The President of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, expressed the "feeling of emptiness, pain, and sorrow" that Gómez Villamandos' absence has left within the university community. During his speech, Moreno described the former minister, who also chaired the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CREU), as "a good man" who demonstrated intelligence, commitment, and great dialogue skills in his role.
Moreno recalled Gómez Villamandos' deep connection with the University of Córdoba, an institution where he was a student, held various academic positions, and served as rector from 2014 to 2022 before joining the regional government. "It feels like I'm going to turn my head and see him paying attention to everything," confessed the president, recalling his presence at previous events.
The initiatives promoted by Gómez Villamandos while heading the Ministry of University were highlighted, including the funding model, the new degree map, the future Andalusian University Law, and the update of professional categories. The president emphasized that the best tribute is to continue his projects, taking on the responsibility of carrying forward his work.
For his part, the new rector of the UCO, Manuel Torralbo, also dedicated words to his predecessor, noting the "enormous shock" his passing has caused in the Andalusian and Spanish university system. Torralbo reiterated the sadness over the loss of someone who dedicated a significant part of his professional life to public university service, both as rector of the UCO, president of CRUE, and Minister of University.
The event served to honor one of the most significant figures in Andalusian higher education in recent decades, closely linked to the recent history of the University of Córdoba.
