The Government of Spain brings in 22 scientific advisors to strengthen public policy design

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

Pedro Sánchez together with the members of the meeting (Pool Moncloa /Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The President of the Government of Spain met today with the 22 scientific advisors who will join the ministries to strengthen the bridges between the Executive and the scientific community, and thereby contribute to improving the design of public policies.

The 22 advisors have been chosen from among 1,601 candidates in a transparent and objective merit-based process that was co-designed and co-implemented by the scientific community itself, represented by more than 100 professionals from the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE), the Confederation of Spanish Scientific Societies (COSCE), the Instituto España, the Federation of Spanish Scientific and Medical Associations (FACME), and the SOMMa network, which brings together 68 Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence and María de Maeztu Units of Excellence.

This is the first time ever that a selection method of this kind has been developed and used to incorporate profiles into the General State Administration.

The president stressed the importance of amplifying the role of science in public management processes, highlighting the essential role played by the scientific community in the process of selecting the advisors. With this initiative, Spain seeks to elevate and consolidate the role of science in government work, and to place itself at the international forefront of this practice.

Pool Moncloa /Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The 22 selected scientists have a strong academic background in various academic disciplines (social sciences, economics, law, biochemistry, engineering, behavioural sciences and mathematics) and, in many cases, extensive experience in advisory work for both national and international institutions. There are 12 women and 10 men, with an average age of 47, some with a consolidated professional background and others at earlier stages of their careers (half are between 35 and 45 years old, and 9 are over 50). In professional terms, 5 are university professors, 8 are full professors or full scientists in public research organisations or equivalent, 5 are employed in universities or research centres, 2 are scientific advisors in the European Commission and 2 in national organisations. There is also a notable geographical diversity among the scientists: 8 come from Madrid, 7 from Andalusia, 3 from the Valencian Community, 2 from Catalonia, and 1 each from Aragon and Galicia.

The work of these advisors will focus on creating new links and spaces for collaboration between the Government and universities and research centres, where scientific knowledge will help to design better policies and make more evidence-based decisions. The advisors will also contribute to the development of tools, protocols and ethical codes to create a culture of scientific advice in institutions.

The network of advisors will be coordinated by the National Scientific Advisory Office (ONAC) of the presidency of the Government, and will work in close collaboration with the network of experts of the CSIC, the European Commission and other international scientific networks.

Non official translation