The Universidade da Coruña (UDC) is steadfast in its decision to introduce a new Medical degree by the academic year 2027/2028, despite opposition from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC) and the regional government, the Xunta. This move comes after years of what UDC's rector, Ricardo Cao, describes as a minimally fulfilled agreement from 2015 aimed at decentralizing clinical teaching across Galicia's universities. The UDC argues that the current setup, which centralizes medical education in Santiago, does not meet the region's educational or healthcare needs.
At the heart of the dispute is the 2015 agreement, which was supposed to distribute clinical teaching for the higher years of Medicine among the universities of A Coruña, Vigo, and Santiago. However, UDC claims that the agreement has been only partially implemented, leaving A Coruña at a disadvantage. The university highlights its readiness, citing its academic, research, and technological capabilities, alongside the Chuac hospital complex, as evidence of its capacity to host a full Medical degree program.
The controversy has drawn political figures into the fray, with A Coruña's mayor, Inés Rey, openly supporting UDC's initiative. Rey criticized what she sees as a centralizing tendency by the USC and the Xunta, which she believes undermines A Coruña's educational infrastructure. The mayor pointed to the city's Chuac hospital and its research projects as proof of A Coruña's suitability for hosting medical studies, emphasizing the need for educational opportunities in larger population centers.
As the debate continues, the UDC's proposal has also garnered support from the PP party, which views the introduction of a Medical degree in A Coruña as a response to a long-standing demand. The party believes that such a move would benefit the city's youth and public university system. With both sides digging in their heels, the situation underscores the broader challenges of balancing regional development with educational centralization in Galicia.
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