The Commission on Science, Innovation and Universities of Congress has unanimously approved this Thursday the creation of a Subcommittee to work on the development of the Pact for Science and Innovation promoted by the Ministry, and for the study and analysis of the modification of the Science Law of 2011.
The purpose of the Subcommittee will be, on the one hand, the analysis of the situation of the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation, including proposals and conclusions to develop the Pact for Science and Innovation, in three areas: public financing in the environment and long term, stability for agencies and the promotion of talent. Second, the Subcommittee will analyze the regulations governing the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System, and will prepare a Report with proposals for the modification of Law 14/2011, of June 1, on Science, Technology and Innovation. .
The Subcommittee will be composed of 15 members, of which three will belong to the PSOE, two will be from the PP, two from Vox, another two from United We Can and one member of the remaining parliamentary groups (ERC, Grupo Plural, Cs, Grupo Mixto, PNV and EH Bildu).
During his speech at the Commission for Science, Innovation and Universities, Minister Pedro Duque announced that in a few weeks he will present to the Council of Ministers the reform of the Science Law of 2011, which will lead to the Council as a Draft Law, and which he plans to approve this year.
As explained by the minister, this reform aims to improve the governance and coordination of the Spanish Science and Technology System also enabling complementary R&D plans between the central government and the autonomous communities.
Secondly, the modification of the Law will make it possible to reinforce the transfer of results from research to society and, finally, it will be the tool to redesign a more attractive and stable scientific career which will allow the retention of scientific talent in the system.
In this sense, the reform also includes a figure for entry into the scientific career known as tenure track a formula that makes possible a foreseeable trajectory until permanent recruitment in the public system for those who exceed levels of dedication and excellence, according to the minister has shelled.
Duque has thus reported in parliamentary headquarters of the Pact for Science and Innovation, of which he has highlighted the support of more than 70 Spanish organizations today.
THREE PILLARS
The text is based on three pillars finance, people and governance. In the first place, Duque has claimed stable financing that gives continuity to the increase obtained in 2021 of 60% and has proposed that public financing of the science and innovation system be increased regularly until reaching 0.75% of GDP before 2024 and 1.25% in 2030 (currently this investment represents 0.52% of GDP). To this growth of the public sector, we will have to add the contribution of the private sector to reach 2% of GDP in 2024 and 3% in 2030, as the European Union has recently proposed.
This first pillar of funding will serve to support the second that of people, according to Duque, as he assures that there are other ways to improve the ability to retain the talent of Spanish researchers and attract that of scientists from other countries, but for this, the increase in investment is an essential condition.
From there, the Ministry proposes in the Pact that a stable and predictable career in the public sphere be consolidated for research and technical personnel, equivalent to that of the most advanced countries, and that they have the appropriate material and administrative means from let them start working.
In this sense, the Department headed by Duque is committed to the figure of the tenure track which makes possible a foreseeable trajectory until permanent recruitment in the public system for those who exceed certain levels of dedication and excellence and which will include the reform of the Science Law of 2011.
The Pact also includes the need to increase resources for the incorporation and training of R&D personnel in companies, since this mobility between academia and the productive fabric is one of the areas in which Spain has a wide margin of improvement, according to Duque.
Finally, the third axis on which the Pact is based raises the need to improve the autonomy and coordination of the large entities that finance science and innovation.As Duque has pointed out, from his Ministry it is intended that this agreement serve for the State Research Agency (AEI), the main financing entity for basic science in Spain; the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), in charge of biomedical research; and the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI), which encourages innovation, have the resources and autonomy necessary to be able to design a common strategy and carry out their functions with excellence as their objective.
In addition, it is necessary to stabilize their coordinated work and ensure in the future that whatever the distribution of competencies, there is a common strategic direction between these State agencies. On the other hand, the greatest possible collaboration between them and those who fulfill similar functions in the autonomous communities added the minister, who anticipates that he has already formally presented the Pact to the Council for Scientific, Technological and Innovation Policy in which the communities are represented.
