Basque universities, Unibasq and the Department of Education defend university autonomy and the application of the academic year with quality criteria

Last April 2, a video conference was held between the Autonomous Communities and the Ministry of the University, with the participation of the Basque Government. At this meeting, the Basque Government and the rest of the participants defended the need to continue the school year, sending a message of reassurance to students and teachers. The importance of working to ensure that not a single student misses a school year as a result of the coronavirus crisis. To this end, they have continued to study and decide on formulas that will adapt the usual actions and deadlines to the current situation.

With regard to the agenda for the meeting, the Department of Education explained its position on the issues under discussion. Among them; the intention to end “presence”; the intention to make a 50% exemption from university internships; and the intention to reconcile the end of the college year.

Planteamendu horren aurrean, Hezkuntza Sailak bere gaitzespen osoa azaldu nahi izan zuen. Adolfo Morais Unibertsitate eta Ikerketa sailburuordeak zalantzan jarri zituen proposamen horiek, ez dituztelako errespetatzen ez Euskadiren eskumenak, ez Euskal Unibertsitate Sistemako unibertsitateen autonomia, ez Unibasq Kalitate Agentziaren independentzia. Bileran adierazi bezala, Euskadin etengabeko koordinazioa egon da euskal unibertsitate-ekosistema osoaren artean. Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Deustuko Unibertsitatea, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Unibasq -Euskal Unibertsitate Sistemaren Kalitate Agentzia - eta Hezkuntza Saila lanean ari dira irizpideak adosteko eta ikasleen, hezkuntza-sistemaren eta, oro har, gizartearen onurarako neurriak adosteko.

Ikasturte presentzialaren amaierari dagokionez, Moraisek adierazi zuen funtsezkoa dela lasaitasun-mezua helaraztea, eta euskal unibertsitate-sistemaren sendotasuna zein lan bikaina egiteko duen gaitasuna azpimarratzea, urtetan zehar erakutsi izan duen bezala, horiek baitira bermerik onena gure unibertsitateetako ikasleentzat. Gainera, adierazi zuen, funtsezko gakoa modu koordinatuan lan egitea dela, Euskal Unibertsitate Ekosistemaren ezinbesteko ezaugarria. Unibertsitateak prest daude bi egoera posibleetako edozeinen aurrean: bai uneren batean jarduera presentzialera itzultzeko, bai Eusko Jaurlaritzako Osasun Sailak adierazi duen osasun-larrialdiko egoerarekin bat etorriz hartu beharko litzatekeen beste edozeinetarako.

Unibertsitateko praktikei dagokienez, Unibertsitate eta Ikerketako sailburuordeak nabarmendu zuen, arau zorrotzak hartzea ezohiko egoera horretan erabakiak hartzeko behar den malgutasunaren aurkakoa dela; izan ere, unibertsitate-titulu bakoitzak bere kasuistika berezia du, eta balio zorrotz bat ezartzeak ikasle-talde bat praktika horiek gainditzeko aukeratik kanpo utz lezake. Izan ere, izurriteak inor ez kaltetzea baita helburu nagusia: ikasketa batzuetan murrizketa are handiagoa izan liteke, ikasketa-planari larriki eragin gabe; eta beste batzuetan aldiz, ehuneko bat ezartzea aurreikusitako eta beharrezko gaitasunak eskuratzearen aurkakoa da. Kontuan izan behar da unibertsitate-ikasketa guztiak aldez aurretik ebaluatu zituela Euskal Unibertsitate Sistemaren Kalitate Agentziak (Unibasq-ek), eta ehunekoak murrizteak ondorioak izan ditzakeela onetsitako planaren legezkotasunean, aintzat harturik gainera, plan horien kalitatea ondorengo ebaluazioen bidez egiaztatua izan zela. Euskal unibertsitate-sistema osatzen duten kide guztiak izan ziren jarrera horren aldeko, eta une honetan unibertsitate-ikasketa guztiak aztertzen ari dira, haietako bakoitzerako irizpiderik onenak ezartzeko.

University calendar

With regard to the university calendar, the Basque Government stated that it did not make sense to establish a single unified calendar, given that each university began its academic year at a certain point in time. Thus, the Department of Education, as with other urgent matters, analyzes the decisions to be taken together with the universities and Unibasq, within the autonomy of each Basque university and Unibasq.

During the meeting, the Basque Government wanted to point out the cases that differentiate the Basque University System from the rest of the State. This reality is reflected in the following issues, among others:

University Dual Training Model. It is a distinctive reality today, with different requirements for the rest of the Autonomous Communities and for most degrees.
 Dissemination of Institutional Verification. The Basque Country has the highest percentage of university faculties and schools with Institutional Accreditation, which gives them greater autonomy and allows them to design their own training offer.

Unibasq Basque University System Quality Agency. This agency facilitates a direct, fluid relationship that is adapted to our context in all situations, and is a guarantee of the quality of Basque university training.
Members of the university ecosystem are working to anticipate two possible situations: the opportunity to resume pre-school training this school year, or the need to tackle the current school year outside of the classroom. Both of these scenarios are being worked on, and various activities are being done for one scenario and another. Workshops on the Basque University ecosystem are planned for the coming days. On April 3, the Minister of Education, Cristina Uriarte, met by videoconference with the Rector of the UPV / EHU, Nekane Balluerka, and the Rectors of the University of Deusto -José María Guibert- and the University of Mondragon -Bixente Atxa- to continue working closely with Basque universities and the Department of Education.