The Torremolinos Town Hall has approved the concession file for the municipal building in Plaza Pablo Ruiz Picasso, the final step before putting the university campus project out to tender, with private investment and a minimum annual fee of 90,822 euros.
The Torremolinos Town Hall has taken a firm step towards the creation of a university campus in the city centre. The local government board has approved the file for the concession of the municipal building in Plaza Pablo Ruiz Picasso, a property that has remained unused until now and will be transformed into a higher education centre. The next step is to submit the file for public information, after which the terms of reference can be approved and the tender launched.
An open competition to select the manager
The award will be resolved through an open competition, based on the principles of publicity, transparency, and equal opportunities. The file originates from a private initiative presented by EUSES Málaga, part of the Metrodora educational group, but the tender does not reserve any rights for the initial promoter. Any interested company or entity may submit its offer.
The building will remain publicly owned. The future concessionaire will be responsible for the entire investment needed to adapt the property, equip it, maintain it, and operate the university centre. Additionally, they must obtain all academic, urban, and sectoral authorisations required by law.
The concession will have an initial duration of 20 years, extendable for a maximum of 10 additional years. The minimum annual fee has been set at 90,822.36 euros, an amount that may be improved upwards in the future tender.
Scholarships and degrees, key aspects of the project
One of the most notable aspects of the project is its commitment to opportunities for young people in the municipality. The tender will evaluate, among other criteria, the number of proposed university degrees, the economic offer, and the allocation for scholarships. Each proposal must include an annual aid programme of at least 30,000 euros, which can be increased, aimed at students registered in Torremolinos.
The Town Hall emphasises that the campus will not only provide education but will also help generate activity throughout the year, reduce tourist seasonality, and strengthen Torremolinos' position as a city of knowledge, innovation, and higher education on the Costa del Sol.
The effectiveness of the concession will be conditioned upon obtaining the necessary authorisations for the centre to be affiliated with a university in the Andalusian university system. The initial agreement with the University of Málaga and EUSES already pointed in that direction, although the process remains open to other offers.
A municipal building repurposed for education
The property in Plaza Pablo Ruiz Picasso, located in the heart of Torremolinos, has changed its functional destination from social use to educational, maintaining its public ownership and character as public domain. The justification report for the file highlights the public interest of the action, which will allow for the recovery of a building that has been effectively unused to convert it into an educational facility.
For the residents of Torremolinos, the project represents an opportunity to access university studies without having to travel to Málaga city or other towns. Additionally, specific scholarships for residents will make it easier for young people in the municipality to afford their education.
The next milestone will be the final approval of the terms of reference and the publication of the tender, expected in the coming months. From then on, interested companies will have a period to submit their offers. The Town Hall hopes that the campus can be operational within a timeframe of two to three years, once all administrative procedures have been completed and the academic authorisations obtained.
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