The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities grants the accreditations as Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence or María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence with the aim of promoting the quality of Spanish scientific research through the recognition of the best centers and units that stand out for the relevance and impact, at international level, of the research results obtained during the previous reference period.
Two types of action are contemplated depending on the legal personality, the degree of autonomy in administrative and economic management and the number of researchers. The selected research centers will be accredited as Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence and the selected research units will receive the María de Maeztu Units of Excellence accreditation.
The recognition is carried out through an annual call for competitive competition, subjecting the applications submitted to an evaluation and selection process carried out, independently, by an international scientific committee composed of researchers of recognized prestige and impact. Therefore, the centers or consolidated units that submit their candidacy for this program must:
- have a high level of impact and competitiveness in its field of activity in the global scientific arena,
- submit their research activities on a regular basis to scientific evaluation processes through external and independent scientific committees,
- develop its research activities according to a strategic program that responds to the generation of border knowledge,
- have training, selection and attraction of human resources activities at international level,
- mantener acuerdos activos de colaboración e intercambio a nivel institucional con centros de investigación de alto nivel, y
- Work on the empowerment of activities for the transfer and dissemination of knowledge to society.
The accreditation as Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence or María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence will be valid for four years and will provide: reputation and social and scientific recognition; one million euros per year for each of the centers in that period or five hundred thousand euros per year in the case of the units; priority access to other initiatives in the field of research promotion.
The action is aimed at research centers and units in the public sector, as well as private non-profit research institutions, whose scientific leadership is internationally proven, with capacities to contribute decisively to advance the frontier of knowledge and generate high-impact results, as well as for the attraction of talent.
The calls are managed by the State Research Agency.
