The board of directors requested the government of Spain to fully assume the annual financing of the university campus in Ceuta and Melilla, which in the 2024 exercise was quantified at 24.3 million euros, according to estimates from the University of Granada (UGR), an academic institution responsible for managing the mentioned centers.
As it should be noted, the central government was recorded in the general budgets of the 2024 degree and postgraduate programs in both infrastructures. Additionally, this state funding has remained frozen in recent years despite increasing operating costs. Over the past two years, the variation is significant, reaching an increase of 2.67 million, as the 2023 budget was calculated at 21.63 million.
Given this situation and to ensure the maintenance of the facilities and the quality of the education provided at the Ceuta and Melilla campuses, the Andalusian Board has been forced for years to largely bear the financial burden through the public university system funding model, resulting in a deficit. In 2024, this deficit reached 15.22 million, of which 11.44 million were contributed by UGR, through funds transferred from the Andalusian Board and public taxes, while the remaining 3.77 million was covered by the autonomous city of Melilla to meet the expenses of the University Center of the University Center. .
The diversion of regional funds contained in the model to participate in this violation of the state causes a reduction in the funding of the entire system, preventing the Granada institution itself or the rest of the public universities from reallocating this amount to invest in other initiatives or needs that could improve the quality of their academic activities, research and development, or knowledge transfer.
In this way, the financial support provided by the Andalusian government responds to the commitment maintained by the Andalusian Board with the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and their university infrastructure, which is an essential engine for the economic and social development of these territories. Furthermore, the Andalusian Board believes that these university premises, due to their unique geographical characteristics, deserve special attention to meet their needs. Therefore, from Andalusia, the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities that respect the commitments made in the State in the 1999 General Protocol are necessary, as the obligation of the general administration assumes the necessary operating and investment expenses to teach the established University.
Nine degrees in the new academic program
Between 2025 and 2028, both campuses will offer a total of nine new degrees within the academic program approved by the Andalusian Board in collaboration with public universities for the entire public university system. From this set, the university headquarters in Melilla will offer a total of six degrees, two undergraduate and four master’s degrees, while Ceuta will offer three new postgraduate courses.
Thus, in the 2025/2026 academic year, Campus Melilla intends to offer the Podiatry degree, while later it is projected to introduce, together with the University of Granada, the Diploma in Science and Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, during the 2026/2027 academic year, they intend to implement master’s degrees in Foreign Trade and Economic and International Relations, along with Granada and Ceuta, as well as research on active and healthy lifestyles.
One year later, Melilla, Ceuta, and UGR will offer the Master’s in Public Health Management, and by the 2028/2029 academic year, the Finance and Business Analysis Applications master’s degree will be available in Melilla, in collaboration with the University of Granada. On the other hand, Ceuta will also offer, starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, the Master’s in Digital Education and Entrepreneurship.