CERCA Centres: The awakening of Catalan Research

Authors

  • Lluís Rovira Director of the CERCA Institution (I-CERCA), Barcelona, Catalonia

Keywords:

scientific policy · research centres · CERCA

Abstract

The 42 CERCA centres existing today come from a historical origin plus a new wave of creation of new R&D centres starting approximately in 2000. They all have their own legal status under the umbrella of the CERCA Institution (I-CERCA). I-CERCA plays a control and coordinating role including evaluation, selection of directors, merging CERCA centres, national and international promotion, technology transfer benchmarking, etc. CERCA centres are built on a basis of institutional collaboration with universities and hospitals (who fund them in kind), and promoted by the Government of Catalonia (who funds them in cash with 100 million euros annually that represent 25% of their global income). The outputs measured by ERCs granted, coordination of H2020 projects, HRS4R awards, etc. are impressive. The comparison of their scientific production (and impact) in 2012–2014 with CNRS, Max Planck Institutes and CSIC is surprising! CERCA’s contribution to the expanding Catalan Science is crystal-clear. [Contrib Sci 12(1):1-3 (2016)]

Keywords: scientific policy · research centres · CERCA

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Section

Feature articles/Research centres in Catalonia