The Valencian Public University System (SIUVP) returns to society, through the additional tax revenue generated by its graduates, 3.1 euros for every euro that public administrations allocate to its operation. It is one of the conclusions of the fifth report The socioeconomic contributions of Valencian public universities, prepared by the research team of the Valencian Institute of Economic Research (Ivie), commissioned by the five Valencian public universities, and the argument that they clung to yesterday universities again to ask for "fair financing".
The rector of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche and president of the Conference of Rectors of the Valencian Public Universities (CRUPV), Juan José Ruiz Martínez, complained yesterday to the Minister of Education, José Antonio Rovira, when he requested that the multi-year financing plan, pending for more than a decade, to "program the work of our future, which is everyone's." Rovira, for his part, assured that "investing in our universities is investing in the future of our region, in the next generation of leaders, innovators and critical thinkers who will shape the world of tomorrow."
And the Ivie report establishes that, compared to the 933 million euros annually in current public transfers that the SIUVP receives, its graduates contribute 2,901 million euros more in taxes than they would have generated if they did not have those university studies, given who have more jobs and earn higher incomes. Other relevant figures are that its associated activity generates 2,715 million euros of income in the Valencian Community and 49,726 jobs, which represents 2.2% of GDP and 2.4% of employment. In addition, the average salary is 11% higher due to the contribution of workers with degrees in the SUPV and, according to estimates, without the SUPV, the unemployment rate in the Community would be 2 percentage points higher.
The value of this contribution was also defended by the rector of the UPV, José E. Capilla, who considered that the report "constitutes an exercise of responsibility and accountability of universities towards society. It demonstrates how we grow in quality and relevance, and that “We are crucial agents for the development of the Community.”
The five universities that make up the SUPV -University of Alicante, Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Universitat Politècnica de València and Universitat de València- concentrated 78.2% of the undergraduate students, 44.9% of the master's degrees, 93.5% of scientific production and 100% of national patents obtained by all universities located in the region during the 2022-2023 academic year. And it is notable to note that, despite the effort that companies make to innovate more and more, "practically all of the research activity in the Valencian Community is carried out by public universities."
Together, Valencian public universities train 70.4% of bachelor's and master's students in the region. However, despite this majority percentage, the report reveals that public institutions "have lost weight in the aggregate compared to private universities." Undergraduate enrollment at the SIUVP has contracted by 22.2% since the 2010-2011 academic year, while the private system has increased its student body by 113.5% in that period. In the case of master's degrees, there has been a significant increase in demand in both cases.
The number of people enrolling in a master's degree at a Valencian public university has increased by 48.6% in the period analyzed, a substantial growth, but lower than that of private universities, which have gone from training 13.5% of the student body of this type of study at 55.1%.
To serve their students and develop their research work, Valencian public universities have 12 campuses with 60 centers, both their own and affiliated, and a budget of 1,515 million euros, in the 2022-2023 academic year. This figure represents only an increase of 1.8% compared to the budget for the 2010-2011 academic year.
62% of the income comes from current transfers from the Public Administration, to assume the operation of the institutions, another 22% are capital transfers, to face new investments; and the remaining 16% is obtained from other income, which includes the tuition fees paid by students.
Another notable aspect of the report is its analysis of mobility programs, both national and international (Erasmus, SICUE Exchange System between University Centers in Spain and other international programs). With them, 6,000 undergraduate students and 560 master's students from other regions or abroad have arrived at one of the universities, with a significant economic impact, since they represent 21.2 million euros in income for the Valencian Community and the creation of 610 jobs.
