University of Malaga, Malaga

University of Malaga: It's a public university ranked 41 among 48 Spanish public universities. It was established in 1972 and has, as of 2016, 30,203 Bachelor students and 2576 on a Master's program, 1255 tenured and 1056 temporary teachers. The UMA offers 65 degree courses and 6 double degrees, over 21 doctoral programmes, 64 master's Degrees, and 100 courses throughout the academic year. Education takes place in 18 centres by appointed teachers from 81 departments. The great majority of the teaching is organised within the two campuses, although classes also take place in locations spread around the city centre, as well as in Ronda and Antequera.

Campus (University of Malaga)

UMA is divided into two campuses in Málaga. In turn, some of the University's activities are carried out in other strategic locations throughout the city and province; thus, this network of knowledge is present in key points such as the city's business centre, Andalusia's Technology Park, and in other cities such as Ronda and Antequera. Situated below the Alcazaba and opposite the Park and Port of Malaga is the Recorate's Building. Due to its cultural and architectural values, this building constitutes a cultural, social, and academic reference at the city centre. Moreover, the School of Health Sciences, the Centre of Spanish for Speakers of Other Languages, the Provincial Council's subsidised Nursing School, and the Grice-Hutchinson Experimental Centre are also located in the city.

El Ejido Campus

Located in the centre of Malaga, the campus at El Ejido houses the Faculties of Economic Science, Architecture and Fine Arts. This place contrasts sharply with surrounding areas where poverty and unemployment are common. The Government Building, which accommodates the various offices of deputy vice-chancellorships, is situated on this site, along with most of the administrative departments and the Secretariat of the Board. Another of the emblematic buildings on this campus, is the University Auditorium, which can hold 450 people; it is here that the opening ceremony for each academic year takes place, and where university staff meetings and acts of protocol are held.

Teatinos Campus

At present the most numerous faculties are to be found at the Teatinos campus, and include the departments of Communication Sciences, Education Sciences, Law, Computer Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Tourism, Science, Philosophy and Arts, Medicine, Psychology, Industrial Engineering, Technology, Social Work and Business Studies. Facilities for use by the university community include the general library, a publishing service, a research institute building, an infant school, the University Sports Complex, computer rooms, a botanical garden, five lecture halls and a choice of cafés, university dining halls and leisure areas.

The campus will be reinforced with the addition of a further 1.2 million square metres to the current surface area and will see the construction of facilities for teaching purposes, together with areas for educational, social, sporting, residential, and leisure use. There will also be a business and residential area, besides numerous green zones. Altogether, this will make up one of the largest university campuses in Andalusia. It will serve as a nucleus for the Campus Andaluz de Excelencia (Andalusia Campus of Excellence), and encourage all public universities to undertake common projects in training, research, and the transfer of knowledge.

The various building projects for the extension of the university will be carried out in different phases and undertaken with respect for the environment and resources. The soon to be constructed Health Sciences and Psychology Faculty, will be an addition to the recently opened Engineering and the Social and Business Studies Complex. Other more important building projects in collaboration with the Ministerio de la Vivienda y la Consejería de Vivienda y Ordenación del Territorio ( Ministry for Housing and the Department for Housing and Town Planning), will include student halls of residence and rented accommodation, together with a Science and Business Park, destined for use by research groups and companies.

The function of the Science and Business Park, is to form a strategic alliance for the creation of an academic, scientific, entrepreneurial and innovative environment, which will operate within the framework of the Estrategia Universidad 2015 (University Strategy 2015). The Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (Ministry for Science and Innovation), is the driving force behind this project and has as its objective the creation of a Campus de Excelencia Internacional (Campus for International Excellence) for Spanish universities. Also being able to participate within the university environment, will be combined universities, research and development institutes, technological centres and the productive sector.

No less important than the new structures, are the areas surrounding these buildings. In the near future, the current area will be a large landscaped zone, planted with varied species of trees, creating cool, shaded areas and providing quiet places in which to relax. To date, there are no trees so there is no shadow for almost two kilometers, that makes walking around in this area very hard in summer, when temperature can rise to more than 40 degrees C. Also, in some points (e.g. entrance to Science Faculty from the motorway) the garbage accumulates on the road sides. These projects will be undertaken ever mindful of one of the university's main concerns, that of encouraging respect for the environment and responsible use of resources. This is contradictory, because University was planned very far from the city, favouring the use of private cars instead of more environmental friendly public transport.