, the percentage of UV personnel older than 50 is greater than the average percentage in the Spanish University System and, of course, much higher than in the remaining Valencian public universities”. 

Research activity

Mavi Mestre has presented graphs that indicate how, in 2018, 2,254 research activities have been initiated, which added up to 4,356 ongoing activities throughout the year. The budget of these new activities is more than 75.5 million euros. “These numbers evidence the ability of the University to attract research funding. The University also has its own financial aid programme that surpasses 1.5 million euros”, Mestre concluded.

All in all, this scientific activity places the University at a position of regional leadership, among the leading positions at a national level, among the 100 best universities of Europe and the 300 best universities of the world regarding the scientific output. For other criteria, it stands among the 100-250 best European universities and among the 264-500 best world universities. “We never forget that there are more than 20,000 university institutions in the world”, she pointed out.

The complete management report can be accessed by clicking here.

Operational Plan

The University Senate has approved (101 votes in favour, none against and 1 abstention) the Operational Plan for 2020, a document that guides the general university policies and the budget of 2020 tax year. The Operational Plan has been presented by Justo Herrera, Vice-Principal for Economics and Infrastructures. According to Herrera, we are in a transition moment that considers the objectives of the previous Operational Plan as extended.

The Vice-Principal has analysed the national and regional economic framework, which conditions the resources of the University. Herrera explained that the budgetary uncertainties will continue in the years to follow. He also reminded that the regional funding plan still has not been negotiated, and that the ordinary grant of the Generalitat, which is the main source of funding of the universities, has not been increased in a percentage that would allow to adjust next years’ budget.

Justo Herrera has announced a restrictive budget for 2020.

The complete document can be accessed by clicking here.

Questions & Answers session

During the questions & answers session, the student Jordi Ortiz (SAÓ) has condemned the attacks the University suffered for celebrating the LGTBI pride day, and has requested a campaign that would promote the trans protocol that has been approved by the institution. David López, also from SAÓ, has demanded stronger measures for sustainability, and has proposed the University should lead the fight for the environment. Finally, the professor María Iborra has expressed her gratitude for the work done by the Operational Plan and for the comparative data with similar universities that are not form the Valencian area.