University and Science Laws, by Berry Puigdominic

The new Minister of Universities in the state government has announced that he will continue to work To draft a new university law that his predecessor had begun. Catalonia’s parliament is advancing the science law process. In the annual regulatory plan for 2022 announced by the state government, a new scientific law has been included. These initiatives should allow, if the texts are correct, Universities and research, two activities that have always been closely related, I will take a new batch. If there are sufficient budgets in addition to the laws, it is clear.

The process of drafting a new university law was halted due to Resignation for health reasons of former Minister Manuel Castells. The person who replaced him, Joan Suberats, is a university professor who knows the Spanish and Catalan universities and their shortcomings in depth. Several reports have called for the creation of a new type of government for universities that allows for a less strict process in the provision of teaching and the way in which faculty are appointed. As often happens in these cases, The project will find itself in two opposite directions, Those related to setting very strict regulations or leaving universities to be autonomous to adapt to each university’s environment. The trend in Europe is rather the latter.

The law being discussed in the Parliament of Catalonia must provide for this A framework in which research centers and groups operate located in Catalonia. The Generalitat operates universities and programs such as ICREA for high-level researchers and a group of research centers included in the so-called CERCA system. These systems are recognized as Good examples of avoiding rigid systems Management that cannot respond to the needs of a sector must be dynamic by definition. However, there are essential elements to the system, such as funds for young researchers and to fund research activities, Which depends on the competitive programs of the state and Europe. In some ways, the state system needs to be restructured, and this is what the new state law of science is supposed to deal with. true that Its content is currently unknown And that it has already been thought of in last year’s and prior year’s organizational plans.

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Ministry of State for Research and Innovation has Two main financing activities general search. One is the Government Research Agency (AEI) which funds projects and young employees and has increased its budget amounting to more than 1300 million euros, The other is CSIC, which funds centers and permanent staff with a budget of more than 1,100 million euros for 2022. In the Generalitat’s budget for 2022, the research item is about 350 million euros. Both state institutions Have their structures in suspense Since the repeal of the agency law regulating them in 2015. The AEI, enshrined in the 2011 law, was not formed until 2015 while maintaining the basic administrative regulations of the ministry. CSIC has been without legal coverage since 2015 on its own and merged new research organizations, leaving them with a structure that is difficult to operate.

The new Minister of Universities defined the Spanish political system as quasi-federal. Probably, but Coordination between different levels of work Typical of federal systems – in scientific research, in Spain – practically does not exist. Research groups in Catalonia depend on the state for their funding. Catalonia has 13 CSIC centres, of which seven are co-ed with universities or Other institutions that depend on the Generalitat. And the Catalan (and Basque) experience of the staff and management of the center is particularly interesting. Everything seems to indicate that while the legislation on research and universities is being determined in Catalonia and Spain, There will be room for a coordinated mission Which seems to be in the interest of both parties and the flag applied in Catalonia and Spain. At the moment, there is no indication that the new measures are going in that direction.