Xunta and Feuga will collaborate in the transfer of knowledge and the international positioning of the Galician universities
The Counsellor of Culture and Education and the General Director of the Foundation signed an agreement provided with more than 2.9 million euros
Santiago de Compostela, June 11, 2018
The Counsellor of Culture, Education and University Planning, Mr. Román Rodríguez González and the General Director of Enterprise and Galician University Foundation – FEUGA (FEUGA, in its Spanish initials) Mr. Francisco Javier Pereiro Pérez, signed a collaboration agreement today through which the entities will collaborate in the transfer of knowledge and the international positioning of the Galician University System (SUG in its Sapnish initials). This sign gives continuity to the agreement signed in 2016 to increase the possiblities chances of Galician university research access to European projects.
On this occasion, in addition to increasing the budget and the validity of the agreement (up to more than 2.9 million euros and four years), three new lines of action are incorporated. They are added, in any case, to the positioning, promotion, dissemination and funding of European projects of the SUG (2018-2020) to promote the participation of SUG research groups in European projects.
Management of centres of excellence
The first of the new lines of action, already contemplated in the Plan of University Excellence 2020, will be directed to the creation of two training programmes, GESCI and GOSCI, for the development of skills in strategic management of research units ands centres of excellence. They are directed to executive and intermediate positions of the research units and centres of excellence. Both are pioneering programmes in Spain, of which three editions will be held under this agreement.
It is, explained the Counsellor, “of a very important measure because Galicia counts today with a very broad research community, but they need training in strategic and operative management to advance in the success of the management of the centres and their projects “. Also, the Head of the educational department of the Xunta de Galicia stressed that, to design these programmes, is working with the best specialists in Spain in the field, and in their development will have first level speakers. “This action has a strategic weight for the university research system in Galicia, a field in which from 2009 we have invested more than 500 million euros “, he insisted.
Professional profiles
Another of the new actions, and also envisaged in the University Plan of Excellence, is aimed at conducting a prospective study of global trends and strategic sectors with an impact on the employment of Galicia, with the aim of developing a complete catalogue of professional profiles for the future. This line connects directly with the new map of qualifications and university specialties for the SUG that the Department of Galicia is agreeing with the universities, and that seeks to conform to the needs and demands of the Galician society and market in the next decade.
In this sense, this action is expected to improve the employability for future graduates and in which the productive sectors have better trained professionals.
Technology Preassessment
Finally, the Agreement envisages the creation and implementation of a process for the detection and pre-evaluation of technologies from the SUG with a high transfer potential to the market.
Through this action, they seek to create a standard process at the regional level for the detection of technologies with potential transfer, improve communication and standardize processes and methodologies between the different knowledge generating entities. In addition they will prioritize transfer actions and steps to follow with the technologies detected through the defined process.
Balance
The collaboration with FEUGA in this field began in 2016, detecting potentialities in the Galician groups and promoting the SUG in Brussels, looking for opportunities towards the projects of the Horizon 2020.
Feuga adhered at this time to 16 initiatives at European level with the aim of positioning the researchers of the SUG before the calls 2018-2020, facilitating the visibility of the three universities and their researchers, as well as contacts with key partners.
The comparison between opportunities in April of 2018 respect to 2017 is very relevant. In April 2017 there were in preparation, negotiation or evaluation 32 proposals, a year later, the figure rose to 65, with an improvement in proposals at the three universities. In addition, since the implementation of the agreement, three projects of the SUG captured European funds, in total more than 653,000 euros.
The Counsellor valued very positively the results of the actions developed. He explained that the signing of this second agreement will contribute to give more visibility at European and international level to the Galician researchers and to improve the strategic formation of the people who run research centres and units. He also explained that this collaboration will be very relevant for the development of the 2020 University Excellence Plan.
