This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved a package of tenders from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which has a budget of 1,000 million euros for tenders, coming exclusively from the state budget Talent and research funding.
The Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Moranthas pointed out that this unprecedented economic injection aims to fund public science systems and universities with more resources for research, as well as invest in researchers so that they can develop stable and adequately paid careers and attract and retain talent. Scientist.
“Citizens know exactly what these 1 billion euros mean. Among other things, because they require us to invest more and more in research. They know that, for example, near their homes, at universities, in research centers, in hospitals… advanced therapiess, those who practically bear the first and last name of every single citizen who cares about, for example, cancer,” explained Morant.
Knowledge generation
Specifically, the government has approved the tender for knowledge generation projects and the doctoral student contracts associated with these projects for an amount of 655 million of euros, expandable to a further 50 million.
This is the most important endowment of this call, which finances more than 3,000 research groups every year and has increased its budget by 77% since 2018 and by 5% compared to 2022.
The Minister recalled that in this edition the merger of the call for tenders for knowledge generation projects is consolidated with the call for tenders for the implementation of related doctoral theses, which shortens the time for the integration of young researchers into research groups, thus fulfilling a historic claim the scientific community.
Likewise, Morant highlighted that the Ministry continues to value the working conditions of our young researchers by increasing the minimum salary for thesis contracts by 7.1%, adding to the 7.6% increase last year. In two years, FPI researchers’ salaries have increased by more than 15%.
Compensation for termination of the doctoral student contract is also included as a reimbursable expense and is in line with the Science Act passed last year.
Also included is the Compensation upon contract termination for doctoral students as an eligible expense and in accordance with the Science Act passed last year.
Strategic action in the healthcare system
On the other hand, the government has more than approved the main call for biomedical research projects, the Strategic Action in Health 138 million of euros, expandable to a further 40 million.
The funds dedicated to research in this area are managed by the Carlos III Health Institute, will increase through additional solicitations launched in the coming months, some of which are linked to the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) for Vanguard Health. A total of 275 million euros will be mobilized for health research.
Help for Ramón y Cajal contracts
Likewise, the appeal for help for Ramón y Cajal contracts was approved, which has a budget of almost 130 million of euros, expandable to a further 15 million.
The aim of this call is to promote the integration of Spanish and foreign research personnel with an outstanding career in research organizations.
Specifically, 494 five-year contracts are being funded for postdoctoral researchers with promising careers in all areas of knowledge. Since 2018, the number of grants from this call has increased by 150%.
The call will also increase funding to increase the minimum salary of these excellent researchers to up to 35,000 euros per year for the first three years (5% more than 2022) and up to 41,500 euros for the last two years (4% more). increase. In this way, scientists who receive a Ramón y Cajal fellowship will receive 19% more salary than in 2018.
In addition, the obligation of the beneficiary institutions to offer stable positions in the field of knowledge of the Ramón y Cajal researcher is strengthened, including an economic penalty if this position is not created.
Likewise, the call to support Juan de la Cierva contracts was approved, with a budget of 36 million euros, expandable to a further 3 million. Its aim is to promote the integration of young people with a doctorate in Spanish research and development centers, thus helping to attract and retain talent in our country.
A total of 500 scholarships will be awarded under this call, which is 10% more than in 2018. The minimum salary of these researchers will also increase by more than 10%, from 25,300 euros last year to 28,000 euros in this call (at least 30% more ). Compensation compared to 2018).
Cry for help Beatriz Galindo
The government has also approved the Beatriz Galindo Aid Appeal, which includes a grant of more than 19 million euros, expandable by a further 325,000 euros.
The aim of this call is to attract 100 renowned professors from Spanish public universities who are currently developing projects abroad.
Therefore they are discontinued 60 Teacher Beatriz Galindo Sr with a minimum salary of 90,000 euros and 40 Beatriz Galindo junior teachers with a salary of 60,000 euros.
We follow scientific findings and place high demands on the rest of the system. We will demand the same efforts from the CCAA
Bet on science
Morant emphasized that these demands represent a budget increase of more than 65% since Pedro Sánchez took office as president. Since 2018, the science budget has doubled, making it the highest budget in our country’s history and approving the largest public job offer in the science system in the last 15 years.
These measures have contributed to a paradigm shift in our country’s labor market. “We are sticking to the science and will challenge the rest of the system. We will demand the same efforts from the CC AA,” he concluded.