Plan to promote innovation in Social Sciences and Humanities: a visit to Leiden University

The programme is aimed at the seven CERCA centres in this area and proposes to identify challenges and good international practices that promote innovation in our environment.

On February 26 and 27th, a group of research staff and transfer managers from the seven CERCA centres for Social Sciences and Humanities (CED, CREI, IBEI, ICAC, IPHES, ICRPC and ICP) visited Leiden University in Netherlands.

The objective of the visit was to personally interview Dr. Jessica Meijer, head of innovation and business development at LURIS, the transfer unit of Leiden University. Dr. Meijer had worked with the managers of CERCA centres previously to prepare an action plan to be included in their strategic agenda, so they work on transfer of innovation and impact of their research towards society.

During the trip, the participants learned about the operation of the “Digital Scholarship”, which specializes in the application of digital technologies in the academic and research world.

The “Digital Humanities Lab” was also presented. It is a platform that offers advanced equipment and specialized staff to meet the demands of research staff and students.

The plan to boost innovation in the social sciences and humanities is part of the CERCA programme on transfer of knowledge started in 2024 with funding from the General Directorate of Transfer and Knowledge Society.

Laia Pellejà, appointed new director of the CERCA Institute

Doctor in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and Master in Public Management, Pellejà was until now the manager of the ICIQ-CERCA Research Centre in Tarragona

Dr Laia Pellejà i Puxeu will take over the management of the CERCA Institute, as of 1 March, after the Board of Trustees approved the appointment proposal made by the Catalan Minister of Research and Universities, Joaquim Nadal i Farreras.

Born in Tarragona in 1979, Laia Pellejà holds a degree in Chemistry from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and a master and doctorate in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology from the same university. She also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the School of Public Administration of Catalonia (EAPC) and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC).

Her professional career has been developed mainly in various positions of responsibility at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ-CERCA), where he has been manager since 2020 until now. Previously, she was responsible for the area of Scientific Dissemination and Training between 2014 and 2020 and was a laboratory engineer (2010-2014) and project researcher (2005-2009).

The new director of CERCA is also a member of the Content and Programme Advisory Council of the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation, of the Community of Practice for the Evaluation of Public Policies of the Government of Catalonia (CoAVA) and of the current board of the Catalan Society of Chemistry. She has also co-authored a patent and has 17 publications in international scientific journals.

Pellejà will succeed Dr Lluís Rovira i Pato, who has held this position the last 13 years, from 2011 to 2024.

 

Dra. Laia Pellejà.
Dr Laia Pellejà.

New programme to promote the transfer of knowledge in CERCA system

Activities focus on commercialitzation, innovation and transfer. First session is dedicated to the new patent system in Europe.

Throughout 2024, I-CERCA will develop activities to promote and communicate the transfer of knowledge within the CERCA System. These activities are related to Strategic Innovation and Knowledge Transfer Plan of the Research and Universities Department and is funded by the General Directorate of Transfer and Knowledge Society.

A fundamental part of the program is based in the training and qualification of the personnel who work at the transfer units of the CERCA centres. This group, set up as a Transfer Community, will meet every month to exchange experiences, success stories and best practices.

First session was led by Enric Carbonell, European patent agent and partner in the Barcelona office of ABG Intellectual Property with whom I-CERCA has signed a collaboration agreement. ABG IP is a leading European firm in industrial property and will be preparing a series of informative pills to promote the use of patents and trademarks.

Because of recent changes in the patent system in Europe, it is possible to request that European patents have a unitary effect after being granted; therefore, legal protection of inventions is valid through a single procedure in the 17 member states of the EU.

Alexandra Romero, from The Collider program of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, also participated in the session. She focused on the development of the program linked to the Venture Building of the European Innovation Council (EIC in its English acronym) and its need for investment capital.

Anabel Sanz, head of the technology and business development office of the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), explained the internal organization and the challenges faced by her unit.

New unitary patent System

Until its implementation, this procedure could only be carried out country by country in those states in which the holder desired to be patented. In fact, the procedure is still the most convenient in some cases and it is the only option for a European patent to be valid in Spain, which remains outside the system. Enric Carbonell pointed out that Spain is not part of the unitary patent, but this doesn’t prevent Catalan innovative organizations from opting for it.

The new patent system means lower costs, less paperwork and reduced administrative burden for innovators but a series of risks and conditions must also be taken into account. In the training session, Enric Carbonell explained the positive aspects and the drawbacks, offering a strategic vision for the future of organizations’ projects.

CITISYSTEM sustainable urban solutions present in the Smart City Expo World Congress

The project is to support regions and cities in promoting the bio-based circular economy

The CITISYSTEM consortium has been present in the Smart City Expo World Congress, the biggest event for cities and urban innovation, held in Barcelona from 7-9 November.

Catalan agents and stakeholders involved in the European project CITISYSTEM gathered on 9 November 2023 with representatives from all other CITISYSTEM partner countries at the Smart City Expo World Congress to learn from a dissemination event where experiences, good practices, and new strategies to strengthen circular bioeconomy were shared.

As presented by Katerina Medkova, CITISYSTEM’s Lead Partner from LAB University of Applied Sciences, Finland, the project aims to develop circular bioeconomy on the systemic and stakeholder levels and, by sharing knowledge and potential solutions, allow everyone to capitalize on already tested solutions.

Sharing Catalan Expertise

In representation of the Department of Climate Action, Food, and Rural Agenda, Miriam González showcased the 2030 Catalan Bioeconomy Strategy (EBC2030), defining it as an opportunity to advance toward economic, social and environmental sustainability while guaranteeing territorial balance.

EBC2030 is coordinated by a cross-cut technical unit and fosters complicity between stakeholders to take actions such as spearhead R+D+i and technological transfer, encourage the use and consumption of bioproducts, bioenergy, and biomaterials, or strengthen the role of the administration to adapt policies in favour of circular bioeconomy,

Already in motion, the 1st Action Plan focuses on improving forest management, creating resilient agroforestry landscapes, and recovering coproducts and byproducts from the food chain and livestock dejections and organic waste to be reused as, for instance, biogas and biomethane or innovative organic fertilizers.

Representing Strategic Planning of the Catalan Waste Agency, Director Francesc Giró addressed Catalan policies regarding waste collection. In 1993, Catalonia’s Waste Law already obliged its citizens to separate biowaste: then, separate biowaste collection was 1.4%; in 2022, it had risen to 47.2%. Nevertheless, there are still many challenges to overcome: from advancing in efficient separate collection systems in large cities and densely populated municipalities to facing the appearance of compostable materials in the collection and treatment of biowaste.

Thus, as of 2023, a new law is being drafted on waste prevention, management, and efficient use of resources, and a Circular Economy Roadmap is being developed to tackle these challenges and continue taking steps toward a greener society.

Towards a better future

The event concluded with a dynamic round-table moderated by Lluis Rovira, CERCA’s director, and Maria Jäppinen, LAB’s communication officer, who put forward insightful and thought-provoking questions that sparked debate and left everyone involved invigorated and motivated to continue working towards creating healthier and more sustainable cities for future generations.

Presentation of the Citisystem Project at the Smart City Expo World Congress

The second edition of Àgora, the CERCA manager training program, begins

The second edition of the Àgora program was inaugurated today with a presentation dedicated to the Charter and Code of Conduct for research staff.

The session, led by Dr Michele Rosa-Clot, manager of the HRS4R portfolio at the European Commission’s General Directorate for Research and Innovation, addressed the evolution of the Charter and the Code of Conduct and its implementation mechanism, the Human Resources strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), in its current format.

Dr Rosa-Clot also discussed the future evolution of the program focusing on the proposed recommendation recently adopted by the Council on a European framework to attract and retain talent in the field of research, innovation and entrepreneurship in europe.

Àgora is a management development program aimed at the management of CERCA centers that offers monthly debate and exchange sessions with experts from different fields on the most relevant topics that may affect the management of the centers.

The following sessions planned for this year will revolve around the State’s funding programs and, in particular, the Severo Ochoa Program, the supervision exercised by the Audit Office on the performance of the CERCA centers and the creation of Groups of Economic Interest (AIE).

“CERCA, the future is our present” The new campaign to publicize the System of research centres in Catalonia

With the motto “A CERCA, the future is our present,” the main objective of this campaign is to spread the word and bring the Catalan Research Centres System closer to the public.

Starting this Wednesday until the month of July, an exclusive advertisement will be broadcasted on the media channels of the Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals (CCMA) to promote the Catalan Research Centres.

With the new campaign, the CERCA Centres aspire to reach a wider audience, underlining their importance as a motor of research and innovation in Catalonia and highlighting their outstanding role in the national and international arena. With this, it is hoped to foster a greater awareness and appreciation for the work carried out by the CERCA Centres, as well as its direct impact on the present and the future of our society.

The CERCA System is one of the main actors in the field of research and innovation in Catalonia. However, it is not always well known. For this reason, it is essential that citizens know that these Centres are part of a cohesive system, made up of a total of 41 research institutes, all of which are participated by the Government of Catalonia. The Centres and the CERCA Foundation (I-CERCA), configure the CERCA System and work side by side to promote scientific research and the transfer of knowledge and innovation.

The CERCA system employs nearly 16,900 people considered R&D staff, of which almost 10,000 are research staff. It has basic funding from the Government which in 2021, reached €294 million and has managed to attract competitive and non-competitive resources up to a total budget of €790 million (2021). The system also acts as a pole of attraction for international talent. Currently, 25% of its staff come from outside Spain, demonstrating its reputation as a top-level workplace in the field of research and innovation.

Likewise, the CERCA System is widely recognized in Europe. Within the framework of the H2020 Program, it captured a total of €554 M and 1,114 projects, of which 454 were projects coordinated from the Centres themselves. These impressive results place the CERCA System in fifth position in the European ranking, surpassing renowned institutions such as the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In the current Horizon Europe 2021-2027 program, the CERCA System has already raised more than €120 million, further consolidating its position as one of the main fundraisers for European research grants.

The I-CERCA Foundation plays a fundamental role as a coordination and support structure. Working for its corporate, institutional and scientific projection, the foundation contributes to putting into practice the policies of the Government of Catalonia aimed at the Centres of the CERCA system as stated in the Science Law, approved in December 2022.

Mathematician Marta Sanz-Solé Appointed New Vice President of CERCA

  • Mathematician Marta Sanz-Solé Appointed New Vice President of CERCA

The board of trustees of the CERCA Institution has named mathematician Marta Sanz-Solé (Sabadell, 1952) as the new Vice President of the organization. Dr Sanz-Solé succeeds Dr Núria Sebastian in the position.

With an illustrious professional career, Marta Sanz-Solé is a specialist in probability theory. Her research interests lie in stochastic analysis, particularly stochastic differential and partial differential equations.

Having earned her doctorate from the University of Barcelona (UB), she has served as a professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Subsequently, she became a professor at UB, where she joined the research group on stochastic processes. From 1993 to 1996, she served as the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics at UB, and from 2000 to 2003, she was the Vice President of the Division of Experimental Sciences and Mathematics at the same university. She currently holds the position of emeritus professor.

Dr Sanz-Solé served as the President of the European Mathematical Society (2011-2014), being the first woman to hold this position. Additionally, she has been a member of scientific and management committees of various mathematical research centres in Europe, and she was the Chair of Panel PE1 (Mathematics) for the Consolidator Grants (CoG) in the 2019 and 2021 calls of the European Research Council.

Her academic excellence has been recognized with distinctions and awards, including the Narcís Monturiol Medal for Scientific and Technological Excellence from the Government of Catalonia (1998), Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (2011), member of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (2016), and the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona (2019), among others.

With this new appointment as Vice President of the CERCA Institution, Marta Sanz-Solé will strengthen her dedication to promoting research and scientific excellence in Catalonia, contributing to the development and advancement of the scientific community on a national and international scale.

Dr Marta Sanz Solé

CITISYSTEM, the project to promote bio-circular economy solutions kick-starts

CERCA participates in the start-up meeting of the project, which took place in Lahti (Finland)

The city of Lahti presents its circular economy knowledge to international guests

The kick-off meeting of CITISYSTEM took place in Lahti, Finland, from May 9 to 11. The event provided an opportunity for participants to gain insights into the operations of Salpakierto Oy and LABIO Oy, focusing on the recycling and utilization of bio-waste and biomass. Additionally, the Circular Economy Laboratory of LAB University of Applied Sciences, the project coordinator, was introduced, along with representatives from the city of Lahti and Lahti Energia, who showcased other local examples of circular economy practices.

The primary objective of the CITISYSTEM project is to support cities in promoting bio-circular economies. LAB University of Applied Sciences serves as the project’s lead partner, with the city of Lahti being one of the project’s partners. The project collaboration includes the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), the Regional Development Agency of Gorenjska (Slovenia), the city of Mechelen (Belgium), the Central Macedonia Regional Development Fund (Greece), and the CERCA Institution.

The CERCA Institution joins CoARA, the coalition for Advancing Research Assessment

The CERCA Institution has signed the Agreement for Advancing Research Assessment and has joined the CoARA international coalition as a member.

The Agreement proposes a common vision between the signatory organizations in order to promote changes in research assessment practices and maximize quality of research and impact towards society.

Based on ten commitments, the agreement proposes the recognition of the diversity of practices, activities and professional careers in the research activity; the implementation of qualitative indicators to avoid burden of metrics based on journals and publications; allocating sufficient budget to research assessment and reviewing and developing new evaluation criteria and processes.

Over all these proposals, the coalition has keen interest in raising awareness on the need of reforming evaluation systems and exchange practices and experiences among the commitments for mutual learning,

Success of the conference on the impact of research in centres and universities

  • Especialistes nacionals i internacionals s’ha reunit a Barcelona per debatre diferents experiències en la valoració no acadèmica de la recerca.

      Today, the workshop “The culture of impact in research institutions and universities” was held in Barcelona, organized by the CERCA Institution, the Health Quality and Assessment Agency of Catalonia (AQuAS) and the ‘Associació Catalana d’Universitats Públiques (ACUP), with the aim of debating and presenting different national and international experiences on the non-academic assessment of research and its impact on society.

      The first part of the workshop focused on global perspectives on research impact. It has had the participation of David Phipps, who leads research programs and their impacts at York University (Toronto, Canada), and Jane Millar, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Bath (United Kingdom), who presented her experience in assessing the social and non-academic impact of research.

      The experiences carried out in Sweden and Norway through entities such as The Research Council of Norway and the Swedish Research Council have also been discussed.

      The second part presented local experiences of institutions that have worked to build a culture of impact. Julie Bayley, from the Lincoln Impact Literacy Institute (LILI), has moderated a focus group with the participation of Anabel Sánchez, from Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Rosina Malagrida, from the AIDS Research Institute (IrsiCaixa), Xavier Ariño, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and Jordi Bosch, from the University of Barcelona (UB),

      During the event, the need to promote a culture of impact that allows measuring and evaluating the results obtained by research and putting them at the service of society was highlighted. In this sense, the director of CERCA, Lluís Rovira, has announced that a glossary of terms is being worked on, in collaboration with the IEC.

      The event brought together more than 150 attendees, including researchers, heads of research centres and universities, managers and other professionals related to the world of research and innovation and is the first of a series of related performances that will last completed this year.