Andorra authorises virtual private university UDDI and approves UNIPRO online MBA

The Council of Ministers has authorized the creation of a new private university, the virtual and semi‑presential UDDI, following a proposal from the Minister of Institutional Relations, Education and Universities, Ladislau Baró. The application was processed under the existing authorisation rules for private higher‑education institutions—rules recently amended by Decree 15/2023—and received a favourable evaluation from the Andorran Agency for Quality of Higher Education (AQUA).

The authorisation was completed under the regulatory framework that applied before a recent amendment to the Higher Education Law entered into force on 2 December. That amendment restricts the initiation of new authorisation procedures until the government issues the first National Higher Education Strategy. UDDI’s request was lodged prior to the change and is covered by the law’s third transitional provision, which allows applications submitted before the amendment to be resolved under the previous rules.

Under the new law, institutions authorised before the adoption of the national strategy will have five years to comply with any new requirements they do not yet meet. The reform shifts the system from an objective, administrative authorisation model toward a regime of regulated discretion that places greater emphasis on qualitative criteria and sectoral planning.

In the same cabinet session, the government approved the study plan for the Master in Business Administration (MBA) offered by UNIPRO Universitat Digital Europea. The fully non‑presential programme carries 120 ECTS credits and is structured to run over two full‑time academic years (four semesters), with a part‑time option to extend its duration. AQUA has issued a favourable accreditation for the programme.

The MBA is designed to prepare graduates for management and leadership roles across functional areas such as finance, marketing, sales, operations and human resources, and for positions in matrix organisations, industry projects, public administration, consultancies and entrepreneurship.