Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of 14 October 2026, from ANECA, publishing the Agreement with Unibasq for the recognition of research activity evaluations |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | 23 October 2026 |
| Effective date | 14 October 2026 |
| Affected parties | Contract teaching and research staff (PDI) at Basque Country universities |
| Category | Education / University |
| Legal framework | LOSU — Organic Law 2/2023 |
| Signatory bodies | ANECA (National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation) and Unibasq (Quality Agency of the Basque University System) |
Teaching staff hired on contract at Basque Country universities have had, since 14 October 2026, a more direct path for their research periods—the so-called research sexenios—to count towards salary supplements. ANECA and Unibasq have formalized an agreement by which ANECA recognizes the research activity evaluations conducted by Unibasq, the Basque regional agency, without the need to duplicate the process at the state level.
The legal basis is Organic Law 2/2023 (LOSU), which redistributes teaching staff evaluation competencies between the State and autonomous communities that have their own quality agency. As a direct consequence of this framework, ANECA stops entering into new direct agreements with individual universities in autonomous communities that already have their own agency, channeling that relationship through the regional agency.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement establishes two central elements:
- Mutual recognition of evaluations: Research activity evaluations (sexenios) conducted by Unibasq for Basque contract teaching staff will have full validity before ANECA, and therefore will serve to determine the salary supplements of teaching staff hired in the Basque university system.
- End of direct university-ANECA agreements: ANECA will not enter into new direct agreements with individual Basque universities regarding research evaluation. The relationship now goes through ANECA–Unibasq.
| Aspect | Before the agreement | After the agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation of research sexenios for Basque contract teaching staff | Could require direct management with ANECA or through university-ANECA agreements | Unibasq evaluates and ANECA automatically recognizes that evaluation |
| Agreements with Basque universities | ANECA could enter into direct agreements with each university | ANECA does not enter into new direct agreements with universities in autonomous communities with their own agency |
| Salary supplement validity of the periods | Depended on the state recognition process | Unibasq evaluations have direct validity for salary supplements |
Economic and operational impact
The direct economic impact for Basque contract teaching staff is positive: administrative simplification reduces time and procedures to obtain recognition of sexenios that determine salary supplements. Less bureaucracy means that research periods can translate into compensation more quickly.
For Basque universities, the operational change is equally relevant: the management of research evaluations for their contract staff is centralized in Unibasq, their reference regional agency, eliminating the need to maintain parallel relationships with ANECA for this specific purpose.
From an institutional perspective, the agreement strengthens the regional agencies model provided for in LOSU, which advocates for decentralizing teaching staff evaluation towards autonomous communities with accredited capacity to do so.
Who does it affect?
- Contract teaching and research staff (PDI) at Basque Country universities who request or have pending evaluation of their research activity (sexenios).
- HR and academic management departments at Basque universities, which must adapt their internal procedures to the new Unibasq–ANECA channel.
- Unibasq, which assumes a strengthened role as a recognized evaluator for state purposes.
- ANECA, which adjusts its operational model in autonomous communities with their own agency, in application of LOSU.
It does not affect civil servant teaching staff (state university teaching bodies), whose evaluation continues to be governed by the mechanisms of the state accreditation and habilitation system.
Practical example
A contract doctor professor at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) requests evaluation of their research activity to access the salary supplement corresponding to a research period. Before the agreement, the process could involve procedures with ANECA at the state level. With the agreement in force since 14 October 2026, Unibasq conducts the evaluation and ANECA recognizes it directly, without the teacher having to initiate a parallel procedure before the national agency. The result: the salary supplement is processed with a single evaluation, that of the Basque regional agency.
What should universities and teaching staff do now?
- Basque contract teaching staff with pending evaluation: Direct your research activity evaluation request to Unibasq, which is now the competent body with state recognition. It is not necessary to manage the procedure in parallel with ANECA.
- University HR departments: Update internal procedures for managing salary supplements to reflect that Unibasq evaluations have full validity for ANECA recognition purposes.
- Academic managers: Inform the faculty and contract teaching staff of the change in process, especially those with research periods underway or about to request them.
- Verify the published agreement: Consult the full text in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-22220) to learn about the specific conditions of recognition and any applicable limitations.
Frequently asked questions
What are sexenios and why does it matter who evaluates them?
Sexenios are evaluation periods for university teaching staff research activity. Each recognized period has a direct impact on the teacher's salary supplements. Having Unibasq evaluate them with ANECA recognition means that Basque contract teaching staff do not need a double process for those periods to count economically.
When did the ANECA-Unibasq agreement come into force?
The agreement came into force on 14 October 2026, the date of ANECA's resolution. It was published in the BOE on 23 October 2026.
Does this agreement affect civil servant teaching staff at Basque universities?
No. The agreement applies exclusively to contract teaching and research staff (hired) at Basque Country universities. Civil servant teaching staff follow the evaluation mechanisms of state university teaching bodies.
Why does ANECA stop making direct agreements with Basque universities?
Because Organic Law 2/2023 (LOSU) distributes teaching staff evaluation competencies between the State and autonomous communities that have their own quality agency. With Unibasq existing as a recognized agency in the Basque Country, ANECA channels the relationship through it and does not enter into new direct agreements with individual universities in that community.
What should a Basque teacher do who already has an evaluation underway with ANECA?
The agreement does not specify a transitional regime in the published summary. It is recommended to consult directly with Unibasq and your university's HR service to learn how evaluations initiated before 14 October 2026 are managed, and to review the full text of the agreement in the BOE.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22220
