Morant announces the third edition of the programme to attract and retain researchers of excellence with experience in foreign countries

The Minister for Science, Innovation, and Universities, Diana Morant, inaugurates the event "Spain ATRAE: a better country for science" at the Residencia de Estudiantes (Madrid)

ATRAE 2025, which is managed by the State Research Agency (AEI), will have a budget of 30 million euros for the recruitment of world-leading scientists in their fields of research.

The Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, has announced the third edition of ATRAE, the programme to attract and retain researchers of excellence with experience in foreign countries to work in Spain, which will be published during the second quarter of this year.

This was announced during the inauguration of the meeting 'Spain ATRAE: a better country for science', which took place at the Residencia de Estudiantes (Madrid) and which brought together 40 of the 58 internationally renowned researchers that the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) has brought to work in Spain through the ATRAE programme in its first two calls, in 2023 and 2024.

"You come to a country where the social majority trusts its scientists and asks us for more and better investment in science. And that is what we are doing", said minister Morant, who also said that Spain is a country that "is more committed than ever to science, aware that it is the best bastion for defending democracy, people's quality of life, the competitiveness of our companies and our strategic autonomy".

Spain, a country that relies more than ever on science to make better decisions and design better public policies

"You are welcomed by a country that not only fights climate and science denialism, but also relies more than ever on science to make better decisions and design better public policies. Unlike what even some of the most powerful governments in the world are doing today, cutting back on science, denying scientific evidence and propagating nonsense," she added.

56% of these researchers have returned to our country after a period abroad and the remaining 44% come from other countries. "You are talent hailing from 14 different countries. You bring a lot of knowledge and experience of what is being done in other countries", the minister pointed out.

Aim: to promote collaboration and make the impact of research projects more visible

The aim of the event is to promote collaboration and make visible the impact of the research projects that are being undertaken in different Spanish institutions and regions with this programme.

Morant stated that these researchers will help to find solutions to vital challenges such as curing Alzheimer's or cancer; guaranteeing an Artificial Intelligence and digitalisation that are inclusive, safe and sustainable; finding the clean energy of the future; or combating emergencies.

She also stressed that "one of the priorities of this government is to make Spain a better country for science from all its territories in order to transform them with progress, well-being and opportunities".

"There are more scientists working today than ever before: nearly 57,000 more jobs in R&D than when we came to government less than seven years ago, and with more stability and better salaries. The science and innovation professions are the fastest growing sector," she stressed.

ATRAE: a pioneering programme

The ATRAE 2025 call, which is managed by the State Research Agency (AEI) and is part of the Plan to attract and retain scientific and innovative talent in Spain, will have a budget of 30 million euros for the recruitment of world-leading scientists in their fields of research.

In the two previous editions, a total of 55 million euros were allocated to attract 58 internationally renowned researchers, both Spanish and foreign nationals, to our universities and public research organisations.

Round table and presentation of projects

A round table discussion was held during the event, moderated by the Secretary General for Research, Eva Ortega, with the participation of Noemí Pinilla, ATRAE researcher at the University of Oviedo, previously at the Florida Space Institute; Vincenzo Calvanese, ATRAE researcher at the José Carreras Leukaemia Foundation, previously at University College London; and Audrey Sawyer, ATRAE researcher at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, previously at the University of Ohio.

Finally, ATRAE researchers presented their projects in fields such as energy, health and the environment, among others. The event was closed by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, Juan Cruz Cigudosa.

Non official translation