Sir

It is with the utmost satisfaction that I read the articles on Spanish universities Nature 396, 709 , Nature 396 712; 1998). So far, the press, with a few exceptions which now include Nature, have simply echoed the encouraging words of the present and previous Spanish governments. Though many alleged ‘reforms’ of the last 15 years may look quite sensible, insiders can see that successive governments have promised much and delivered nothing. They claim to devote more funds to research, hoping the figures won't look too embarrassing when Spain's scientific budget is compared with those of other EU members every year.

It is true that, as the science budget has increased, so has the number of publications. It is also true that several research groups are among the best in the world in their fields. What the Government fails to mention is how many publications are by Spanish scientists working abroad, and how many are the result of international collaborations. The top groups' achievements are more due to the devotion of their members than to any government policy. The Government's zealousness in allocating more research funding has never been followed by any interest in ensuring that these funds (often from the EU rather than the Spanish budget) were properly used. There are no inspections, no yield assessments, no questions asked.

Against this background, vast sums of money have been invested in the creation of dozens of ridiculously small and unnecessary universities over the past decade. Hundreds of positions have been created and filled — most, if not all, by local applicants with hardly enough experience to defend a master's thesis. These people are now being promoted to permanent professorships, while much more qualified candidates are humiliated and rejected on the most extraordinary grounds. In return for making these appointments, the university rectors and heads of departments ensure their own right to do exactly as they please, if anything at all.

The case of Dr Férriz, described in your articles, would not surprise any Spanish scientist. In fact, what would be surprising is to learn that at least one Spanish university has not yet been sued. I took the University of Seville to court in 1994, for very similar reasons to those of Dr Férriz. The outcome of the litigation, which I expect any time within the present geological era, is as unpredictable as next week's lottery results, given that the Spanish legal system is as anachronistic and bureaucratic as the one that rules the universities, and judges only rarely consider information from independent researchers.

It results in a system which is essentially unfair and leaves everybody defenceless. I personally will not attempt to return to Spain until the Government, for the first time in history, seriously decides to implement a rational science policy.