San Jorge University, with everything ready for the arrival of Medicine in September

It is not official, but there is full confidence, both at the University of San Jorge and in the Government of Aragon. The private center of Villanueva de Gállego is still waiting for the approval of the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (Aneca) for the implementation of the Degree in Medicine from next September, coinciding with the start of the 2025-2026 academic year. Around a hundred places would be offered to follow in the footsteps of Huesca , which already has the full degree, while in Teruel the preliminary studies continue.

“ We have expanded the health facilities and adapted the learning spaces so that students have the best experience. The USJ is ready to receive students, if possible in September,” said the rector Silvia Carrascal. The Aragonese president, Jorge Azcón, was equally optimistic , or more so, during his visit to the facilities. “I trust that the next course can be started, it will be good news for those who are left without a place today, for San Jorge and for the health of the Aragonese. We need health workers and we are making huge efforts,” he added.

Azcón recalled that one of the key factors was the existence of an associated hospital, which has been resolved with the opening of the private Quirón centre on Avenida Gómez Laguna in Zaragoza. The arrival of Medicine at the Villanueva de Gállego campus would allow the number of places dedicated to health studies in Aragón to increase “in a very short time” from 220 to 365, and apart from the private university, the number of places belonging to the UZ has increased by 40.

“Many of the problems we have have to do with decisions that have not been taken before. Today we would have fewer in health centres and hospitals ,” Azcón stressed, referring to the pressing (and well-known) lack of professionals, with a special impact in rural areas of the Community.

TECHNOLOGICAL PROFILES

Aside from medicine, the president has highlighted the creation of talent in the technological and research fields . The DGA hopes that the new needs for profiles around data centres or artificial intelligence can be met with current and future qualifications.

After two decades of operation, the Universidad San Jorge has around 4,600 students spread across 24 undergraduate degrees, eleven double degrees and nine postgraduate courses. Rector Carrascal has estimated the economic impact over two decades at over 2.5 billion euros.