The Non-University Sector in the Spanish System of Higher Education

Non-university higher education has played only a minor role in Spanish higher education. In order to understand the case better and to appreciate the characteristics of higher education in Spain, it might be useful to start by providing some remarks on the general system of education, particularly the role of universities within the overall framework.

Education policies in European countries have undergone substantial changes over the last 20 years. Of course, such a transformation has very much depended on specific national characteristics as well as social and economic circumstances. In many aspects, the Spanish system of higher education differs from the main trends to be found in the principal European countries, such as France, Germany or Britain. This can be explained not only by the slower rate of social and economic development, but also by the difficulties that schools, other educational establishments and governments have had to face in order to overcome well-entrenched routines (Bricall 2000).