Science, Innovation and Universities to finance the recruitment of young researchers and research projects with nearly €858 million

Through the State Research agency (AEI), the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) has published the resolution of the 2023 calls for grants for Knowledge Generation and Public-Private Collaboration. In total, €857.8 million have been granted to finance the recruitment of research trainees and research and knowledge transfer projects.

Call for Knowledge Generation grants

The Knowledge Generation grant call is the AEI's most important annual call, both in terms of the volume of funding and the total number of projects and contracts subsidised.

The total financing is €654.3 million, 5.1% more than the budget granted in the previous call. Specifically, 3,150 research projects have been awarded grants totalling €507.7 million, and €146.6 million has been made available for the recruitment of 1,171 young researchers.

The call finances research projects in all fields of knowledge aimed at both significantly advancing scientific knowledge and finding solutions to the challenges facing society. These include the development of new manufacturing methods and sustainable materials for the cement industry, the study of new mechanisms for the synthesis of innovative drugs against neurodegenerative diseases and pain, and the evaluation of human-induced climate change in meteorological evolution and the economic impacts associated with cyclones, among others.

The call also finances the hiring of pre-doctoral research staff for the completion of a doctoral thesis associated with the research projects mentioned above. Nearly 40% of the selected projects (1,171 projects) have a pre-doctoral contract associated with them.

The Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, stressed that "the Government of Spain is more committed than ever to science and talent and dignifying the working conditions of young researchers, as this call for proposals increases the minimum salary for pre-doctoral contracts by 7.1%, which together with the 7.6% increase in last year's call for proposals, represents an increase in the salary of researchers in training of more than 15%".

Projects may be led by a single researcher or co-directed by two people. Considering all the projects awarded, 47% involve female investigators, and 73% of them have a male principal investigator.

Universities account for the largest share of approved projects (2,219). The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) is the single entity with the highest number of approved projects (505) and the one that received the most funding (almost €130 million).

By autonomous communities, Catalonia (727 concessions), Madrid (710) and Andalusia (517) account for more than 60% of all approved projects. They also account for 64% of the pre-doctoral contracts allocated.

On 3 December, the Government approved a new call for proposals with a budget of €675 million, 36% more than in 2018, the largest amount of money ever allocated to these grants.

Call for public-private partnership grants

The aim of the Call for proposals for public-private collaboration projects (PPP projects) is to finance 3-year-long experimental development projects, in which research centres, universities and public research bodies and companies will cooperate.

In total, 630 PPP projects worth €203.5 million have been awarded, of which €79.4 million are in the form of grants, €26 million in grants as ERDF repayable advances, and €98.1 million in loans.

Morant stated that "it is important to continue building the bridge between the research and business fabric with the aim of developing pioneering medical therapies, digital tools and technologies that can strengthen our strategic autonomy in companies".

The three autonomous communities with the highest number of projects awarded are Catalonia (182 awards), Madrid (128) and Valencia (67).

On 3 December, the Government approved a new call for proposals with a budget of €320 million.

All the information on the call and the awarded projects is available on the website of the State Research Agency.

Non official translation