Incumbent Universities Councilor José Carlos Gómez Villamandos Dies in Andalusia. José Carlos Gómez Villamandos, the Councilor for Universities of Andalusia, has died in Córdoba. He was responsible for the reform of university funding and was a former rector of the University of Córdoba. The cause of death was a cancer diagnosis.
The authorities of Andalusia have confirmed the death of José Carlos Gómez Villamandos, who served as the Minister for Universities, Research and Innovation. He was 63 years old, and the cause was a long-term oncological diagnosis. His passing was announced by the head of the regional government, Juanma Moreno, who highlighted Villamandos's contribution to the development of the university system in the region.
Since 2022, Villamandos was responsible for key reforms in the field of higher education. His task was to develop a new funding mechanism for ten public universities in Andalusia after the failure of the previous model. Before his appointment to the government, he led the University of Cordoba for eight years and was president of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE), which gave him deep insight into the sector's challenges.
Despite ongoing difficulties, Villamandos managed to secure an agreement on the distribution of budget funds among universities, which stabilized relations between the universities and the regional government. Those close to the minister emphasized his discretion regarding his personal health, as well as his professionalism and ability to engage in dialogue even in challenging situations.
Villamandos lived in Cordoba and is survived by three children and two grandchildren. In the last Andalusian elections, he ran on the Partido Popular's list but did not enter parliament. Despite his illness, he took part in the election campaign, but three weeks before the vote he was forced to end his public activity.
In the scientific and academic sphere, Villamandos was the coordinator of the doctoral program in medicine and veterinary science, was a member of the Academies of Veterinary Sciences of Andalusia, held a diploma in higher university management, and published over a hundred scientific articles. According to the government of Andalusia, his work at the ministry made it possible to implement a new university reform (LUPA) and advance the ACTIVA bill, aimed at developing science and technology in the region. Additionally, during his tenure, a medical faculty was established in all provinces of the autonomous community.
Villamandos paid special attention to integrating the defense sector into university and innovation policy, which became a new direction for the regional government. Thanks to his initiatives, Andalusia saw the development of projects in the aerospace and logistics fields.
Condolences to the family and colleagues were expressed not only by regional authorities, but also by the Minister of Science, Innovation, and Universities Diana Morant, as well as the Spanish government's representative in Andalusia, Pedro Fernández. In recent years, education reform and social support have been repeatedly discussed in Spain, reflected in other high-profile decisions, such as the story of the closure of the El Remei shelter in Vic.
For reference: Andalusia is the largest autonomous region in Spain and has one of the most extensive higher education systems in the country. The University of Cordoba, previously headed by Villamandos, is considered one of the leading scientific centers in southern Spain. The reforms enacted under his leadership may impact the allocation of budget funds and the development of innovative projects in the region in the coming years.
