Title: Council of Ministers Approves Royal Decree Regulating Access to University Faculty and Competitions
Subtitle: New improvements included to enhance transparency and address conflicts of interest
Publication Date: [insert date]
The Council of Ministers has given its approval to a royal decree that aims to regulate state accreditation for accessing university faculty positions and establish a regime for competitions to fill vacancies in these educational bodies. The decree introduces several significant improvements to the process, including a focus on transparency and the introduction of measures to address conflicts of interest.
Since January 2023, a workgroup consisting of representatives from universities, autonomous communities, university quality agencies, the Council of State University Students (Ceune), and major unions such as UGT, CSIF, and CCOO, have collaborated on the development of this legislation.
The Royal Decree seeks to unify the regulation of accreditation and competitions for university teaching staff, incorporating and regulating the innovations introduced by the Organic Law of the University System (LOSU) that impact crucial elements of both procedures.
In terms of the accreditation process, the new system aims to be simpler and more inclusive. It will assess candidates based on a brief resume highlighting their most relevant contributions to teaching and research. The decree also encourages open science by requiring the use of open-access repositories to make the results of publicly funded scientific research accessible to all.
To facilitate the participation of professors and researchers from foreign universities and research centers, the decree incorporates simplified procedures to ensure that accreditation does not become a barrier to talent attraction and the return of skilled individuals.
Regarding competitions for access to university teaching positions, the decree introduces the following changes:
1. Majority of external members: The selection commissions for competitions must consist primarily of members external to the convening university, as mandated by the LOSU.
2. Focus on competitiveness: To prevent hyper-specialization and lack of competition, each position will be assigned to specific knowledge specialties.
3. Transparency: Calls for competitions will be registered on the European electronic platform Euraxess Jobs, improving publicity and transparency.
4. Conflicts of interest: For the first time, members of selection commissions will have to resign if they have supervised a candidate’s doctoral thesis, co-authored scientific articles, or had a contractual relationship with any of the candidates in the six years prior to the contest.
In another development, the accreditation criteria for teaching staff in Health Sciences will undergo updates in January 2023. Notable improvements include expanding the evaluation of publications from tertiles to quartiles, benefiting aspiring university holders. The decree also addresses challenges related to teaching certifications, teaching quality, required hours, and the recognition of honorary figures. In the dimension of transfer and professional activity, the decree adapts profiles to specific fields and allows for an increased number of merits that can be obtained.
It is worth noting that while this article contains information from health institutions and professionals, it has been edited and prepared by journalists. Readers are encouraged to consult with healthcare professionals for any health-related questions.
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