The Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation (SECTI) has achieved standards of research excellence perfectly comparable to its economic and geopolitical position on the international scene, especially with regard to scientific publications and participation in international programs. However, it must be strengthened and the effectiveness and efficiency of research and innovation policies and their agents must be strengthened, through the strengthening of the capacities, infrastructures and equipment of their agents.
For the strengthening of the SECTI, calls for grants will be made in competitive competition:
- Calls for grants to boost SECTI’s internationalisation capabilities
- Calls for grants for the provision, improvement and updating of the technical scientific equipment of the agents of the R&D&I system, in order to facilitate quality research and promote the development of highly competitive R&D activities, thus contributing to regional development.
In addition, the following specific projects are also planned:
- To improve the efficiency of the Ministry’s calls, a new management software will be developed and implemented to facilitate the interaction between the State Research Agency (AEI), the beneficiaries, other funding agencies and the other Ministries.
- Improvement of specific infrastructures of the public research agencies attached to the Ministries, such as the Centre for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT, so that it evolves from being a centre with the character of a nuclear installation to a centre oriented to new energies) and in the INIA.
- Improvement of specific capabilities: in the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands it is necessary to improve and increase the capabilities in cutting-edge technologies for astrophysical instrumentation and in advanced optical technologies, as well as the development of an advanced optics center.
On the other hand, the strengthening of the SECTI passes the optimization and internationalization of Spanish infrastructures and the greater use and participation in international ones. Investments in scientific infrastructures are strategic to boost Europe’s capacity to support innovation, technological advances and its global competitiveness and specific research projects will be financed in these Spanish and international research infrastructures. In the case of national infrastructures, actions developed by entities co-participated by the AGE and the CAAC and also by infrastructures of the Map of Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructures will be financed. Thus, the financing of actions foreseen in the strategic plans of the Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS) is contemplated, within the framework of the actions of the Map of ICTS through bilateral collaborations with the CCAA with joint financing and also the financing of activities related to GIC (Great Scientific Infrastructures) based in Spain, in particular those included in the roadmap of the European Research Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). The updating of the ICTS map for the period 2021-2024, and with it the updating of the Strategic Plan of each ICTS, will mean that in 2022 a call will be published to finance, among those investments, those that best contribute to the objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism.
