The Minister of Culture, Education and University Planning, Román Rodríguez, held a working meeting yesterday with the directors of the seven reference research units of the Galician University System (SUG), whose work has just been recognized and promoted in the latest call for support for excellent research promoted by the education department of the Xunta de Galicia. In total, the Ministry will allocate more than 13 million euros until 2019 with the aim of, on the one hand, recognizing the important effort made in the scientific field by these entities and, on the other hand, promoting and strengthening their research capacity, as well as their international position based on the impact generated by their results.
During the meeting, Román Rodríguez acknowledged the important scientific work, both in terms of management and results, that these centers are carrying out as the main drivers of R&D&I in the Galician University System. In this sense, it is worth highlighting their high capacity to attract research projects –more than 63 million euros in the 2013-2015 triennium– and their commitment to the transfer of results. In fact, the minister explained that in that same period, the different research projects of these seven units generated around 28 million euros for society, which ultimately results in the general well-being of citizens.
The meeting was attended, in addition to the Minister and the Secretary General of Universities, José Alberto Díez de Castro, by the management positions of the now accredited “unique research centers of Galicia”. Specifically, these are Manuel Penedo from CITIC (University of A Coruña); José Luis Mascareñas from CIQUS and Carlos Diéguez from CIMUS (both centers of the University of Santiago de Compostela); and, from the University of Vigo, África González Fernández from CINBIO and Jesús Souza Troncoso from ECIMAT. On the other hand, representatives of the two “consolidated strategic groups” that have just achieved this designation were also present: Paulo Félix Lamas, director of CITIUS (USC) and professor Carlos Mosquera Nartallo, representing AtlantTIC, of the UVigo.
First-level research groups
The Minister was interested in the current and future scientific lines of each of the centers and, at the same time, committed the long-term support of his department, which is part of the strategy of support for research of excellence developed in the universities. In this context, it is worth highlighting the capacity of the different structures to group first-level researchers, who will benefit directly from the aid granted by the Ministry. In total, there are more than 700 scientists who will enjoy financial stability and a favorable scenario to promote work in their respective areas.
Evaluation process
It is worth noting that these grants – co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund – were granted after a competitive bidding process based on a series of criteria that, objectively, assess the scientific-technical quality, capacity and characteristics of these units and their strategic research projects, in line with the challenges contained in RIS3 Galicia, and also with the European Union scheme reflected in the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research, Development and Innovation, in order to seek to obtain social returns in the medium and long term.
In total, the Ministry is mobilizing more than 13 million euros, co-financed by the European Development Fund with a clear purpose: to recognize the excellence of the best research units of the SUG and guarantee their long-term financial stability. In this sense, the Xunta will finance its strategic research projects during the period 2016-2019 to strengthen its scientific capabilities, enhance the international leadership of Galician research, promote the aggregation of scientific-technical capabilities –including collaboration with other centers, units and with the business community– or improve the generation of results with high scientific, social and economic impact. In addition, it also seeks to contribute to the training, attraction and incorporation of talent, increase the critical mass of research personnel and act as driving agents of the Galician R&D&I system.
Ultimately, it is about having the right tools so that the research generated in singular centers or consolidated strategic groupings ends up returning to society, in order to find solutions to citizens’ problems, strengthen and specialize our productive sectors and, ultimately, increase the general well-being of society.
Support at all levels of research
With this new action, the education department of the Xunta de Galicia closes the circle of support for university research, based on three pillars: the training and retention of talent – through pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, stabilization contracts and through support for excellent scientists from the European Research Council programs or the Ministry itself –; stable funding for research groups or support, also in the long term, for the supra-group structures of the system.
Source: Galician Regional Government
