When Madrid’s higher education projects sell dreams: Metropolitan stagecraft or reality?

Abstract

How does the image of a metropolis come to be? Despite being the third agglomeration in Europe, Madrid suffers from a lack of international outreach, despite being a city that, with 270,000 students, one of the most important university centres in Europe. If the presence of universities is required to access the rank of metropolis, it is obviously not enough. Their international image must be built to be recognised abroad. However Madrid has no historically ancient academic tradition. Indeed, it was not until 1836 when the University of Alcala transferred to Madrid and took the name of Central University. Therefore, Madrid must invent an academic story and filiation. The city does this through a narrative that is based on academic projects included in image policies. Consequently, the question is how such projects are a way to question the fictionality of the Madrid metropolisation? This article examines how a higher education project is a symbol of the construction of a Madrid metropolitan mythology in its manifestations and limitations. After identifying the part played by higher education projects in fictional urban planning, the strategies of project developers are analysed, raising the question of the sustainability of the Madrid university system.