Information, Communication and Services: the state of affairs of Spanish university portals

Abstract

Universities, as the key institutions in the knowledge society, are facing the challenge of having to respond to social demands marked by a new social and technological context where the internet represents the new emerging area. Companies have adapted to the changes seen quickly and their presence on the internet acts as a point of reference for other institutions. From the first web pages that acted as points of entry to the net to the current portals, the business world has developed from its initial presence on the web, in terms of an area for content, to a space for communication and ultimately a tool for coordination and providing services. Universities have adopted this process at a different rate. This paper looks to analyse the current state of affairs of Spanish university portals, employing, throughout, qualitative analysis of the home pages of the 70 member universities of the Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas (CRUE - Association of Spanish University Rectors).