Title: Rector of UMH Calls for Suspension of Pre-Registration in Medicine Degree at UA Due to Administrative Irregularities
Subtitle: UA Rector Ensures Course Will Begin as Scheduled in September
ALICANTE, July 3. (EUROPEAN PRESS) – The rector of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche (Alicante), Juan José Ruiz, has announced plans to request the Generalitat Valenciana to halt the pre-registration process for the Medicine Degree at the University of Alicante (UA) for the upcoming academic year.
During a press conference on Monday, Ruiz provided the details of this requirement and the upcoming contentious-administrative appeal which will be filed this week at the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV).
This announcement follows the mid-June decision by the Valencian high court, which denied the UMH’s plea for a precautionary measure to suspend the implementation of the Medicine Degree at the UA. The court ruled that the introduction of these studies does not harm the existing Medicine Degree offered at the UMH.
The UMH had previously filed an appeal against Decree 115/2022, which sanctioned the implementation of the Medicine Degree at the UA, and requested the suspension of the execution of this norm.
Ruiz stated that they will be sending a request to the acting ‘president’ of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, and the Ministry of Universities, seeking the suspension of pre-registration in this degree at the UA.
“The objective is for the Generalitat to reconsider the decision to avoid future damages for all parties involved. We request the suspension to prevent serious consequences for students who are pre-registered and subsequently enrolled. We need to halt the process and avoid the notification of pre-registered students in this contested degree,” explained the UMH rector.
Ruiz emphasized that while pre-registered students have the option to enroll at other universities, the problem arises if the pre-registration process concludes and they begin to enroll, as they would lose their place at other institutions and feel discriminated against. He further added that the appeal against this degree is primarily to protect the interests of the students, who were the first to request it.
The contentious-administrative appeal that will be filed this week will focus on the alleged “enormous administrative irregularities” surrounding the authorization of the Medicine Degree at the UA. Ruiz specifically highlighted concerns regarding a biased report and the failure to adhere to national regulations, including the absence of a report on the economic viability of the degree from the responsible Department for Economy and Finance.
Furthermore, the rector expressed academic concerns, stating that the implementation of the Medicine Degree at the UA will harm existing student internships and teaching staff availability. He also argued that the unnecessary duplication of this expensive degree is not required and resources should instead be directed towards the healthcare system.
In response to Ruiz’s press conference, the rector of the University of Alicante (UA), Amparo Navarro, reiterated that the TSJCV order confirms the full execution of the authorization, allowing the degree to proceed as planned. She assured that pre-registration will continue and the Medicine Degree will commence on September 7.
Navarro emphasized the UA’s commitment to providing quality education and defended the university’s infrastructure against unwarranted criticism. She assured the student body and their families that the UA is fully prepared to deliver theoretical and practical teachings for the Medicine Degree, with well-equipped laboratories and experienced teachers ready for the first course.