UNED Rector Surprises Pyrenees Centre with Unannounced Visit

Ricardo Mairal, rector of Spain's UNED distance-learning university, made a fleeting stop at its associated centre in La Seu d'Urgell last week en route to a meeting with other rectors in Andorra.

The brief visit caught many students and tutors by surprise, as they learned of it only through media reports rather than direct notification or invitation. Centre director María José Moreno explained that Mairal had promised to stop by during a previous conversation, seizing the opportunity amid his packed schedule ahead of the CRUE conference of Spanish university rectors.

The timing raised eyebrows among some in the educational community, coming shortly after public complaints about inadequate funding and equipment at the centre—which recently marked its 40th anniversary without the rector's presence at the opening ceremony. Exam period constraints prevented any formal event, Moreno noted in a statement sent to staff and students post-visit.

Only the mayor of La Seu d'Urgell, Joan Barrera—who chairs the centre's board alongside Andorra's government and Lleida provincial council—was pre-notified. Local radio was also alerted "out of courtesy," given its support for a monthly free programme slot.

Moreno highlighted positive outcomes from the stopover: Mairal toured facilities, including the library—a frequent point of criticism for its limited stock and worn volumes—and checked the installation of three new screens secured through his efforts. He expressed concern over the centre's financial situation and pledged ongoing support to maintain its role in higher education and talent retention in the Pyrenean region.

The city council echoed this in its own statement, with Barrera committing to deeper collaboration with UNED to expand training offerings locally. The council recently increased its financial contribution, though critics note it pales against costs like €10,000 for a single construction monitoring camera at the nearby INEFC-Pirineus building. Moreno concluded that, under the circumstances, she could only extend the centre's hospitality on behalf of its community.