Rosa Pérez Rodríguez, a professor in the Department of Spanish Language, has been elected as the new dean of the Faculty of Philology and Translation at the University of Vigo. Her candidacy was the only one presented during the elections held on Wednesday, where she secured 50 votes in favour, seven against, eight blank votes, and one null vote. A total of 66 out of 92 eligible voters participated, resulting in a turnout of 71.7%.
Pérez succeeds José Montero Reguera, who has led the faculty since 2020. She will begin her new role supported by a team comprising faculty members from various departments. Liliana Valado Fernández from the Department of Translation and Linguistics will serve as secretary, while Valentina Marta Rodríguez from the same department will oversee quality. María Platas Alonso from the Department of English, French, and German Philology will handle student affairs and university life, and José Carregal Romero from the same department will be responsible for international relations. Rocío Hernández Arias from the Department of Spanish Literature and Literary Theory will manage academic organisation.
With 34 years of experience at the faculty, Rosa Pérez has held numerous administrative roles, including department secretary, department director, area director, faculty secretary, and vice-dean. She previously served as dean for seven years from 2009 to 2016.
In her first remarks following the election results, Pérez expressed her gratitude for the support received from the Faculty Board. “I have experience and willingness, but I also have something more, which is undoubtedly a team of new people full of enthusiasm and a desire to work,” she emphasised. She also thanked the outgoing dean's team for their efforts over the years and their assistance in recent weeks.
Reform of the degree in translation and interpretation
One of the primary challenges facing the new leadership is the reform of the degree in Translation and Interpretation, a process Pérez considers essential to begin “as soon as possible.” She acknowledged that it will not be an easy task but stressed its importance for the future of the programme.
For the upcoming academic year, the faculty will also need to implement the changes approved for the degrees in Galician and Spanish Applied Philology (FAGE) and Foreign Languages (LE). In the case of FAGE, the change involves launching a virtual mode that affects all subjects within the programme. For LE, virtual teaching will be integrated into shared subjects with FAGE, while the process of phasing out the previous curriculum and implementing the new one will continue.
Additionally, there is the potential launch of an international master's programme, an initiative approved in the last Faculty Board meeting, which Pérez described as “very interesting” and one that must also be advanced.
Student recruitment and the social value of humanities
Pérez highlighted the decline in enrolment as another significant issue during her address. “We are facing a decline in enrolment,” she warned, acknowledging that this is a problem not solely dependent on the faculty but also influenced by factors that are difficult to control. While this situation was anticipated, she considers it serious.
In this context, she thanked the outgoing team for their “many efforts” to attract students and committed to continuing this work. Pérez noted that the modifications made to the degree curricula were aimed, among other objectives, at improving student recruitment, a focus that will also be present in the upcoming reform of the Translation and Interpretation programme.
Moreover, she emphasised the need to communicate the relevance of the studies offered by the faculty to society and to make their utility visible. “It is no small task to convey to society that our studies are necessary,” she stated.
Lastly, Pérez addressed the challenges posed by artificial intelligence for universities and educational systems in general, particularly regarding how to approach, integrate, and regulate its use. This issue adds to the academic and organisational challenges that will define the start of her new term.
