Spain is a country in Southwestern Europe. University education is organised into Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes. From the 2015/16 academic year, universities are free to decide whether to implement a model offering Bachelor and Master degrees of 3 and 2 years’ duration respectively, which may facilitate the mobility of both Spanish and foreign students.

Higher education is integrated by:

• university education
• Advanced vocational training
• Specialised education, which includes advanced Artistic education, professional Plastic Arts and Design studies, and advanced Sports education.

Higher education qualifications correspond to the levels and qualifications established in the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and to the levels established in the European Qualifications Framework:

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-REDIE (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research (CNIIE), Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP)) on the basis of current regulations.

Within this framework of correspondences, the following qualifications in education should be highlighted:

• the official university degrees in Pedagogy, Psychology and Educational Psychology correspond to Level 3 (Master) of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and Level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework
• the official university degree in Social Education corresponds to Level 2 (Bachelor) of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and Level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework
• the official university degree in School Teacher, in the specialisations of Hearing and Speech, Special Education, Physical Education, Pre-Primary Education, Primary Education and Foreign Language corresponds to Level 2 (Bachelor) of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and Level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework.

Under the principle of autonomy of universities, the university system is granted with the development of a public service of higher education through research, teaching and study.

The university system has the following functions:

• creation, development, transmission and critical analysis of science, technology and culture
• training of students for professional activities in areas which require applying knowledge, scientific methods and artistic creativity
• dissemination, appreciation and transfer of knowledge at the service of culture, life quality and economic development
• dissemination of knowledge and culture by means of the extension of university education
• lifelong learning.

The current legislation assigns the following general objectives to university education:

• facilitate the acquisition of the qualifications demanded by the productive sector and by the public sector, and to improve adaptability to social and economic changes
• promote quality, competitiveness and the internationalization of universities
• foster scientific productivity, transfer of knowledge, technological development and innovation in all branches of knowledge
• facilitate university governance, by means of promoting measures which guarantee the exercise of government and managerial functions, the review of internal management and governance procedures and the implementation of good practices in accordance with internationally recognised criteria of quality and efficiency in management
• increase transparency, internal control of finances and budgetary balance, as well as an external evaluation of their activity
• encourage talent recruitment, international mobility and collaboration with international reference universities and research institutions
• promote measures to attract private national and international investment, so as to contribute to the financing of the objectives of the university, especially in the area of research, transfer of knowledge and creation of innovation and technology-based business projects.

Structure of the academic year

Each university designs the organisation of the academic year and includes it in their statutes.

As a general rule, the university school year has 220 school days, and is divided into two semesters:

• first: from the beginning of the academic year, between the beginning and the middle of September, until the end of January or the beginning of February, when the final examinations of the subjects taught in the first semester and the partial examinations of the annual subjects take place.
• second: from the beginning of February until the end of May, with the exams for this semester and the end of the annual subjects taking place in June.

Universities, at their discretion, hold extraordinary examinations in July or September.

School holidays are distributed throughout the course:

• summer period, generally beginning at the end of June: 12 weeks approximately
• Christmas: approximately a fortnight
• Easter: between 8 and 11 days approximately
• the  corresponding official holidays set at state, regional and local level (between 7 and 12 days)

Measures to improve the position of Spanish universities for internal cooperation and international competition

1. Creation of strategic alliances

The aim is to develop studies leading to official university degrees or programmes and projects of international excellence in conjunction with other institutions.

This cooperation may be among universities, with Public Research Organisations, with businesses and other agents of the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation, which may belong to other countries.

2. Flexibilisation of the organisation of university studies and promotion of their autonomy

In a manner compatible with the EHEA, curricular diversification and the capacity for innovation give universities the responsibility for designing and proposing study plans which they believe are more attractive and in line with their resources and interests.

The National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation is responsible for the evaluation of the study plans and the degrees offered by universities, as well as for the accreditation of their quality. 

Some Autonomous Communities have created within their territories quality assessment agencies with the same functions as the National Agency. 

    3. 2015-2020 Strategy for the Internationalisation of Spanish Universities

Drawn up by the Working Group for the Internationalisation of Universities, this Strategy comes as a response to the Internationalisation Strategy for the European Union approved by the Commission in 2013.

The Working Group, coordinated by the General Secretariat for Universities under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, has counted with ample participation from other ministerial departments, universities and other stakeholders of the university system, including companies and civil society organisations. On the basis of their diagnosis of the internationalisation of the system and university institutions, they identify the challenges to be faced in an open environment of collaboration and international competition in higher education, and propose a system of specific objectives and actions for their development.

The objective for 2020 is ‘to consolidate a strong and internationally attractive university system which promotes the mobility of the best students, teachers, researchers and administration and services staff, educational quality, the potential of Spanish as a language for higher education, the internationalisation of R&D&i training programmes and activities, contributing to improving Spain’s attractiveness and international competitiveness, as well as to the socio-economic development of its immediate environment based on knowledge’.

In order to achieve this objective, 4 main strategic lines are established:

• consolidate a highly internationalised university system
• increase the international attractiveness of universities
• promote the international competitiveness of the environment
• intensify cooperation in higher education with other regions of the world.

The Strategy presents the timing for the implementation of the results and indicators proposed for the first two years.

It will be monitored by a commission coordinated by the General Secretariat for Universities with the participation of the ministries involved in its development, the General Conference for University Policy and the Council of Universities.

Advanced vocational training

It comprises a series of programmes which provide qualifications for a number of professional fields, as well as access to employment and active participation in social, cultural and economic life.

Vocational training is a priority area within the education and economic policy of Spain, and has become one of its main action lines. An ambitious package of reforms in legislation introduced a series of important changes in this type of provision, so as to contribute to adapt the training offer to the demands of the different productive sectors, to increase the educational offer, to advance towards the integration of vocational training in the education system, and to strengthen the cooperation between the different education authorities, as well as with other social agents and with the entrepreneurial sector.

When it comes to the education system, since December 2013, vocational training provision has been reformed and changes in the conditions for admission to advanced vocational training have been introduced.

More information on National Reforms in Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning. 

Structure

Advanced vocational training is organised in training cycles, which have a modular structure.

It includes a vocational module, which requires the preparation of a project during the last stage of the training cycle.

These training cycles belong to one of the 26 professional families established by the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications. More information on Lifelong learning strategy. 

Aim and objectives

The aim of vocational training within the education system is to provide learners with professional qualifications, to facilitate their adjustment to changes in society and in the labour market which may take place during their lives, as well as to contribute to personal development and the exercise of democratic citizenship, promoting at the same time inclusion, social cohesion and lifelong learning. 

The objective of advanced vocational training is to provide students with the professional, personal and social competences which will allow them to:

• engage in a professional activity related to the general competence area of the relevant Vocational Training programme
• understand the organisation and characteristics of the relevant productive sector, the mechanisms for professional insertion, the pertinent labour legislation and the rights and obligations arising from labour relationships
• consolidate the habits of discipline, individual and teamwork, as well as the ability for self-learning and for critical analysis
• establish interpersonal and social relationships, both at professional and personal levels, based on the peaceful resolution of conflicts, the respect to others and the rejection of violence or any kind of prejudice and sexist behaviour
• prevent labour and environmental risks, and implement measures to work under conditions of  good health and safety
• develop a motivating professional identity for future learning, and be able to adapt to the evolution of production processes and to social changes
• promote creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship
• use information and communication technologies, as well as the foreign languages required in their professional activity
• communicate effectively both at professional and personal levels
• manage their professional careers, analysing the most suitable training itineraries in order to improve employability.

Structure of the academic year

On the basis of the minimum requirements the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training establishes for the entire State, the education authorities of the Autonomous Communities are responsible for the annual organisation of the academic year for non-university levels, which include advanced vocational training.

Generally, the duration of the academic year comprises a minimum of 175 days, distributed between the first fortnight of September and the end of June, grouped in trimesters.

School holidays are distributed throughout the course:

• summer period, generally beginning at the end of June: 12 weeks approximately
• Christmas: approximately a fortnight
• Easter: between 8 and 11 days approximately
• the  corresponding official holidays set at State, regional and local level (between 7 and 12 days)
• During the summer holidays, the centres can remain open until the end of July.

Specialised Education

Specialised education that composes higher education includes advanced Artistic education, professional Plastic Arts and Design studies, and advanced Sports education.

Structure

Advanced Artistic Education

Advancced Artistic Education is organized in Higher Degrees of Artistic Education, official Master’s Artistic Education and Doctorate studies.

More information on Advanced Artistic Education.

Advanced vocational education in Plastic Arts and Design

They are structured in professional artistic families with a module organization.

They include a module which requires the preparation of a project during the last stage of the training cycle.

These cycles belong to one of the 13 professional artistic families. More information on degrees and professional artistic families that comprise these programmes.

Advanced Vocational Education in Sports

They are structured on the basis of the sports modalities and their specialties, with a module organization and different possible durations.

They include a module which requires the preparation of a project during the last stage of the training cycle.

These cycles belong to one of the 13 professional artistic families. More information on degrees and sport modalities that comprise these programmes.

Aim and objectives

Advanced Artistic Education

The purpose of these courses is to provide general training, in one or more disciplines, aimed at preparing students for the exercise of professional activities.

The aim of the official Master’s artistic education is for students to acquire advanced training, of a specialised or multidisciplinary nature, aimed at academic or professional specialisation, or at promoting initiation into research tasks.

Advanced vocational education in Plastic Arts and Design

Its purpose is to provide artistic, technical and technological training suitable for professional practice; to provide information on organisational, economic, legal and safety aspects that affect professional practice, labour relations and the business environment of the corresponding professional sector; to qualify for access to employment; and to encourage entrepreneurial spirit and lifelong learning.

The aim of these courses is to enable students to:

• develop the skills associated with each degree and begin professional practice with guarantees of quality, efficiency and profitability
• value the importance of the plastic arts as a universal creative language and as a means of cultural expression, as well as the enrichment that traditional and modern artistic crafts and procedures represent for them
• encourage the renewal of the arts and cultural industries through aesthetic reflection and mastery of artistic production processes
• develop the potential for entrepreneurship, self-learning and adaptation to the evolution of artistic conceptions and technical processes, and use the channels of information and continuous training related to the exercise of their profession and the pursuit of personal and professional initiatives
• understand the organisation and characteristics of their professional environment, the legal aspects affecting labour relations in the relevant professional sector, as well as the basic and specific mechanisms for integration in the labour market
• develop skills and abilities in the priority areas defined within the guidelines established by the European Union, especially those relating to information and communication technologies, languages, teamwork and the prevention of occupational risks.

Advanced Vocational Education in Sports

Their purpose is to prepare students for their professional activity in the sports system in relation to a sport modality or speciality, and to facilitate their adaptation to the evolution of the working and sports world and to active citizenship.

The aim of these courses is to enable students to:

• develop the general skills corresponding to the professional profile defined in the corresponding degree
• guarantee the professional qualification in initiation, guidance, basic training, technical improvement, and single and team training for high-performance athletes in the corresponding modality or specialty within the sports system
• understand the characteristics and organization of the respective modality or specialty and of the sports system and know the rights and obligations arising from their functions
• acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their work under safe conditions, improving the quality and safety of the sports environment and taking care of the environment and people’s health, and also facilitate the integration and normalisation of people with disabilities in the practice of sports
• develop a motivating professional identity and maturity for future learning (life-long learning, permanent training) and adaptations to changes in the initiation and improvement of the sports modality and in high-performance sport
• develop and convey the importance of individual responsibility and personal effort in sports practice and teaching
• develop and convey the ethical values linked to fair play, respect for others, the healthy practice of sports and the respect and care of one’s own body
• enable the fulfilment of business activities and initiatives.

Structure of the academic year

Advanced Artistic Education

As it is equivalent to university education, the organisation of the academic year is similar to that of universities, although each degree may have its own specifications.

Advanced Vocational Education in Plastic Arts and Design and Advanced Vocational Education in Sports

As they are advanced training cycles, similar to those of vocational training, the organisation of the academic year is similar to the one set out in these programmes, although each degree may have its own specifications.

Bachelor

Branches of study

Official University Bachelor Education

Bachelor’s degrees have a duration of 180-240 credits of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Universities may complement the number of Bachelor credits with the number of Master’s credits provided that the Bachelor degree has less than 240 credits.

The agreement concluded enables to know the teaching load of Bachelor degrees. Those related to education are grouped into:

1. degrees with study programmes that are regulated by the corresponding sectoral legislation, including:

• official Bachelor degrees which entitle to pursue the profession of Pre-Primary Education School Teacher
• degrees in Primary Education School Teacher.

2. degrees whose study programmes have a teaching load of 240 ECTS credits:

• official Bachelor degrees in Pedagogy, Psychology and Educational Psychology.

In the case of the study programmes that are not included in the new organisation, universities are responsible for establishing their teaching load in ECTS credits. In any case, university studies that contain the term ‘engineering’ must have a teaching load of 240 ECTS credits.

Bacherlor degrees are ascribed to one of the following branches of knowledge:

• Arts and Humanities
• Sciences
• Health Sciences
• Social and Legal Sciences
• Engineering and Architecture.

Advanced Artistic Education

Advanced Artistic Education programmes have a duration of 240 ECTS credits and are divided into the following fields:

• Music
• Dance
• Performing Arts
• Conservation and Restoration of  Cultural Heritage
• Design
• Plastic Arts

Admission Requirements

Official University Bachelor Education

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, prior to the report of the General Conference for University Policy, regulates the access to university studies, establishing the general conditions at national level. The regional educational administrations adapt and develop them in their respective areas of management. 

University access is guaranteed through the observance of the fundamental rights, on the basis of equality, non-discrimination, merit and ability. In addition, universal accessibility and design are also taken into consideration.

The General Conference for University Policy is the body in charge of ensuring that students access to the official Bachelor programmes is done in a general, objective and universal way and that it is valid in all Spanish universities. Besides, it must also make sure that such access complies with the criteria established by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

Students holding any of the following certificates may have access to official Bachelor programmes:

1. Bachillerato certificate or equivalent certificate
2. European Baccalaureate Certificate, International Baccalaureate Diploma, or Bachillerato certificates, diplomas or studies from the education systems of Member States of the European Union (EU) or from other States that have signed international agreements with Spain that are applicable in this regard on a basis of reciprocity, as long as the students meet the academic requirements established in their countries of origin in order to have access to their own universities.
3. Vocational Training Advanced Technician  in any specialisation, Plastic Arts and Design Advanced Technician certificate, or Sports Advanced Technician certificate or equivalent certificates
4. certificates, diplomas or studies, recognised or equivalent to the Bachillerato certificate of the Spanish education system, obtained or completed in States that are not members of the EU and with which no international agreements have been signed for the recognition of the Bachillerato certificate on a basis of reciprocity
5. official Bachelor or Master degree or equivalent degree
6. official Graduated, Technical Architect, Technical Engineer, Bachelor, Architect, Engineer degrees, corresponding to the previous organisation of university education or equivalent degree
7. students with partial university studies carried out in Spain or abroad, or students whose foreign degrees have not been recognised or declared equivalent in Spain but who want to continue studying in a Spanish university (in this case, students have to be recognised at least 30 ECTS credits by the relevant university)
8. students who were in a position to have access to university according to the organisation of the Spanish education system prior to the 2013 Act on the Improvement of the Quality of Education
9. certificates, diplomas or studies, different from those equivalent to the Bachillerato certificate, the Vocational Training Advanced Technician certificate, the Plastic Arts and Design Advanced Technician certificate, or the Sports Advanced Technician certificate of the Spanish education system, obtained or completed in Member States of the EU or in other States that have signed international agreements with Spain that are applicable in this regard on a basis of reciprocity. In this case, students have to meet the academic requirements established in their countries of origin to have access to their own universities.
10. people aged over 25, 40 and 45 who do not hold any qualification to gain access to university education by other means.

Public universities establish both the admission procedures and the criteria to take into consideration in each procedure, which depend on the certificate held by the candidate:

1. Candidates holding the certificates of sections 1 and 2:
   • universities may exclusively use the final grade obtained in Bachillerato or establish admission procedures
   • if they establish admission procedures, universities must use one or several of the following criteria:
     • branch and subjects taken in previous studies equivalent to the Bachillerato certificate (related to the university qualification chosen)
     • grades obtained in specific subjects taken or in the final evaluation of the studies equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato
     • additional academic or vocational training
     • higher education studies previously pursued.

In addition, universities may exceptionally establish specific knowledge and/or skill evaluations.

Both admission procedures will be implemented from the 2017/18 academic year in the case of students who have obtained the Bachillerato certificate established by the 2013 Act on the Improvement of the Quality of Education.

2. Candidates holding the certificates of sections 3 to 10:
   • universities must establish admission procedures for sections 3, 4 and 5
   • universities may establish admission procedures for sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10
   • in all cases, the admission procedures established by universities must use one or several of the following criteria:
     • final grade obtained in the studies completed, and/or in specific modules or subjects
     • relationship between the curricula of the previous studies and the relevant university studies (in the cases of the Vocational Training Advanced Technician certificate, the Plastic Arts and Design Advanced Technician certificate or the Sports Advanced Technician certificate, the attachment to the branch of knowledge established in Royal Decree 1618/2011, as well as the relationship between the studies mentioned and the Bachelor degrees, must be taken into account)
     • additional academic or vocational training
     • higher education studies previously pursued.

Universities may exceptionally establish specific knowledge and/or skill evaluations.

3. People aged over 25, 40 and 45 who do not hold any qualification to gain access to university education may have access if they pass a specific university entrance examination.

In those cases in which there is an admission procedure, each university decides on the location and dates for the sessions, as well as on the registration dates for students and the date when the examination will be held. The education authorities may coordinate the admission procedures of the universities within their territories. In addition, universities may agree on the joint carrying-out of all or part of the admission procedures, as well as the mutual recognition of the results of such procedures. The decisions adopted must be reported to the General Conference for University Policy and the Council of Universities.

Entrance examinations

Final evaluation of Bachillerato in order to have access to university education

The following decisions have been made for their implementation during the 2018/19 academic year, bearing in mind that it will be solely aimed at those students who wish to gain access to official university studies:

• subjects evaluated:

• length of tests:
  • one test for each subject. Each test has between 2 and 15 questions
  • each test lasts 90 minutes. There is a break between consecutive tests of, at least, 30 minutes, which is not part of the extension of the time granted to students with special educational needs who may have been prescribed such measure
  • the whole evaluation has a maximum duration of 4 days. The education authorities with a co-official language may establish a maximum duration of 5 days.
• tests and typology of questions:
  • tests are contextualised within environments close to students’ life: personal, family, school and social situations, apart from scientific and humanistic environments
  • each test must include open and semi-structured questions.  Multiple choice questions might be used, provided that the percentage of open and semi-structured questions in each test is at least 50%.
• content of the tests:
  • at least 70% of the grade for each test must be obtained from the evaluation of learning standards. The education authorities may complete the remaining 30% with the standards established in the rest of the curriculum of the stage
  • at least one learning standard for each block of content must be used when developing the test.
• dates for ordinary and extraordinary examination sessions:
  • ordinary examination session: before 15/06/2019 and provisional results must be published before 28/06/2019
  • extraordinary examination session in July: before 13/07/2019 and provisional results must be published before 20/07/2019
  • extraordinary examination session in September: before 14/09/2019 and provisional results must be published before 21/09/2019.
• grade for access to university education:
  • 40% of the grade from the evaluation of Bachillerato
  • 60% of the final grade of the stage
  • the final grade must be 5 points or above in order to have access to university education.
• grade for the evaluation of Bachillerato: arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in each test evaluating the general subjects from the set of core subjects and, where appropriate, the subject of Co-Official Language and Literature. It is expressed on a scale from 0 to 10 to three decimal places and rounded to the nearest one-thousandth. It must be 4 points or above to be taken into account.
• general characteristics:
  • it is valid for an unlimited period of time
  • the grades of the tests taken to improve the admission mark are valid for the two academic years following the passing of these tests
  • students may sit successive examination sessions in order to improve the grade obtained in any of the tests. The grade obtained in the new examination session is taken into account if it is higher than the previous one
  • students may request a review of the grades obtained
  • the education authorities, in collaboration with universities, are responsible of organising the tests. Each authority limits the scope of the collaboration of their universities in the carrying out of the tests
  • the education authorities may administer context questionnaires, which are anonymous.

Access for people aged over 25, 40 and 45

The following aspects should be highlighted regarding the entrance examinations for people aged over 25 and over 45:

• Frequency and carrying out of the examinations:
  • they are held annually
  • candidates may sit the examination in as many universities as they want
  • once they have passed the entrance examination, candidates may resit the test at other examination sessions in order to improve their grade. The grade obtained at the last examination session, provided it is higher than the one obtained at the previous session, is the one taken into account for admission to official Bachelor degree programmes.
• Grading of the examinations:
  • the final grade, as well as the marks obtained in the different exercises, is the arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in both the general and the specific part (in the examination for people aged over 25) or in the exercises (in the examination for people aged over 45), graded on a scale from 0 to 10 and expressed to two decimal places
  • in order to pass the examination, candidates must obtain a final grade of 5 points, and must obtain this same grade in both parts (in the examination for people aged over 25) or in any of the exercises (in the examination for people aged over 45, where they also need to pass the personal interview).

The maximum number of places offered by each university for each degree and centre is published annually. These places are proposed by the universities and must be approved by the corresponding autonomous community.

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training after due consultation with the General Conference for University Policy, may set up a limit for the number of places available in each programme. These maximum limits of places affect all universities, public and private.

These maximum limits of places affect all universities, public and private.

Public universities establish both the order of priority in the allocation of places and the rules that will apply to establish that order, which in any case must respect the following percentages of place reservation:

• for people who have passed the university entrance exam for people over 25 years of age, a number of places of not less than 2% is reserved.
• for people who have passed the university entrance exam for over 45 years or the accreditation of a work or professional experience a number of places between 1 and 3% is reserved
• for students with a recognized degree of disability equal to or greater than 33% and for students with permanent special educational needs associated with personal circumstances of disability, who during their previous schooling have required resources and supports for their full educational normalization at least 5% of places are reserved
• a minimum percentage of 3% of the places offered is reserved for high level or high performance athletes who demonstrate this condition and meet the corresponding academic requirements
• between 1 and 3% of the places offered are reserved for people who already have an official university degree or equivalent.

Advanced Artistic Education

The general requirements for access to these courses are:

• to hold a bachelor’s degree or to have passed the university entrance exam for students over 25 years of age
• to pass the specific exam of the degree and the speciality to which you wish to access.

There are certain specifications for access depending on the degree you wish to study:

• higher music and dance education: the professional qualification of music or dance is taken into account in the final qualification of the entrance exam. The average grade of the student’s transcript represents a maximum of 50% of the admission grade. Each educational administration specifies this percentage for its area of competence.
• higher education in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, design and plastic arts: those who hold an Advanced Technician in Plastic Arts and Design degree, in the percentage that each educational administration determines for their area of competence, can have direct access to these courses, without the need to take the specific entrance test.

Educational administrations are in charge of:

• regulate and organise an access test for applicants over 19 years of age who do not meet the general access requirements. This test is related to the baccalaureate objectives, as well as the knowledge, skills and aptitudes necessary to successfully complete the education to which the student wishes to access. The passing of this test has permanent validity for access to advanced artistic education throughout the State.
• the call, organisation, development and evaluation of the specific access test. This test is held at least once a year and can only be passed during the academic year in which it has been held.
• establish the number of places to be offered in these courses.

Exceptionally, those students over 18 years of age may have direct access to advanced artistic education, and those over 16 years of age may have access to higher music or dance studies, by passing a specific test, regulated and organised by the educational administrations, which confirms that the applicant has the knowledge, skills and aptitudes necessary to successfully pursue the corresponding education.

Curriculum

Official University Bachelor Education

Universities enjoy autonomy in the design of the curriculum for the courses and degrees they offer. However, the programmes must be verified by the Council of Universities and receive authorisation from the relevant regional government, once they have been submitted for consultation to the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) and/or the analogous Agency of the corresponding Autonomous Community.

Once the studies have been verified and accredited, the studies are registered in the Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) as a mandatory requisite to obtain the official validity throughout Spain.

The guidelines to be followed by each university in the design of their study programmes are:

• have number of credits devoted to basic training that must represent at least 25% of the total number of credits of the degree
• at least 60% of the credits of basic training must be linked to some of the areas included in the knowledge branch to which the programme belongs. These areas are further specified into subjects, with a minimum of 6 ECTS credits each, which need to be taken during the first half of the programme
• the remaining credits of basic training must be earned through basic subjects from the same branch of knowledge or from a different one, or through other areas, provided their basic nature for the initial training of the student or their cross-curricular nature
• external placements must have a minimum duration of 25% of the total number of credits of the degree, and should be preferably offered in the second half of the study programme
• in the final stage of the programme, students must do the Bachelor’s project. It must represent a minimum of 6 ECTS credits and a maximum of 12.5% of the total number of credits of the degree. It is aimed at assessing the skills associated with the degree
• the curricula should provide for the possibility that students may obtain recognition of at least 6 ECTS credits out of the total credits of the degree for their participation in university cultural, sports, student representation, charity and cooperation activities.

In the universities located in the autonomous communities with co-official languages, the language of the autonomous community shall be the one normally used in all university activities, in accordance with the regulations governing higher education in each of them.

Advanced Artistic Education

For these studies, the Government, after consulting the Autonomous Communities and the Higher Council of Artistic Education, is responsible for defining the basic content of the curricula of the Advanced Degrees of Artistic Education in the corresponding specialties, specifying the competences, the subjects and their descriptors, the contents and the number of credits of each degree.

Subsequently, the educational administrations complete the basic curriculum and approve the curriculum corresponding to each degree, for its area of influence.

In this process, the MEFP, through the State High Inspectorate, supervises that these curricula are prepared in accordance with the regulations in force.

The curricula:

• must contain basic training subjects specific to their field, compulsory and optional subjects, seminars, external work placements, supervised work, end-of-study projects and other training activities
• external placements, if any, have a maximum length of 60 credits and should preferably be offered in the second half of the programme
• are considered complete with the end of studies project which must have a minimum extension of 6 credits and a maximum of 30 credits, and which must be carried out in the final phase of the curriculum and be oriented towards the evaluation of competences associated with the degree
• must provide for the possibility that students may receive accreditation of at least 6 ECTS credits, out of the total number of credits of the degree, for their participation in university activities related to the area of culture, sports, students’ representation, charity and cooperation.

Teaching Methods

Official University Bachelor Education

Universities follow the principle of autonomy to decide on their own teaching methodologies.

Teachers employ different teaching methods at university, being lectures the most common practice, although it is becoming more and more common to resort to other types of activities, such as seminars, cooperative work, learning based on problem-solving activities, project-based learning, etc. Practical classes are very frequent in experimental science studies. 

University departments are the basic bodies in charge of both teaching and research in their respective areas of knowledge. They are responsible for the planning and coordination of the curriculum and the research activity at universities. In practice, teachers are free to make use of the teaching methods and pedagogical resources they consider more appropriate.

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the classroom is quite frequent. Most universities have technology support services for teachers, so as to help them devise multimedia materials and to encourage their use of ICT. Presentations by means of computers or overhead projectors are also common practice, as well as the use of videos, computer-assisted learning, etc. In addition, teacher/student communication through the Internet or through virtual classrooms, online platforms, virtual spaces for specific subjects, websites, and so on.

Advanced Artistic Education

The centres that offer these programmes enjoy their own autonomy in terms of organisation, teaching and management. It is the obligation of the educational administrations to provide these centres with the necessary resources to facilitate their activity, and to develop their objectives in the areas of teaching, research and artistic creation.

Progression of students

Official University Bachelor Education

Universities, making use of their autonomy, establish the conditions for the promotion of the students, as well as the minimum and maximum periods of permanence of students.

In order to pass a subject, students are allowed to sit examinations for a limited number of times, ranging from four to six, and only twice a year.

Advanced Artistic Education

The educational administrations are responsible for establishing the conditions for the promotion of students in the curricula of each degree in these studies.

Employability

The improvement of employability of university graduates is a constant source of concern for Education Authorities and universities. In order to deal with this problem, the following principles must underpin university education:

• include in their study plans abilities and skills oriented towards innovation, creativity, business initiative and entrepreneurship, incorporating them into the different subjects, concepts and cross-curricular competences, in learning methods and in examinations
• make proposals for new degrees and educational provision which prepare students for the qualifications required by new employment needs so as to improve employability of citizens in the labour market
• promote adaptability to social and economic changes, providing citizens with opportunities for ongoing professional development and extension of university studies. increase the possibilities for mobility in education within Spain and in Europe, as well as the effective incorporation of university graduates into the labour market, strengthening the links between universities and the business world, paying special attention to the promotion of competences for entrepreneurship and self-employment.

Several opportunities for collaboration between universities and the productive sector exist, such as:

• creation of technology-based innovation companies
• establishment of innovation poles, by means of providing a common physical space for universities and companies in the production sector
• launching and promotion of programmes to enhance transfer and appreciation of knowledge
• creation of consortiums for research and the transfer of knowledge
• creation of corporate-sponsored university chairs, based on the collaboration in research projects which allow university students to participate and combine their research activity with training opportunities.

In addition, both in the regulations for university education and in the 2010 University Student Statute, there are a series of specific measures aimed at promoting employability of university students, such as:

• mobility programmes through university cooperation agreements: they pay attention to academic training related to the degree in which the student is enrolled, and to other competence areas, such as training for employment.
• student information and guidance services, the aim of which is to provide information and orientation regarding learning itineraries and future professional opportunities, training in cross-curricular competences and design of professional projects, in order to facilitate the employability and insertion of students in the labour market student guidance and monitoring.
• student guidance and monitoring, by which coordinators or student advisors provide guidance to students throughout the programme, regarding their learning process as well as their professional prospects in the labour market.
• alumni associations for former students, registered at universities. One of their goals is to collaborate actively in providing university graduates with access to the labour market. 

More information on Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education.

Student Assessment

In official university bachelor education programmes universities verify the knowledge acquired by students, as well as the development of their intellectual training and their academic achievements. In order to do so, it is necessary to establish assessment regulations. Evaluation objectives, tools, procedures, activities and criteria are set up in the syllabi of each programme, and fall under the responsibility of university departments and teachers.

As a result of the the adaptation to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is fully implemented. The European credit is the unit for academic accreditation, it represents the amount of work that a student must complete in order to attain the programme’s objectives. Each ECTS credit represents between 25 and 30 class hours. In order to obtain the number of ECTS credits assigned to a subject, both in practical or theoretical learning or in any other academic activity, students must pass the exams or assessment procedures established for that area.

In Advanced Artistic Education the assessment aims to verify the degree and level of acquisition and consolidation of the transversal, general and specific skills defined for each degree. It is differentiated by subject and has an integrating character.

All aspects of the assessment are defined in the curriculum that the educational administrations prepare for each degree and it is the centres that deliver them and their teaching staff who are in charge of conducting it.

In both courses, the results obtained by the student in each of the subjects included in the academic record receive a numerical grade from 0 to 10, with a decimal position, which can be followed by a qualitative grade:

• 0-4.9: Fail
• 5.0-6.9: Pass
• 7.0-8.9: Very good
• 9.0-10: Excellent.

Students may also be awarded an Excellent mark ‘with Distinction’, when the student has obtained a 9.0 or higher grade. The number of students receiving this special mention cannot be higher than 5% of the total enrolled in a subject in an academic year. If this number is lower than 20, only one Excellent with Distinction may be awarded.

The evaluation and grading of the end of studies project is unique and requires the student to have passed all the subjects of the curriculum.

Certification

The Bachelor Degree is obtained after having passed:

• Official University Bachelor Education:
  • stating the specific designation that, in each case, appears in the Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT)
  • it is issued on behalf of the King of Spain by the university Chancellor
  • is official, valid in all universities and throughout the national territory, and enables the exercise of regulated professional activities
• Advanced Artistic Education
  • specifying the field and the corresponding speciality
  • it is validated by the State and issued by the educational administrations, and must be registered in the State Register of Non-University Teaching Centres (RCD)
  • it is official and valid throughout the national territory.

It certifies that the holder has attained the competences set out in level 2 of MECES, which corresponds to level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework.

The duration of some studies, generally in the field of Health, is longer than that established for Bachelor programmes and they provide access to PhD programmes, either directly or through complementary training. In these cases, it certifies Level 3 if the Bachelor degree, of at least 300 ECTS credits, includes at least 60 Master’s level ECTS credits. This qualification level is achieved through resolution of the Council of Universities. The aim is to facilitate the mobility of Spanish graduates abroad through a system that recognises the specificity of these university studies.

As a result of the process of adaptation to the EHEA, and in order to promote the mobility of Spanish students and graduates, universities (for official undergraduate university studies) and educational administrations (for Advanced Artistic Education) may issue, upon request, the European Diploma Supplement (SET). This document, which accompanies the official degree with unified and personalised information for each university graduate, aims to guarantee transparency regarding the level, contents and context of the degrees, in order to favour the national and international mobility of Spanish students and graduates.

The SET must contain the following information:

• holder identification data
• information on the degree
• information on the qualification level
• information on the contents and results obtained
• information on the purpose of the qualification
• further relevant information
• SET certification
• information on the national Higher Education system.

All the credits obtained by the student in official artistic studies taken in any autonomous community, those transferred, those recognized and those passed to obtain the degree are included in the academic record and in the SET. In the case of students who study only some parts of the programme, the SET is not issued. A certificate of studies is issued instead, with the content of the corresponding supplement model.

Relationships and recognition between higher education qualifications

The MEFP has regulated the recognition of studies among the different higher education degrees:

• Bachelors degree (obtained by pursuing official university programmes or advanced artistic education programmes)
• Vocational Training Advanced Technician
• Plastic Arts and Design Advanced Technician
• Sports Education Advanced Technician.

They may be eligible for recognition:

• complete studies leading to formal qualifications in higher education
• periods of studies completed in official university degree programmes or in Advanced Artistic Education programmes, provided that they are officially accredited in ECTS credits
• specialisation courses which refer to a diploma of Vocational Training Advanced  Technician or Sports Advanced Technician, provided that they are officially accredited in ECTS credits
• foreign degrees, if they have been validated to an official Spanish higher education degree.

The authority in charge of the recognition of studies varies according to the studies that you wish to validate and the studies that you wish to pursue. Thus, it corresponds to:

• the educational administrations in the case of official university Bachelor degrees when the student is willing to pursue studies leading to an Advanced Technician degree, Sports Advanced Technician degree or Advanced Artistic Education degree
• universities in the case of Advanced Artistic Education degrees, Advanced Technician degrees or Sports Advanced Technician degrees when the student is willing to pursue studies leading to an official Bachelor degree.

The recognition of studies is made taking into account the adequacy of skills, knowledge and learning outcomes between the subjects of the Bachelor degrees and the modules or subjects of the Advanced Technician degrees.

When there is a direct relationship between the degree to be validated and the one to be studied, the competent authorities guarantee the recognition of a minimum number of ECTS credits, which varies depending on the duration of the curricula or study plans:

The direct relationship between the Bachelor’s degree in official Bachelor’s degree courses and the degrees in Advanced Artistic Education, Advanced Technician and Advanced Sports Technician must be established through an agreement between the university that offers them and the corresponding educational administration. This agreement must be communicated to the MEFP and respect the criteria established by the MEFP. It is effective throughout the national territory and must be published in an official medium accessible to the public.

The direct relationship between the different higher education degrees can be found at the following link (Reconocimiento de estudios en la educación superior).

Completed practical training of a similar nature must also be subject to recognition, either totally or partially:

• external placements which are part of the curriculum in official university degree courses and in advanced artistic education
• the Workplace Training (FCT) module of Advanced Vocational Training courses
• the credits assigned to the phase of practical training in companies, studies and workshops of advanced vocational training in Plastic Arts and Design
• the credits assigned to the phase or module of practical training for Advanced Vocational Education in Sports.

Accredited professional and work experience may also be recognised in terms of ECTS credits, with validity to obtain an official degree, provided that the experience is related with the competences inherent to the qualification. The number of total credits to be recognised from professional or work experience and non-official university education may not exceed 15% of the total credits constituting the curriculum. The recognition of these credits does not count towards the calculation of the average grade in the academic record. Credits from private degrees may, exceptionally, be recognised at a rate higher than 15% or, where applicable, be recognised in full provided that the corresponding degree has been extinguished and replaced by an official degree.

Under no circumstances may the recognition of studies mean:

• obtaining a higher education degree through the recognition of the whole set of its contents. The studies that are going to be validated may not exceed 60% of the credits of the degree that the student wishes to pursue.
• recognise or validate the credits corresponding to:
• end-of-degree projects for official university Bachelor programmes or Advanced Artistic Education programmes.
• modules of final project or integrated project in Vocational Training in Plastic Arts and Design
• professional project modules in Vocational Education courses
• final project modules in Sports Education.

When the recognition is requested in order to pursue a degree that gives access to the exercise of a regulated profession, it must be verified that the alleged studies respond to the required conditions that guarantee the necessary professional qualification.

Second Cycle Programmes

Master’s degree programmes have two goals:

• to provide students with advanced specialised or multidisciplinary training, geared towards academic or professional specialisation
• to encourage the initiation of research tasks.

They belong to Level 3 of the Spanish Qualification Framework for Higher Education (MECES), and they are defined according to the following learning outcomes:

• having acquired advanced knowledge and to be able to demonstrate, within scientific, technological or highly specialised contexts, detailed and proven comprehension of theoretical and practical features, and the corresponding work methodology, in one or more fields of study
• being able to integrate and apply knowledge, understanding, scientific foundations and problem-solving abilities to new or loosely defined environments, including multidisciplinary research and professional contexts which require high levels of specialisation
• being able to evaluate and select appropriate scientific theories, as well as adequate methodological tools, within an area of studies, so as to build hypotheses on the basis of incomplete or limited information, including, whenever necessary and pertinent, a reflection on the social and ethical responsibilities which the proposed solutions may entail
• being able to predict and control the evolution of complex situations through the development of new and innovative working methodologies adapted to the specific, generally multidisciplinary, scientific/researching, technological or professional field in which they work
• being able to communicate clearly and unambiguously to a specialised or non-technical audience the results of scientific and technological research or the most advanced field of innovation, as well as the most relevant foundations on which they are based
• having developed enough autonomy to set up, manage and lead work teams, innovative research projects and scientific partnerships, either at national or international levels, within the relevant research area, in multidisciplinary contexts which may demand high levels of knowledge transfer
• being able to take responsibility for professional development and specialisation in one or more fields of study.

Areas of study

Official University Master’s Education

At the proposal of the university offering the programme, they are associated to one of the following knowledge fields:

• Arts and Humanities
• Sciences
• Health Sciences
• Social and Legal Sciences
• Engineering and Architecture.

These courses have a teaching load of between 60 and 120 ECTS credits and a duration of one or two academic years.

University Master’s degrees can have three approaches:

• career-oriented degrees:
  • qualifying degrees: University Master’s degrees leading to regulated professions that are an essential requirement for being able to exercise said profession.
  • non-qualifying degrees: advanced training qualifications, of a specialised or multidisciplinary nature, which do not qualify the student for the exercise of regulated professional activities in Spain.
• academically oriented degrees: aimed at deepening an academic or scientific field.
• research oriented degrees: focused on the acquisition of basic research skills.

Universities decide the orientation of the Master’s degrees they offer.

They must meet the requirements established by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) in order to be accredited and included in the Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT).

Official Master’s degrees in Arts

These courses have a teaching load of between 60 and 120 ECTS credits and a duration of one or two academic years.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for official Master’s degree courses and official Artistic Master’s degree courses are:

• an Advanced Degree in Artistic Education (applicable to official Artistic Master’s degrees)
• graduates in educational systems outside the EHEA may also access both types of studies without the need to validate their degree, after verification by the university (for official university Master’s degree courses) or by the competent educational administration (for official artistic Master’s degree courses) that the alleged degree allows access to postgraduate studies in the country of origin.
• in both types of education, students may be admitted on the basis of specific requirements and criteria for assessing the merits of the degree itself or those established by the university (for official university Master’s degree courses) or by the competent educational administration (for official Artistic Master’s degree courses).
• each university (for official university Master’s degree courses) or the competent educational administration (for official Artistic Master’s degree courses) must include in the programme description a list of procedures and admission requirements, such as, for example, whether candidates need to have specific previous training in certain areas or subjects
• in the case of students with special educational needs arising from disability, admission procedures must provide for the adequate support and guidance services in order to assess the convenience of possible adaptations of the curriculum, alternative learning paths or study programmes.

More information on Adressing Diversity in Higher Education.

Each institution (university or educational administration) decides on the number of students who may be admitted to the programmes.

Curriculum

Universities, for official Master’s degree courses, and educational administrations (on their own initiative or at the proposal of the centres) for official Artistic Master’s degree courses, are in charge of drawing up the study plans for said courses, a process in which they enjoy certain autonomy. These plans must include:

• compulsory subjects
• optional subjects
• seminars
• external placements
• guided projects
• end-of-master project
• evaluation activities and other assessment criteria, as well as any other specific programme features.

Both types of programmes require students to write and defend a end-of-master project, which is awarded between 6 and 30 ECTS credits.

For official Master’s degree courses, once the curriculum has been drawn up, it is submitted to the University Council for validation, according to the procedures established by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) or to the assessment bodies determined by the autonomous communities, authorised for implementation by the corresponding autonomous community. Once these processes are completed, the degree each curriculum leads to is registered in the Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) as a mandatory requisite for acquiring official status and validity throughout the country.

For official Artistic Master’s degrees, the educational administrations send the curriculum proposal for its accreditation to the MEFP, which in turn sends it to:

• ANECA or to the evaluation agency of the autonomous community, for its evaluation,
• as well as to the Superior Council for Artistic Education.

The Ministry (MEFP), considering the reports of the Council and of the corresponding evaluating agency, decides whether to issue or not issue a resolution of accreditation. The degree is accredited once it is registered in the State Register of Non-University Teaching Centres.

Teaching Methods

Official University Master’s Education

Universities follow the principle of autonomy to decide on their own teaching methodologies.

University departments are the basic bodies in charge of both teaching and research in their respective areas of knowledge. They are responsible for the planning and coordination of the curriculum and the research activity at universities.

In practice, teachers are free to make use of the teaching methods and pedagogical resources they consider more appropriate.

The following methods are used in university teaching:

• master class, which is still frequent
• other common activities are:
  • seminars
  • projects based on cooperative work
  • learning based on problem-solving activities
  • project-based learning, etc.
• work placements, which are more frequent in experimental studies
• use of information and communication technologies (ICT). Most universities have technology support services for teachers, so as to help them devise multimedia materials and to encourage the use of ICT. The following activities are also common:
  • presentations by means of computers or overhead projectors
  • use of video
  • computer-assisted learning, etc.
• teacher/student communication through virtual classrooms, online platforms, virtual spaces for specific subjects, websites, etc.

Offical Master’s degrees in Arts

The centres that offer Advanced Higher Education enjoy their own autonomy in terms of organisation, teaching and management. It is the obligation of the educational administrations to provide these centres with the necessary resources to facilitate their activity, and to develop their objectives in the areas of teaching, research and artistic creation.

Student Promotion

Universities, for Official Master’s degree courses, and the educational administrations of the Autonomous Communities, for Official Artistic Master’s degree courses, establish the conditions for the promotion of students, as well as the minimum and maximum periods of permanence. 

In order to pass a subject, students may take a limited number of examinations, ranging from four to six, with a maximum of two examinations per academic year.

Employability

The improvement of employability of university graduates is a constant source of concern for Education Authorities and universities. 

In order to deal with this problem, the following principles must underpin university education:

• include in their study plans abilities and skills oriented towards innovation, creativity, business initiative and entrepreneurship, incorporating them into the different subjects, concepts and cross-curricular competences, in learning methods and in examinations
• make proposals for new degrees and educational provision which prepare students for the qualifications required by new employment needs so as to improve employability of citizens in the labour market
• promote adaptability to social and economic changes, providing citizens with opportunities for ongoing professional development and extension of university studies
• increase the possibilities for mobility in education within Spain and in Europe, as well as the effective incorporation of university graduates into the labour market, strengthening the links between universities and the business world, paying special attention to the promotion of competences for entrepreneurship and self-employment.

Several opportunities for collaboration between universities and the productive sector exist, such as:

• creation of technology-based innovation companies
• establishment of innovation poles, by means of providing a common physical space for universities and companies in the production sector
• launching and promotion of programmes to enhance transfer and appreciation of knowledge
• creation of consortiums for research and the transfer of knowledge
• creation of corporate-sponsored university chairs, based on the collaboration in research projects which allow university students to participate and combine their research activity with training opportunities.

Both in the regulations for university education and in the University Student Statute, there are a series of specific measures aimed at promoting university student employability, such as:

• universities offer students mobility programmes through university cooperation agreements. These programmes pay attention to academic training related to the degree in which the student is enrolled, and to other competence areas, such as training for employment. For more information.
• integration of external placements into the curricula
  • student information and guidance services, the aim of which is to provide:◦information and orientation regarding learning itineraries and future professional opportunities
  • training in cross-curricular competences
  • design of professional projects, in order to facilitate student employability and insertion in the labour market
• student guidance and monitoring, by which coordinators or student advisors provide guidance to students throughout the programme, regarding their learning process as well as their professional prospects in the labour market.
• creation of alumni associations for former students, registered at universities. One of their goals is to collaborate actively in providing access to the labour market to university graduates.

Student assessment

Offical University Master’s Education

Universities must verify the knowledge acquired by students, as well as the development of their intellectual training and their academic achievements. In order to do so, it is necessary to establish assessment regulations.

Evaluation objectives, tools, procedures, activities and criteria are set up in the syllabi of each programme, and fall under the responsibility of university departments and teachers.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is fully implemented. The European credit is the unit for academic accreditation, it represents the amount of work that a student must complete in order to attain the programme’s objectives.

Each ECTS credit represents between 25 and 30 class hours. 

In order to obtain the number of ECTS credits assigned to a subject, both in practical or theoretical learning or in any other academic activity, students must pass the exams or assessment procedures established for that area.

The results obtained by students in each subject, which appear in the student’s record. They receive a numerical grade from 0 to 10, with a decimal position, which can be followed by a qualitative grade:

• 0-4.9: fail
• 5.0–6.9: pass
• 7.0–8.9: very good
• 9.0–10: excellent.

Students may also be awarded an Excellent mark ‘with Distinction’, when the student has obtained a 9.0 or higher grade. The number of students receiving this special mention cannot be higher than 5% of the total students enrolled in a subject in an academic year. If this number is lower than 20,  only one Excellent with Distinction may be awarded.

In addition, students must receive a positive evaluation in the defence and submission of the Master’s thesis.

Accredited professional and work experience may also be recognised in terms of ECTS credits, with validity to obtain a Master’s degree, provided that the experience is related with the competences inherent to the qualification.

Offical Master’s degrees in Arts

The assessment aims to verify the degree and level of acquisition and consolidation of the transversal, general and specific skills defined for each degree. It is differentiated by subject and has an integrating character.

All aspects of the assessment are defined in the curriculum that the educational administrations prepare for each degree and it is the centres that deliver them and their teaching staff who are in charge of conducting it.

The grading of the subjects and the criteria for awarding an “Excellent with distinction” mention are similar to those of the official University Master’s degrees.

Certification

The fulfilling of:

• the official university courses of the Master’s programme give the right to obtain the university Master’s degree, with the specific denomination that, in each case, appears in the Register of Universities, Centres and Titles (RUCT). This diploma:
• is issued, on behalf of the King of Spain, by the university Chancellor
• it is official and valid throughout the national territory
• it enables its holder for the performance of regulated professional activities, in accordance with the regulations applicable in each case.
• the official Master’s courses gives the right to obtain the Master’s degree diploma in Artistic Education followed by the specific designation of the degree. This degree is equivalent, for all intents and purposes, to a university Master’s degree.

Both qualifications certify that the holder has reached the competences set out in level 3 of the MECES.

As a result of the process of adaptation to the EHEA, a new procedure has been established, by means of which universities may issue the European Diploma Supplement (SET), upon request of the person concerned. This document, which accompanies the official degree with unified and personalised information for each university graduate, aims to guarantee transparency regarding the level, contents and context of the degrees, in order to favour the national and international mobility of Spanish students and graduates.

The SET must contain the following information:

• user identification data
• information on the degree
• information on the qualification level
• information on the contents and results obtained
• information on the purpose of the qualification
• further relevant information
• SET certification
• information on the national Higher Education system.

All the credits obtained by the student in official artistic studies taken in any autonomous community, those transferred, those recognized and those passed to obtain the degree are included in the academic record and in the SET. In the case of students who study only some parts of the programme, the SET is not issued. A certificate of studies is issued instead, with the content of the corresponding supplement model.

These characteristics and requirements of the SET certificate also apply to degrees in advanced artistic education.

Third Cycle (PhD) Programmes

They belong to third-cycle university education and Level 4 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, which comprises those qualifications aimed at providing students with advanced training in research procedures. In terms of educational outcomes, they may be defined by the following:

• have acquired advanced, cutting-edge knowledge and to be able to demonstrate, within the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, comprehensive and proven understanding of the theoretical and practical features which define one or more research fields, as well as expertise in the relevant work methodology
• have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in the relevant area of knowledge, having received recognition by the international scientific community
• have demonstrated the ability to design a research project so as to carry out critical analysis and to evaluate loosely defined contexts, to which the acquired knowledge, relevant contributions and work methodology can be applied, in order to synthesise new and complex ideas that may lead to a deeper understanding of the relevant field of research
• have developed enough autonomy to set up, manage and lead work teams, innovative research projects and scientific partnerships, either at national or international levels, within the relevant research area, in multidisciplinary contexts which may demand high levels of knowledge transfer
• have developed the necessary ability to carry out research autonomously, with social responsibility and scientific integrity
• have proved competence to participate in scientific discussions at international level, within the relevant knowledge area, as well as to communicate the results of research activity to all types of audiences
• have demonstrated, within a specific scientific field, the ability to contribute to cultural, social or technological breakthroughs, as well as to foster innovation at different levels of the knowledge society.

Organisation of doctoral studies

Official doctoral studies are structured into programmes, so, in order to obtain a PhD, candidates must successfully complete a doctoral programme. Their characteristics are the following:

• they may include courses, seminars and other academic activities focused on research training which do not require a European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) structure. In any case, the central activity at this level is research
• they are offered by Doctoral Colleges or by other competent educational institutions in the area of research
• they may be jointly organised by several universities, and include the participation, by means of agreements, of other R&D&I bodies, centres, institutions or entities, either public, private, national or international
• each programme is planned, designed and coordinated by an Academic Commission, which is responsible for the training and research activities which integrate the programme
• the Academic Commission is formed by doctors appointed by the university. Researchers from public research bodies and from other institutions involved in R&D&I, both national and international, may also participate in these commissions
• each PhD programme has a coordinator, who must be an accredited and renowned researcher
• PhD studies have a maximum duration of three years of full-time dedication, from admission into the programme until the doctoral thesis is submitted. The Academic Commission in charge of the programme may authorise an extension of two additional years
• doctoral studies may be carried out on a part-time basis, in which case the length of the programme extends to five years
• PhD candidates must write, submit and defend a Doctoral thesis, an original research project which requires a defence, in public session, in front of a board of examiners who are in charge of its evaluation
• this thesis must qualify the PhD candidate to carry out autonomous work in the area of R&D&I.

Admission Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, and a Master’s degree, or equivalent, provided they have completed at least 300 ECTS credits in the two types of programmes as a whole.

Candidates with a previous PhD may also apply.

In addition, admission may also be granted to those holding:

• a diploma leading to admission into a Master’s degree programme, issued by a Spanish university or by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA); or applicants who have completed at least 300 ECTS credits of official university education, 60 of which must belong to a Master’s degree programme
• an official qualification of at least 300 ECTS credits, awarded by a Spanish university. The curriculum of these programmes must include training and research credits equivalent to the ones offered in Master’s degree programmes. If this requirement is not met, applicants must compulsorily pass the specific training units and programme components required for admission into a PhD programme
• a position in specialised health training by means of an entrance examination, provided that they have already passed at least two years of training in a programme leading to an official degree in any of the specialised branches of Health Sciences
• a qualification from a foreign country, once the universities certify that the programme provides equivalent training to the one offered in a Spanish university Master’s degree programme and that the degree is also a pre-requisite for access to PhD studies in the country issuing the diploma
• an official university degree corresponding to Level 3 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education.

Universities are entitled to establish additional selection and admission criteria for applicants to specific PhD programmes.

PhD candidates who have been admitted to a PhD programme must register each year in the university organising the programme, in the relevant doctoral college or in the institution responsible for the programme, and pay a fee for academic mentorship.

Status of doctoral students/candidates

There are two types of status for doctoral students: status of university student and status of university student and research trainee.

Status of university student

It is included in the 2010 University Student Statute,  which establishes that ‘a student is any person studying the official programmes of any of the three university cycles’.

This Statute regulates the rights of doctoral candidates as university students in two sections: a common one, which is applicable to all students, and a specific one, which only applies to doctoral students and mentions, among others, the following rights:  

• receive quality research training, promoting scientific excellence, equity and social responsibility
• have a tutor who guides their training process and a doctoral supervisor, and a co-supervisor where appropriate, with proven research experience, who supervises the preparation of the doctoral thesis  
• universities and PhD colleges must promote in third-cycle programmes the integration of PhD candidates in research groups and networks
• participate in programmes and be eligible for financial assistance to receive training in the area of research, as well as for national and international mobility
• be guaranteed recognition and protection of intellectual property rights regarding the results obtained from their doctoral thesis, or from any other previous research projects, according to the terms established by the relevant legislation
• be given the status of trainee research staff, as regards their rights to participate and to be represented in the university governing bodies. 

Status of university student and research trainee

Apart from having the status of university student, university graduates who hold a Bachelor’s, Architect or Engineer degree with at least 300 ECTS credits, a Master’s degree or an equivalent diploma, and who have been admitted to a PhD programme, will also acquire the status of research trainee.

The new Trainee Research Staff Statute regulates the following aspects:

1. The predoctoral contract:

• its objective is that predoctoral research staff in training simultaneously carry out research tasks in a specific and innovative project and doctoral programme activities leading to the acquisition of the skills and abilities necessary to obtain the official university PhD degree
• predoctoral research staff in training may collaborate in teaching tasks (which do not imply a reduction in the teaching load of the department to which they are assigned) up to a maximum of 180 hours throughout the duration of the contract, and provided they do not in any case exceed 60 hours per year
• its duration may not be less than one year or more than four years, except in the case of people with disabilities where the maximum duration may be six years (including extensions)
• if the contract has a duration of less than four years, it may be extended consecutively; extensions may not have a duration of less than one year
• this contract is for full-time engagement throughout its term
• the financial retribution, which is the one fixed for the equivalent categories to that of predoctoral research staff in training in the collective agreements of its scope, cannot be lower than:
• 56% of the salary for this category during the first two years
• 60% during the third year
• 75% during the fourth year
• it may not be less than the minimum interprofessional wage.

2. Rights and duties. In this section, the following rights, among others, stand out:

• obtain cooperation from the host organisations, centres or institutions, as well as the necessary support to develop their studies and research programmes
• be integrated into the public or private departments, institutes and organisations in which the research is carried out
• participate, as stated in the statutes of the universities and public research bodies, in their governing and representative bodies
• be eligible for additional financial assistance to attend scientific meetings or for in-house training and improvement at other centres
• exercise the intellectual property rights derived from their research activity and in accordance with their contribution.  Industrial property rights are defined by each aid scheme
• benefit from all the rights recognised by the corresponding aid scheme.

Supervision arrangements

• Mentor

Once candidates are accepted into the programme, the Academic Commission assigns them a mentor, with the following characteristics: 

• they must hold a PhD and have accredited experience in the institution or college organising the programme
• they are responsible for monitoring interaction between the candidate and the Commission.

The Academic Commission is entitled to appoint another mentor at any point of the programme, provided that there are justified reasons and after due consultation with the candidate. 

• Thesis director

The Academic Commission in charge of the programme must also assign each doctoral candidate a thesis director, who may be the same person appointed as a mentor or not. The director must hold a PhD, be Spanish or foreign, and have accredited research experience. If a thesis director assigned at the time of enrolment, the Academic Commission must appoint one within three months of enrolment.

The Commission is entitled to appoint another mentor at any point of the programme, provided that there are justified reasons and after due consultation with the candidate. The thesis director is responsible for planning adequate and coherent training activities to be carried out by the candidate, as well as for the impact and the novelty of the research area of the doctoral thesis, and for deciding on whether the thesis is consistent with the rest of projects and activities in which the candidate is involved.

Subject to authorisation by the Academic Commission, a doctoral thesis may be co-directed by other doctors, on the basis of academic reasons (for example, the multidisciplinary nature of the thesis topic, or the participation of the candidate in national or international programmes).

• Personal activity portfolio

Once the student has been officially registered in the programme, universities open a personal activity portfolio, which documents all the relevant activities carried out by the candidate.  This document is periodically reviewed by the mentor and by the thesis director, and evaluated by the Academic Commission in charge of the programme. 

• Research plan

Before the end of the first year of the programme, candidates must draw up a research plan, which must include, at least, their intended work methodology, planned objectives, as well as the timing and resources needed to achieve these goals.  The research plan can be improved throughout the development of the programme, and must receive approval from the mentor and the thesis director.

• Written agreement

Apart from the above-mentioned requirements, universities are responsible for establishing procedures to supervise doctoral candidates. This is normally done by means of a written agreement, which must be signed, as soon as possible after admission to the programme, by the university, the candidate, the mentor and the thesis director.  This document must include procedures for conflict resolution, including issues related to intellectual or industrial property that may arise throughout the programme.

Employability

The improvement of employability of university graduates is a constant source of concern for Education Authorities and universities. In order to deal with this problem, the following principles must underpin university education:

• include in their study plans abilities and skills oriented towards innovation, creativity, business initiative and entrepreneurship, incorporating them into the different subjects, concepts and cross-curricular competences, in learning methods and in examinations
• make proposals for new degrees and educational provision which prepare students for the qualifications required by new employment needs so as to improve employability of citizens in the labour market
• promote adaptability to social and economic changes, providing citizens with opportunities for ongoing professional development and extension of university studies
• increase the possibilities for mobility in education within Spain and in Europe, as well as the effective incorporation of university graduates into the labour market, strengthening the links between universities and the business world, paying special attention to the promotion of competences for entrepreneurship and self-employment.

Collaboration between universities and the productive sector may be articulated on the basis of the following initiatives:

• creation of technology-based innovation companies
• establishment of innovation poles, by means of providing a common physical space for universities and companies in the production sector
• launching and promotion of programmes to enhance transfer and appreciation of knowledge
• creation of consortiums for research and the transfer of knowledge
• creation of corporate-sponsored university chairs, based on the collaboration in research projects which allow university students to participate and combine their research activity with training opportunities.

In addition, both in the regulations for university education and in the University Student Statute, there are a series of specific measures aimed at promoting the employability of university students, such as:

• mobility programmes through university cooperation agreements: they pay attention to academic training related to the degree in which the student is enrolled, and to other competence areas, such as training for employment.
• integration of external placements into the curricula
• student information and guidance services, the aim of which is to provide information and orientation regarding learning itineraries and future professional opportunities, training in cross-curricular competences and design of professional projects, in order to facilitate the employability and insertion of students in the labour market
• student guidance and monitoring, by which coordinators or student advisors provide guidance to students throughout the programme, regarding their learning process as well as their professional prospects in the labour market.
• creation of alumni associations for former students, registered at universities. One of their goals is to collaborate actively in providing access to the labour market to university graduates.

More information on Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education.

Doctors are considered key in the process of changing the productive system toward a sustainable economy, as the main actors in society for generating, transferring, and adapting Research and Development and Innovation (R&D&i).

They must play a key role regarding both the transfer of knowledge and the collaboration projects of the university with businesses, research centres and other public or private organisations, in which knowledge and research must revert to the betterment of society, as well as regards the scientific and technological parks.

The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, within the framework of the 2017-2020 State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovaton, intends to finance and encourage the training and specialisation of human resources in R&D&i and to improve their integration into employment, in both the public and private sectors. More information on Grants and financial support for PhD students under the State Programme for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability.

Assessment

Universities entrust doctoral colleges, and other units in charge of programme development, with the responsibility of planning evaluation at this level. Thus, these bodies must establish assessment mechanisms, criteria and procedures.

• Annual assessment of the research plan and the personal activity portfolio of the doctoral candidate
  • they are assessed by the Academic Commission, together with the reports issued in that regard by the candidate’s mentor and thesis director
  • students must receive a positive evaluation of these documents in order to be allowed to continue in the programme
  • if they are evaluated negatively, on the basis of proven and sound reasons, the candidate can be assessed again after six months, during which time he must draw up a new research plan
  • if the results of this second evaluation are still negative, the candidate will not be allowed to remain in the programme. 
• Assessment of the doctoral thesis

Once the doctoral thesis is finished, the doctoral college or university unit in charge of the programme establishes the procedures for submission and the deadline for the defence to take place. During this time, the university guarantees public status to the thesis, so as to allow other doctors to send candidates their comments and observations before the public defence is held. The characteristics of the assessment of the doctoral thesis are the following:

• a board of examiners is appointed. The majority of board members are experts who do not belong to the same doctoral college or programme
• they must hold a PhD and have accredited research experience
• the board has access to the candidate’s personal activity portfolio, which is also subject to qualitative evaluation that supplements the assessment of the doctoral thesis
• the doctoral thesis is evaluated by means of a public defence session, during which the candidate presents and defends the thesis in front of the board of examiners
• any other doctors who attend the defence session are allowed to ask questions to the candidate, according to the procedures established by the president of the board
• the board of examiners issues a report and a ‘fail/pass/very good/excellent’ grade for the thesis
• doctoral theses that are graded as ‘excellent’ may also be awarded a ‘cum laude’ mark, which requires unanimous agreement among the members of the board (secret ballot)
• the university establishes the necessary mechanisms for the awarding of such mark, guaranteeing that the counting of votes takes place in a different session from that in which the thesis is defended.

Certification

Doctoral studies lead to an official PhD diploma, valid in all the Spanish territory. 

The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and the universities must establish the regulations for the award of honourable mentions or prizes for outstanding achievement of candidates in doctoral thesis, which can be reflected in the corresponding academic certificate.

Once the doctoral thesis has received positive evaluation, the university is in charge of filing an electronic copy of it, and to send copies to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and to the Council of Universities.

Students in doctoral programmes may also be awarded a series of distinctions, called ‘mentions’, which can be added to the official diploma, according to the criteria and circumstances established in each programme:

• cum laude mention: the board evaluating the thesis may award this mention if the overall grade is a distinction and all the members vote unanimously in favour by a secret ballot
• international mention: it can be obtained if candidates meet certain requirements, such as the fact of having spent at least three months in a higher education institution or prestigious research centre abroad, either taking courses or carrying out research
• thesis in co-tutelle with university ‘u’ mention: the degree includes this mention when the doctoral thesis is supervised by two or more Doctors from two distinct universities (one Spanish and one foreign). In addition, the candidate must have spent at least six months in the institution with which the agreement is reached, carrying out research during a single period or over several periods
• industrial mention: this mention is awarded when there is an employment or commercial contract between the candidate and a private or public company, or a public administration (which cannot be a university). The candidate must participate in an industrial or experimental development research project, directly related to his/her thesis, developed in the company where he/she is employed
• honorary doctor: in accordance with their statutes, universities may award an honorary doctor (Doctor Honoris Causa) to persons who are considered to deserve this honour, in view of their academic, scientific, professional or personal achievements.

Organisational variation

In Spain, students may enrol in distance PhD programmes at universities which organise this type of provision.

The National University of Distance Education (UNED), dependent on the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, offers a wide variety of distance doctoral programmes. Some other private universities also offer PhD programmes.

In any case, candidates enrolled in distance PhD programmes are also required to defend their doctoral thesis before a board of examiners, under the same conditions as the rest of students.

Specialised Education: PhD studies

For the organisation of doctoral studies specific to artistic studies, educational authorities must promote agreements with universities, which must include admission criteria and the conditions for the development of the doctoral thesis and its adaptation to the particularities of higher artistic studies, among which interpretation and creation may be considered. 

Official degrees in advanced artistic education allow access to official university doctoral studies, without prejudice to other admission criteria that may be determined by the university to which the student intends to access.

The higher education centres with Art programmes must promote, by means of the procedures established by the educational authorities, research programmes in the field of their own disciplines.

Mobility in Higher Education

Student mobility

The 2006 Education Act expresses in its preamble the need to increase mobility and exchanges, with the aim of opening up the Spanish education system to the wider world. The 2001 Act on Universities also includes the promotion of national and international mobility, both student`s and teacher’s, among its objectives.

In 2007, the Act Modifying the Act on Universities stipulates students’ right to national and international mobility as well as the right to recognition of the knowledge and skills acquired as principles of university policy. This is recorded, where appropriate, in the European Diploma Supplement.

In the case of disabled people, they can fully and effectively exercise their rights on an equal basis as other students, as stated in the University Student Statute. In addition, the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education offers people with special educational needs specific funding measures.

Students wishing to study abroad have financial support through the grants offered by different bodies. The grants and financial support of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training are considered as portable grants. The main ones are described below:

Application procedure	Students cannot apply directly; it is higher education institutions, or the mobility consortia they belong to, that are in charge of applying for grants by presenting a mobility project. Once the grant has been awarded, the selection of participants is carried out by institutions through a transparent, coherent and documented procedure.
Actions	Study period: A study period abroad at a partner higher education institution.Traineeship: A traineeship (work placement) abroad in an enterprise or any other relevant workplace. This includes Digital Opportunity Traineeships for students and recent graduates to further develop or acquire digital skills A study period abroad may include a traineeship period as well.
Destination	Higher education institutions awarded with an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2014-2020.In the case of practical traineeships, the host organisation can be any public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training or youth.
Target groups	Higher education students, including PhD programmes and advanced vocational training, whatever the length of the programme or qualification may be.Recent graduates may also participate, but they must be selected by their institution during their last year of study and must complete the mobility action within 12 months after their graduation.
Requirements	In the case of mobility for studies, the student must be enrolled at least in the second year of higher education studies (university education or VET). This requirement is only applied for the study periods
Duration	From 3 to 12 months (study periods) and from 2 to 12 months (traineeships).  The same student may participate in mobility periods totalling up to 12 months maximum per each cycle of study (short cycle, advanced training cycles,  or Bachelor, Master and Doctorate), independently from the number and type of mobility activities.
Funding	Additional costs related to the mobility of students (for instance: travel, accommodation, subsistence), the amount of which will depend on the living costs of the country of destination in relation to those of the country of origin of the beneficiary.Erasmus mobility grants are complementary to national and/or regional grants.
Health coverage	All participants are covered by an insurance taken out by the project organisers and should be in possession of the European Health Insurance Card, if the destination country is in territory of the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
Certification	A certificate proving successful completion of the programme and a report of the results obtained, issued by the host institution.The sending institution academically recognises the studies completed.
Responsible body	Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education.

¹These mobility actions, together with those for higher education staff, make up the Mobility Projects for Higher Education Students and Staff. These mobility projects can comprise one or more actions, that is, a project can be comprised of mobility actions for higher education students or teaching/training assignments and/or staff training for higher education staff.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) on the basis of the call.

Apart from the financial support provided by the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education, Some Autonomous Communities also have their own additional aid for this mobility programmes. Besides, some Autonomous Communities finance the international mobility of university students doing graduate and post-graduate studies through programmes outside of the Erasmus+ framework.

Higher education students may also have access to other mobility actions to study or complete a traineeship within the framework of a Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education Project. More information on Other dimensions of internationalisation in higher education.

Purpose	Promote the study of a Master degree delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions.
Destination	EU countries or any other country participating in the Programme.
Target groups	Students at Master level from Programme and Partner countries.
Requirements	Have completed the relevant Bachelor programme before the deadline for application for the joint programme chosen.Students who have already obtained an Erasmus Mundus Master or Doctorate scholarship are not eligible.
Duration	The duration of the Master programme in the organising institutions: 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits (between 12 and 24 months duration)
Funding	Registration fees, participation costs (including insurance), contribution towards travel and installation expenses and monthly subsistence allowance.
Health coverage	Supplementary health and accident insurance offered by the association, financed by the EU grant allocated to the project.
Certification	Joint degree, or individual or double degrees, issued by the relevant universities.
Responsible body	European Commission.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) on the basis of the call.

Students who want to complete a Master Degree in another Programme country can apply for Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans, which has the following characteristics:

• amount of up to EUR 12 000 for a 1-year Master programme and up to EUR 18 000 for a 2-year Master
• offer of more flexible conditions for students, such as lower interest rates than those for normal loans or a “grace period” of up to two years
• beneficiaries must be resident of one of the Erasmus+ Programme countries, and have successfully completed first cycle higher education studies and been accepted for a second cycle programme at a higher education institution which holds the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education, delivered in a different country from their country of residence.

Purpose	Continue training in foreign universities and research institutions and bodies. The studies must be related to development cooperation or art, education and culture, depending on the call.
Destination	Depending on the call.
Target groups	Young Spanish or foreign university graduates and, in some programmes, university students in the last year.
Requirements	Not have been a beneficiary of any of the programmes, of 6 or more months, of the call, or the Carolina Foundation in the last 3 years.Have knowledge of the corresponding foreign language in order to undertake the studies planned, proving such knowledge depending on each case.Be qualified to complete the studies chosen.
Duration	Up to 12 months, depending on the call.
Funding	A monthly grant which varies depending on the programme chosen. Assistance with tuition fees and travel expenses in some programmes. Health and accident insurance (excluding pharmacy insurance) for all the beneficiaries who are abroad.
Health coverage	The promoter takes out an insurance policy covering accidents and healthcare (excluding pharmacy insurance).
Responsible body	Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, dependent on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) on the basis of the call.

In addition, the State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research includes the State Programme for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability in R&D&i, whose subprogrammes offer the possibility of carrying out stays in foreign and Spanish renowned research institutions, although it is not a national mobility programme in a strict sense. As the Programme promotes the mobility of higher education students, university teachers and researchers, it is described below.

Academic staff mobility

The mobility of university professors, researchers and students is a priority line of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training since the enactment of the 2001 Act on Universities and the 2007 Act Modifying the Act on Universities. Both established boosting the mobility of students, teachers and researchers as the essential goal.

Spanish policy for mobility is mainly implemented through the State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research, promoted by the Ministry of Science, Innovatioin and Universities. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training participates in its management and coordination.

One of the main four actions of the State Plan is to ‘promote talent and employability’, which has among its specific objectives ‘the promotion of the internationalisation of the R&D&i activities of the agents in the Spanish Science, Technology and Innnovation System and their active participation in the European Research Area’.

This action takes the form of the State Programme for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability in R&D&i, which is divided into three subprogrammes, one of which is exclusively devoted to mobility (State Subprogramme for Mobility)

Apart from this national support framework, some Autonomous Communities offer their university professors and researchers the opportunity to spend periods of time abroad thorugh their own programmes.

State Subprogramme for Mobility

This Subprogramme promotes mobility in different moments of the university teaching and research career. It incorporates, for the two types included, the awarding of a specific number of stays in the United States, in collaboration with the Fulbright Commission. They include complementary management services and favour the participation of the beneficiaries in seminars and scientific and cultural activities, organised and funded by the Fulbright Programme in the United States.

The institutions of origin or secondment of the applicants for mobility subsidies are:

1. Recognised public universities and public research organisations; public research bodies and units carrying out activities for scientific research, technological development and/or industrial innovation attached to Ministry Departments, and other public research institutions depending or related to regional public authorities.
2. Other technological institutions with proven capacity and activity in R&D&i, mostly owned and managed by public authorities, legally established as private foundations.
3. Non-profit making private universities, with proven capacity and activity in R&D&i.
4. Other technological institutions and institutions supporting technological innovation at State level.

The destination institutions of the beneficiaries of the mobility subsidies are renowned research and academic research institutions abroad in the scientific field of the project proposed for the subsidy.  In the type A Modality, as an exception, the institution may be located in Spain. The location of the destination institutions must imply that the subsidy beneficiaries change their compulsory habitual and permanent residence during their stay.

As for health coverage, the beneficiaries attached to the general Social Security system, whose country of destination is an EU Member State, the EEA or Switzerland have Social Security coverage upon request and accreditation of the European Health Insurance Card. In case the country of destination is not included among the abovementioned, the beneficiaries are entitled to health insurance financed by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. Besides, all the beneficiaries of the subsidies will profit from an accident insurance during their stay.

The actions of the Subprogramme aimed at the mobility of Spanish teaching and research staff in foreign higher education institutions are implemented in two types of stays:

Purpose	encourage mobility for the purpose of continuous updating to achieve the general aim of the programme in any area of knowledge and to participate in the host institution’s regular teaching and research activities at all levels of higher education.
Destination	Renowned research and academic institutions abroad (exceptionally Spanish for a specific degree of disability) in the scientific field of the project proposed for the subsidy.‘Salvador Madariaga’: European University Institute in Florence.
Target groups	University teaching staff.Researchers with proven professional experience and career.Career civil servants or contract staff from public research institutions or from units carrying out activities of scientific research, technological development and/or industrial innovation, attached to Ministry Departments, or depending or linked to the public authorities of the Autonomous Communities.
Requirements (among others)	Have obtained the PhD before January 1st 2008. Those having obtained the PhD after that date must be  career civil servants of the teaching bodies of Spanish public universities.Be a career civil servant of the teaching bodies of Spanish public universities, or belong to the research scales of the Higher Council for Scientific Research or public research organisations, or have a teaching or research indefinite employment connection, or staff on permanent contracts in charge of research work in university hospitals.Be in active service with the institution of origin.Not have enjoyed stays abroad for more than 6 months in the previous 4 years.
Duration	3 months as a minimum and 6 months as a maximum.
Funding	Monthly financial award: Between EUR 2 150 and 3 100 per month, depending on the destination country.Amount for travelling: Up to EUR 1 200.Installation allowance: Up to EUR 2 500, depending on the destination country.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) on the basis of the call.

Purpose	Favour and promote the mobility of young Doctors so as to enhance the updating of their knowledge or the learning of new techniques and methods for teaching or research.
Destination	The institutions the mobility stay is applied for and where the projects are carried out must be placed abroad, and must be universities and research institutions that are highly competitive in the scientific area of the applicant.
Target groups	Young PhDs with a temporary or contractual (civil servant) relationship as teaching or research staff.
Requirements	Have obtained the PhD after January 1st 2008Be a temporary civil servant or be contracted in the university or research institutions of the call as PhD teaching or research staff, on a full-time basis, and finishing after the end date of the stay.Not have enjoyed stays abroad for more than 6 months in the previous 4 years. For this calculation, all the post-Doctoral stays abroad for 1 month or more are taken into account, regardless of whether the applicant has received a grant/subsidy or not.During the stay, beneficiaries must keep their contract with the institution of origin.Exceptionally, if, after the deadline for applications, teachers or researchers change their professional level becoming career civil servants, they can take part and be beneficiary through this type, providing that the institution of origin agrees.
Duration	3 months as a minimum and 6 months as a maximum, non-extendable, and in only one period, which must coincide with the periods of academic or scientific activity of the destination institutions.
Funding	Monthly financial award: Between EUR 2 150 and 3 100 per month, depending on the destination country.Amount for travelling: Up to EUR 1 200.Installation allowance: Up to EUR 2 500, depending on the destination country.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) on the basis of the call.

This Subprogramme also comprises the actions under the Research Staff Training and University Teacher Training Programmes, which envisage the possibility for research staff in training to spend some time in foreign or Spanish institutions. A specific call is announced for the two Programmes. The characteristics of the main ones are described below:

The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities publishes the calls for the State Subprogramme for Mobility, as well as other actions for the promotion of R&D&i through the award of grants or financial support for stays.

The monitoring and evaluation of the State Subprogrammes for Mobility is carried out by a committee composed by the General Directorate for Research, Development and Innovation Policy and the representatives of the ministerial bodies as well as those of the funding agencies responsible for the implementation of the actions within the State Plan.

Erasmus+ Programme

The new Erasmus+ Programme also comprises some mobility actions aimed at the teaching staff employed in higher education institutions, both to teach and to participate in training activities.

Application procedure	Staff cannot apply directly; it is higher education institutions, or the mobility consortia they belong to, the ones in charge of applying for grants by presenting a mobility project. Once the grant has been awarded, the selection of staff is carried out by institutions through a transparent, coherent and documented procedure.
Actions	Teaching period: This activity allows higher education institutions teaching staff or staff from enterprises to teach at a partner higher education institution abroad.Training period: This activity supports the professional development of higher education institutions teaching and non-teaching staff in the form of training events abroad and observation periods/training at a partner higher education institution or at another relevant organisation abroadA period abroad can combine teaching with training activities.
Destination	Higher education institutions awarded with an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2014-2020 or any public or private organisation in a country participating in the programme and which is active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training or youth.
Target groups	Staff mobility for teaching: Staff employed in a Programme or Partner country higher education institution or in any public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth that has been invited to teach at a higher education institution.Staff mobility for training: Staff employed in a Programme or Partner country higher education institution.
Duration	From 2 days to 2 months, excluding travel time.
Funding	Additional costs related to the mobility of staff (for instance: travel, accommodation, subsistence), the amount of which will depend on the living costs of the country of destination in relation to those of the country of origin of the beneficiary.Erasmus mobility grants are complementary to national and/or regional grants.
Health coverage	All participants are covered by an insurance taken out by the project organisers and should be in possession of the European Health Insurance Card, if the destination country is in territory of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
Responsible body	Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education.

¹These mobility actions, together with those for higher education students, make up the Mobility Projects for Higher Education Students and Staff. These mobility projects can comprise one or more actions, that is, a project can be comprised of mobility actions for higher education students or teaching/training assignments and/or staff training for higher education staff.

Higher education staff may also have access to other mobility actions to teach or complete a training period within the framework of a Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education Project. More information on Other dimensions of internationalisation in higher education.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) on the basis of the call.