José Carlos Gómez Villamandos, Andalusian universities and research minister, dies at 63 after cancer battle
José Carlos Gómez Villamandos, the Andalusian minister for universities, research and innovation, died on Tuesday at the age of 63 after a long battle with cancer. The former rector of the University of Córdoba had served in the regional government since July 2022.
Death of Andalusian minister
José Carlos Gómez Villamandos passed away on Tuesday in Córdoba after a protracted battle with cancer, his family and the Andalusian government confirmed. He was 63 years old and had served as minister for universities, research and innovation in the regional government of Juanma Moreno since July 2022. His death comes just weeks after he campaigned for the Andalusian parliamentary elections as the seventh candidate on the PP list for his home province of Córdoba.
Academic and political career
A veterinarian by training, Gómez Villamandos obtained his doctorate in 1988 and spent his early teaching years in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. He returned to Córdoba, eventually becoming a full professor of anatomy and comparative pathology at the University of Córdoba’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. In May 2014 he was elected rector of the University of Córdoba, a position he held until 2022. During his tenure, in 2019, he was named president of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE).
- Wins Extraordinary Degree Award in Veterinary Medicine at University of Córdoba
- Earns doctorate; begins teaching at University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Elected rector of the University of Córdoba
- Becomes president of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE)
- Appointed minister for universities, research and innovation of Andalusia
- Dies in Córdoba at age 63 after a long battle with cancer
As minister, he oversaw the drafting and passage of a new university law for Andalusia and negotiated a long-term funding model for public universities. He was also instrumental in securing the Army Logistics Base (BLET) for Córdoba, a project championed by the city’s mayor. Colleagues recalled his tireless work ethic and his insistence on remaining active even during his illness, attending events as recently as May.
Political reaction
Tributes came quickly from across the political spectrum. Andalusian president Juanma Moreno wrote on social media:
Our hearts are broken. José Carlos Gómez Villamandos has left us today, a great person, a good, intelligent and hard-working man, immensely generous, who dedicated his life to the University. We will miss you so much. Thank you for everything, minister, colleague and friend.
Córdoba mayor José María Bellido, who had worked closely with him on the logistics base, said he was “profoundmente triste” and added:
We have lost a magnificent person and a great public servant.
The secretary general of the PP in Córdoba, Adolfo Molina, praised his “dedication to knowledge, to the progress of our land and to public service.”
National minister of science, innovation and universities, Diana Morant, posted her condolences, as did the Spanish government’s delegate in Andalusia, Pedro Fernández. The leader of the opposition coalition Por Andalucía, Antonio Maíllo, also expressed his sorrow.
Last months and legacy
Gómez Villamandos is the second minister to die while serving in the six-year-old Moreno government; in April 2022 the education and sports minister Javier Imbroda died of cancer. The mayor of Córdoba announced that the city would grant him some form of civic honors, to be agreed with the university. He leaves a legacy of strengthened university autonomy and increased science funding in the region.
