Concerns Raised Over New Canary Islands Science Law
Román Rodríguez, National Secretary of Training, Programs, and Strategy for Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-bc), has criticised the newly approved Canary Islands Science Law, describing it as lacking support from the scientific community and Canary Islands universities. He pointed out that the law was developed with minimal consultation and only has backing from the parliamentary groups supporting the CC-PP government, raising concerns about its financial commitments. He stated, “This is a lost opportunity on a matter crucial for the present and future of the Canary Islands.”
Rodríguez noted that NC-bc proposed numerous amendments to the legislation, many aligning with the valid demands of local universities and young researchers, but nearly all were rejected by the conservative majority in support of the Clavijo government. He argued that the government’s approach continues trends that undermine public universities, leading to hundreds endorsing the Manifesto defending public universities in the Canary Islands, which demands full compliance with the funding mandates of the Organic Law of the University System.
In terms of funding for research and innovation (I+D+i), Rodríguez revealed that the government plans to cut funding by €12.2 million for the 2026 budget, resulting in a total reduction of €24.9 million (21.8%) across the three budgets proposed (2024, 2025, and 2026) in comparison to 2023. Despite an overall increase in non-financial expenditure of €2.31 billion (+22.7%), the share of the budget for I+D+i has fallen from 1.12% in 2023 to 0.71% in 2026.
Rodríguez insisted that the law overlooks the opinions of the two public universities responsible for over 90% of scientific research in the region. He lamented the absence of binding financial commitments within the legislation and highlighted the detrimental investment cuts in I+D+i, which have caused the Canary Islands to stand out as one of the few regions reducing investment in this sector.
The NC-bc also proposed specific goals such as meeting national funding guidelines and achieving 3.2% of GDP for R&D in 2030. Other negative aspects of the law include the lack of a clear career path for young researchers and the limited representation of public universities in the new scientific advisory council, which will have only two of its 17 members from these institutions. Rodríguez also expressed concern over the exclusion of the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation, and Information Society (ACIISI).
In conclusion, Rodríguez described the situation as bleak, stating, “The Law of Science, coupled with ongoing financial mistreatment of our public universities and cuts to I+D+i in the Canary Islands’ budgets, paints a very negative picture where public universities are penalised while private institutions are favoured.”
