AQU Catalunya publishes its new criteria for the appointment of the Agency's new director
The AQU Catalunya Governing Board has amended the agreement regarding the criteria for the appointment process of the Agency's directorship, which dates back to 2019. The aim is to allow a greater number of women to apply for the position of Agency director and to broaden the age range of candidates.

AQU Catalunya has released the new criteria for appointing the next director of the Agency. The AQU Catalunya Governing Board, which met on Tuesday 10 December, revised the agreement on the criteria for appointing the director of AQU Catalunya, which dated back to 2019. These criteria will be used for the appointment of the new AQU Catalunya director, given that the mandate of the current director, Jaume Valls Pasola, will come to an end in 2025.
One of the 2019 revised agreement criteria was “to be a university full professor, or equivalent position, in active employment”. There are currently a total of 1,857 full professors in the Catalan Higher Education system (71% are men and 29% are women), with an average age of 57. Furthermore, AQU Catalunya has issued a total of 946 positive advanced research accreditations in the last five years, 64% of which were awarded to men and 36% to women, and on the average age for receiving the accreditation is 47 years old. The advanced research accreditation is an essential requirement for people to be admitted to the selection processes as full professors or contract post professors.
Men | Women | Total | Average age | |
Catalan university system full professors | 71% | 29% | 1.857 | 57 anys |
Issuance of advanced research accreditations (last five years) | 64% | 36% | 946 | 47 anys |
Therefore, the Governing Board has approved that one of the requirements for applying for the position of director of AQU Catalunya is “to be a university full professor, or equivalent position, or to hold an advanced research accreditation or an accreditation for full professor issued by AQU Catalunya, or equivalent”. This amendment shall make it possible for a larger number of women to be candidates to direct AQU Catalunya, as well as widening the age range of the candidates.
Besides the criteria now modified, the person appointed must also meet other minimum requirements such as being in active employment, having proven experience in research, teaching, university management and project management, knowledge of the Catalan Higher Education System, and written and spoken fluency in Catalan, Spanish and English.
The director of AQU Catalunya is appointed through an open, competitive and unrestricted competition process in line with the criteria agreed by the Governing Board, governed by the principles of merit, competence and suitability. The director of the Agency, whose four-year mandate can only be renewed once, is chosen by a selection committee appointed by the president of AQU Catalunya, who is responsible for approving the call for applications, assessing the candidates and selecting the most suitable person.