> The collaboration reinforces UMAC’s inter-island dimension and positions Ibiza as a strategic territory for the development of clinical and healthcare training.
> The agreement will allow future students to complete part of their practical training at the Nuestra Señora del Rosario Polyclinic Hospital in Ibiza.
Ibiza, September 16, 2026
Diego González, President of the Governing Council of the Universitat de Mallorca (UMAC-ADEMA), and David Medina, Director General of Grupo Policlínica, signed a collaboration agreement this morning enabling future students of Medicine and other Health Sciences degree programs to complete part of their practical training in Ibiza.
The agreement provides for curricular external internships for students of Medicine, Biomedicine, and Health and Biomedical Engineering, and establishes a stable framework for collaboration between the University and Grupo Policlínica to facilitate training in a real-world healthcare setting. The signing marks one of the first steps in developing UMAC’s inter-island scope, positioning Ibiza as a strategic location for clinical training, healthcare collaboration, and the creation of new academic and research opportunities.
The internships will enable students to apply the knowledge acquired during their training, gain insight into the professional reality of the field, and develop competencies relevant to their future entry into the labor market. Each student will be assigned an academic supervisor from UMAC and another designated by Grupo Policlínica, and the internships will carry academic credit within the respective study programs.
Following the signing of the agreement, Diego González, President of the Governing Council of the University of Mallorca, stated: “We want the University of Mallorca to have a genuine inter-island dimension and for Ibiza to play an active role in its development. This agreement allows us to take a concrete first step by linking university education with the region’s needs and creating opportunities for future professionals to gain insight into the island’s healthcare reality and consider building their careers here.”
> The new university aims for practical training on the island to help generate and retain healthcare talent and to alleviate the shortage of professionals in the medium and long term.
For his part, the rector of UMAC, Dr. Pere Riutord, has argued that “practical training is an essential part of our academic model. Being able to carry it out at leading healthcare centers in Ibiza will allow future students to complete their training in a real-world care setting and strengthen the relationship between the university, healthcare professionals, and the local community. This collaboration also opens up new possibilities in areas such as research, innovation, and knowledge transfer.”
In this regard, David Medina, General Manager of Grupo Policlínica, explained that “this agreement represents much more than simply the opportunity to host interns. It reinforces a commitment that is central to our approach to healthcare: contributing to the training of future professionals and offering them the chance to experience the reality of hospital care firsthand.” He stated, “We firmly believe that healthcare centers must play an active role in training new generations. We want students to find an environment at Grupo Policlínica where they can learn, grow professionally, and take their first steps alongside experienced teams. Furthermore, this agreement allows us to connect with young talent and open our doors to professionals who may eventually become part of our organization.”
According to Human Resources Director Álvaro Moreno, “the healthcare sector is facing a particularly complex situation regarding human resources. There is a significant shortage of certain professional profiles, making it increasingly necessary to create new ways to attract, train, and retain talent. This agreement allows us to establish a connection with students at a very early stage of their professional development. During their internships, they will be able to get to know our way of working, our teams, and the career opportunities offered by Grupo Policlínica. Our goal is for these internships to be not just a training phase, but also a gateway to the professional world. We want to identify talent, support them, and—whenever possible—offer opportunities for these students to continue their professional careers with us.”
Grupo Policlínica is one of the leading private healthcare groups in Ibiza, boasting a history spanning over 50 years, a workforce of more than 700 professionals, two hospitals—Policlínica Nuestra Señora del Rosario and Clínica Vila Parc—and various care centers distributed across the island. The organization has also spearheaded the introduction of highly complex services and technologies, such as nuclear medicine and robotic surgery, with the aim of expanding care capacity and preventing the need for patients to travel off-island for treatment.
> ADEMA will promote scholarships for students from Ibiza to facilitate access to studies at the University of Mallorca and strengthen equal opportunities.
One of the objectives of the University of Mallorca is for future students to gain insight into the healthcare reality of the various islands during their training and to establish connections with their healthcare centers and professionals.
The institution believes that this model can contribute, in the medium and long term, to generating and retaining healthcare talent and to alleviating the shortage of professionals, encouraging future graduates to consider Ibiza as a place to build their careers.
The strategy also includes the possibility of expanding agreements on the island in areas such as applied research, innovation, and knowledge transfer.
> Presentation of the Strategic Plan to the President of the Consell d’Eivissa
The official visit also included a meeting with the President of the Island Council of Ibiza, Vicent Marí, during which the President of the Governing Council, Diego González, and the Rector of UMAC, Dr. Pere Riutord, presented the key aspects of the University’s Strategic Plan.
The meeting—attended by Miquel Costa, the Island Director for Culture, Heritage, and Education, and David Medina, Director General of the Policlínica Group—addressed planned initiatives for Ibiza and opportunities to develop new avenues for collaboration in university education, healthcare, and professional training. The gathering reflects UMAC’s commitment to strengthening ties with institutions and stakeholders across the islands and to progressively integrating the specific territorial context of the Balearic Islands into its academic, research, and social development activities.
Vicent Marí, President of the Island Council of Ibiza, expressed his appreciation for the visit and the opportunity to learn firsthand about the University of Mallorca’s project. “Ibiza is well aware of the challenges involved in attracting and retaining healthcare professionals. That is why it is valuable for future medical and health sciences students to be able to complete part of their clinical training on the island, gain insight into our healthcare reality, and forge ties with Ibiza during their formative years,” he noted. Marí added that “bringing training opportunities closer to our young people and encouraging new professionals to consider Ibiza as a place to build their careers are matters that deserve our attention.”
> The UMAC Strategic Plan envisages an investment of nearly 73 million euros and more than 9 million in scholarships and study grants over the next ten years.
The University of Mallorca embarks on this new phase—following its official recognition under Law 2/2026 of April 27—with a strategic plan focused on developing its academic offerings, research and knowledge transfer, and infrastructure, as well as expanding partnerships with institutions, healthcare centers, and companies.
The launch of the institution entails an investment of nearly 73 million euros, approximately half of which has already been spent on the creation, adaptation, and equipping of university facilities dedicated to teaching, research, and clinical activity.
UMAC has four campuses specializing in Health Sciences, Architecture, Design, Technology, and Social Sciences, as well as facilities dedicated to research, postgraduate studies, advanced clinical practice, and knowledge transfer.
The project also incorporates a program providing over 9 million euros in scholarships and study grants over the next ten years, with a special focus on high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds.
The Strategic Plan also envisages allocating between 7% and 16% of the annual budget to technological renewal and infrastructure, and a minimum of 7% annually to research, including the funding of pre-doctoral and post-doctoral programs.
The planned program offerings include bachelor’s degrees in Biomedicine, Health Engineering, Medicine, Speech Therapy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Dentistry, as well as Architecture, Fine Arts, Political Science, Public Administration, Sports Business Management, Design, Video Game Design, Data Engineering, Sociology, and the double degree in Sociology and Data Engineering.
The postgraduate program offerings will include programs linked to Health Sciences, Architecture, Fine Arts, and Design, as well as future doctoral programs in Health Sciences and in Art, Architecture, and Social Transformations.
> 19 academic reports presented to AQUIB
One of UMAC’s key achievements has been the submission of 19 academic proposals for new bachelor’s and master’s degree programs to the University Quality Agency of the Balearic Islands (AQUIB), thereby initiating the corresponding evaluation and verification processes.
The institution plans to begin the progressive implementation of the new degree programs starting in the 2027/28 academic year, once the evaluation, verification, and authorization procedures have been completed.
The University also draws upon a network of over 400 partner companies and plans to continue expanding its agreements with hospitals, healthcare centers, public institutions, businesses, and social organizations.
In this context, Ibiza plays a significant role in the project. The collaboration with Grupo Policlínica translates the inter-island dimension outlined in the Strategic Plan into concrete action and paves the way for strengthening healthcare training and research, as well as the generation and retention of talent on the island.