ULL Approves New Degrees in Property Management, Robotic Surgery Nursing

The University of La Laguna (ULL) is expanding its academic programs, with a strong focus on professional training. This was announced after a recent meeting of its Governing Council, which approved two new university degrees.

The new programs are: a Certificate of Specific Training in Property Management and Real Estate, and a Diploma of Expert in Nursing in Robotic Surgery. Both were proposed by José Manuel García Fraga, the Vice-Rector for Teaching, and are designed to meet current job market needs and keep up with technological advancements.

The Certificate in Property Management and Real Estate is a long postgraduate program, requiring 180 ECTS credits. This means it will last three academic years, with students completing 60 credits each year. The program was developed with the help of the Territorial Association of Property Managers of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and has the backing of the General Council of Property Managers of Spain. Civil Law professor Elvira Afonso Rodríguez will lead the program, supported by a coordination team.

Initially, 60 places are available, and at least half must be filled for the program to start. It will be taught entirely online, costing 25 euros per credit, which amounts to 1,500 euros per academic year. This degree was created because there's a clear demand for skilled professionals in the real estate sector, aiming to thoroughly prepare students for roles in property management, sales, development, and advisory services.

The Diploma of Expert in Nursing in Robotic Surgery is a shorter program, worth 12 ECTS credits, and will be taught using a mix of online and in-person learning. Javier Castro Molina, director of the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria School of Nursing, will oversee it. Only 10 places are offered at first, a limited number due to the availability of operating room space for practical training, which makes up 25% of the course. This diploma is crucial because robotic surgery is becoming more complex, requiring nurses to learn new skills for setting up and operating robots, and helping patients adapt to this advanced technology.

During the same meeting, Nieves Laura Leal Cruz, head of the Inspection Service, presented its work plan for the current academic year. The plan outlines scheduled activities but also allows for unexpected inspections if needed or requested. It focuses on improving quality, writing reports, offering advice, and monitoring teaching. The service will continue to oversee the Mail Service and the Law Degree program, which began last year, to assess the impact of recent changes. The inspector highlighted the importance of providing more advice to encourage prevention and new approaches.

Additionally, Lidia Pereira Saavedra, the university's manager, proposed changes to two articles in the ULL's Budget Execution Rules for the 2026 financial year. These adjustments are necessary due to new regulations from the Social Councils law, which gives these bodies more responsibilities. One key change is that multi-year expenses will only need approval from the Social Council if they exceed one million euros.

Finally, the university announced new leadership for three secretariat directorates: Susana Franco Escobar will head Infrastructure; Iván Padrón González will lead Human Resources in Research; and Miriam González Afonso will be in charge of Teaching Training and Innovation. The internal rules for the faculties of Psychology and Speech Therapy, and Humanities, were also approved to align with university statutes. The Faculty of Nursing's internal rules were also approved, given its recent establishment.