The letter of intent, signed on Monday, marks the beginning of the project for the permanent home of Nursing and Early Childhood Education studies, which currently train around 340 students. Both institutions expect to have the executive project ready within a year, which will detail the needs of the new infrastructure. This new facility will not only house the existing educational offerings but will also have capacity for potential new university degrees.
The rector of the URV, Josep Pallarès, has highlighted the project's importance as a "matter of national" and territorial significance, emphasizing the commitment to consolidate a university presence in Baix Penedès. This new facility will replace the old building, which has structural defects, and the current prefabricated modules. Pallarès is confident that the executive project will be completed within a year, after which the total cost, execution timeline, and funding sources among the involved administrations, such as the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Diputació de Tarragona, will be determined.
The plan is for the new building to accommodate current Nursing and Early Childhood Education studies, with the possibility of expanding the offerings with new degrees. As a reference, the rector mentioned the Terres de l'Ebre campus, which started with 365 students and now has over 900.
The mayor of El Vendrell, Kenneth Martínez, has described the project as "strategic" for the municipality and the region, and has expressed interest in expanding the degree offerings, suggesting fields such as medicine, engineering, or automotive, in line with the council's focus on the healthcare sector and local industry. Rector Pallarès indicated that factors such as demand and resources will be analyzed to determine future degree expansions.
