At the opening of the University of Málaga’s (UMA) 2026/2027 academic year, Antonio Posadas, the regional government’s secretary-general for universities and science industry, highlighted the university’s efforts to restore its financial balance with support from the Andalusian government. He said the UMA had received a record €253.3 million from the regional budget in 2026 through the university funding model.
The regional Department of Universities, Industry, Energy and Innovation said the government had worked with the university to address its financial difficulties, and that joint efforts had allowed delayed infrastructure projects to resume. These include a new Faculty of Tourism, with an investment of more than €28 million, and the renovation and expansion of the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, with more than €15 million.
The department said the funding model would at least double in 2027 the increase recorded in 2026. It also said the system should make greater use of results, indicators and success targets to improve efficiency and sustainability. A newly established Directorate-General for University Funding, Infrastructure and Resources, together with a technical working group assessing personnel costs, will help measure returns on investment. The regional government is awaiting the group’s findings to identify where resources and effort should be concentrated, Posadas said.
The UMA is introducing six programmes under the new academic offering: a bachelor’s degree in Market Intelligence and Analytics; master’s degrees in Language Learning through Intelligent Technologies; Biotechnology and Plant Biology; Design, Art and New Technologies: Project Management and Cultural Strategies; and Executive Management of Tourist Accommodation; and a doctoral programme in Marketing and Market Research. The regional government said the new programmes include specialist training in areas such as market analytics, biotechnology and new technologies.
The university began the academic year with 198 degree programmes and 10,871 places for new students. Across Andalusia’s university system, 37 programmes are included in the new academic offering this year, with the total expected to exceed 200 in 2028/2029.
The department also cited measures intended to reduce financial barriers for students, including stabilising public university fees, reimbursing the cost of credits passed on the first attempt, and increasing by 10% during the current regional legislature the supplementary funding for students taking part in the Erasmus+ programme.
Posadas said the department’s new structure was intended to connect research and knowledge generation more directly with industry and other productive sectors. The stated aims include retaining talent, attracting investment, supporting entrepreneurship and creating skilled jobs.