• Minister Montserrat: “We must work systematically so that research centres continue to address the major scientific challenges.”

• The Minister advocates for networked collaboration to tackle challenges such as the implementation of AI in research and the enhancement of innovation and knowledge transfer.

This morning, the Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, met with the directors of CERCA research centres with the aim of “gaining first-hand knowledge of the research being carried out at each centre and, at the same time, identifying opportunities for shared, networked research in order to address the major challenges facing the scientific landscape, such as the potential of artificial intelligence and the digitalisation of research data.”

In her address, the head of Research and Universities emphasised the importance of centres “fostering synergies to continue advancing towards the shared goal of making a positive impact on society and the planet as a whole, working systematically, consolidating and training talent, while also improving our management teams.” The Minister also highlighted the need for Catalan centres to participate in European research infrastructures by engaging in their calls, and to firmly commit to innovation and knowledge transfer.

Laia Pellejà, director of CERCA, also addressed the directors, stressing that her institution “is being strengthened to provide you with support in new areas such as open science and the implementation of plans and strategies derived from the Catalan Science Law.”

Following the Minister’s welcome remarks, the directors of the CERCA centres took the floor to present the main lines of work and future priority projects of their respective centres.

In addition to Minister Montserrat, the meeting was attended by the Director General for Research, Joan Gómez Pallarès, and the Director General for Knowledge Transfer and Society, Laia Arnal i Aras.