The UR criticizes the presence in UNIR and asks to guarantee public resources first

The board of directors of the University of La Rioja (UR) reacted this Wednesday to UNIR’s request to the different Rioja parliamentary groups to “modify the law of its creation and allow it to provide teaching in all possible modalities, including semi-presential and face-to-face.

From the UR they have stated that they feel “deep disappointment and deep discomfort with the UNIR for not having opened a channel of dialogue” with them. They assure that they understand and are convinced that in response to UNIR’s request “all parliamentary groups will want to know what the opinion and position of the public university of La Rioja is”, in addition to the “consequences” that the decision will have in “the future.” of public higher education in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja.

They recall, through a statement, that when the creation of UNIR was approved, “this was based on the characteristics declared by this university (virtual, online and non-face-to-face university) and its low impact on the public offer of higher education.” . Now, they point out that in the UNIR statement, its rector emphasizes that “it must have the possibility of providing face-to-face and hybrid teaching in those studies that require it due to various circumstances.” «These studies are, among others, medicine, nursing, degrees in early childhood and primary education or the master’s degree in teaching; all of them currently taught by the University of La Rioja, or in the process of implementation, as is the case of medicine,” they point out from the UR.

The University of La Rioja tells the Rioja Parliament in said letter that “it should prioritize the provision of necessary resources so that there can be a public offer of sufficient quality of these qualifying qualifications in essential professions, compared to a private face-to-face offer” and adds that All parliamentary groups approved the “Pact for the University of La Rioja” in May 2019. He continues with a clear message for the Chamber: “it would be desirable for the Parliament of La Rioja, instead of betting on the presence of the private university, to approve the Law of Urgent Administrative and Budgetary Measures to improve the provision of public services in La Rioja a package of financial aid to improve the teaching and research infrastructure of the public university of La Rioja and to offer more higher education places at public prices, facilitating access to higher education for all Riojans regardless of their level. economic of their families; since it is a Law for the provision of public services in La Rioja.

“Under no circumstances should the Parliament of La Rioja approve this request from the UNIR without first marking the limits that protect the rights of the Rioja men and women of access to quality higher public education in their autonomous community,” they affirm and hope that «Unlike when the UNIR was created, on this occasion there are the necessary conversations with each and every one of the public and political entities that allow a real and serene coexistence of the higher education institutions in La Rioja (University of La Rioja, UNIR and attached center of the UNED)…»

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In his opinion, all of the above requires that it be made clear “what is the frame of reference of each of them in the areas of present and future degrees, the type of delivery of said teaching and who it is directed to.”

Finally, they point out that if UNIR’s intention is not to “provide face-to-face teaching in La Rioja, it would be important that, if this proposal is approved, it be included in the Law.”

For the University of La Rioja, the UNIR proposal “represents a substantial change in the nature of this private institution and has a great impact on the higher education ecosystem of La Rioja, the consequences of which must necessarily be evaluated.” They invite that “the statement of the Parliament of La Rioja must be based on a responsible, calm analysis and reflection in which all the agents involved participate, among which is the University of La Rioja.”

And before concluding, they declare their surprise at “the haste with which UNIR and the parliamentary groups have met on Saint Barnabas Day” and assure that they are “more struck by the haste with which the Popular Party registers an amendment to the proposed law to update the teaching modalities of the UNIR, as was known this Wednesday, just the day after UNIR met with the parliamentary groups on Saint Barnabas Day to present this proposal.

“We do not share his vision, but we respect it,” declared José María Vázquez García-Peñuela, rector of UNIR, after criticism from the public university.

«UNIR, throughout these 15 years, has developed its successful model in Spain and in numerous countries in America. Our intention is to continue with this work through quality teaching in any educational modality,” he added in a statement.