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Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas

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University of Castilla-La Mancha generates 1.1% of GDP and 1.6% of total employment in the region

The University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) and its activity generates a total impact on the regional economy of 451.1 million euros — 1.09% of the region’s GDP— and 809.4 million euros in production (total sales of the companies that participate in its activity). In addition, the university’s activity generates in the short term the equivalent of 11,663 jobs —1.6% of the region’s total employment—. Thus, 72.8 jobs are created for every million euros of funding received from the public administration.

These are some of the main conclusions found in the report developed by the Ivie, La contribución socioeconómica de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, which was presented at the Campus of Ciudad Real by two of its authors, Ivie researchers, José Manuel Pastor and Lorenzo Serrano. The event was chaired by the Rector of the University, Julián Garde; the Vice-Rector for Economics and Planning, Francisco Sáez; and the General Director of Universities, Research and Innovation of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, Ricardo Cuevas.

The study presents a detailed analysis of the activities carried out at the UCLM in the areas of teaching, research and knowledge transfer. It also estimates the direct and indirect impacts of its activities on economic, labor and social variables relevant to the living conditions in Castilla-La Mancha. In this sense, the study indicates that the total expenditure made by all the agents related to the activity carried out by UCLM amounts to 366.8 million euros, with 59.4% of the total (217.7 million euros) attributable to the university itself.

On the other hand, in the long term, the UCLM contributes indirectly with 456.3 million euros in annal tax revenues. In other words, the UCLM returns 2.7 euros to society for each euro invested in it, one of the highest rates of all the Spanish public universities. In addition, the return on investment in university education is 11.3%.

The report also quantifies that the UCLM generates 8.3% of the human capital of the active population of Castilla-La Mancha and that it contributes to increasing the regional level of employment by one percentage point and to reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points, which in absolute terms means that without the UCLM, the active population would be reduced by more than 16,000 people and 17,000 jobs would be lost.

At the same time, the UCLM plays a very important role in the region’s R&D activities and investments. From 2000 to 2017, the UCLM accumulated a technological capital worth 430.2 million euros, that is, almost a third (30.5%) of the total technological capital of the region.

Finally, regarding its economic impact, the researchers conclude that of the 1.87 percentage point average economic growth in the Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha during the period 2000-2017, the UCLM has been directly or indirectly responsible for 12.7% of the total contributions of the productive factors; and that without the accumulated contribution in that period, the per capita income would be 1,243 euros lower than its current level.

In addition, the study points out that UCLM has had to carry out its activity during the last decade with a significant drop in income, especially during the period 2011-2014. Moreover, Castilla-La Mancha is among the regions with the lowest internal expenditure per capita in R&D&I in Spain, with 107.9 euros per inhabitant compared to 319.8 nationally. Despite this, and its limited resources, the academic institution has maintained a positive evolution in research performance similar to that of the Spanish public university system. Thus, in the last ten years, it has multiplied by 1.7 the number of publications and doubled its productivity per professor.

As for the demand for studies, undergraduate student enrollments have dropped since 2010, conditioned by the Bologna Plan, although with a tendency to balance similar to that of the Spanish University System; while multiplying by 2.2 master’s degree enrollments. The report highlights that the UCLM has lower dropout rates than those of the public on-campus system and all the universities in the country, which is a good indicator of efficiency in the allocation of public resources.

Likewise, the report specifies that the proportion of the population in Castilla-La Mancha with university studies is lower than the national average. However, the data indicate that there has been a notable improvement over time which has narrowed the gap with respect to Spain as a whole. The percentage of university graduates among the population aged 25 to 34 (28%) is much higher than that of the 55 to 65 age group (13.1%), a more intense increase than in Spain as a whole (from 19.5% to 32.8% when comparing older and younger groups). Employability is directly related to educational training and the study points out that the unemployment rate of university students in Castilla-La Mancha (8.7%) is much lower than the regional average (16.2%).

Finally, the report studies the relevant contributions of the UCLM to society and the welfare of people. In this sense, it shows that the UCLM improves social mobility, protection against the risk of poverty and social exclusion, social participation, gender equality, health, living habits and environmental protection in the society of Castilla-La Mancha.

16 December 2021