The model of governmental support for business R&D differs between Spain and Portugal, with a predominance of direct support in the case of Spain and indirect in that of Portugal.
Laura Cruz Castro, Luis Sanz Menéndez, Cláudia Sarrico and Tiago Santos Pereira;
People who work in research are a pillar of the system. Are the working conditions of this sector favourable in Spain and Portugal or are they forcing a brain drain?
Manuel Mira Godinho, José Guimón, Catalina Martínez and Joana Mendonça;
In Spain and Portugal, only 6% of PhD holders work in the business sector. There is a broad margin for improvement in the relationship between science and business.
James Wilsdon, professor of research policy at the University of Sheffield;
How should the social impact of research be measured? James Wilsdon, professor at the University of Sheffield, talks to us about the need for “responsible metrics”.
From an economic viewpoint, innovation is considered to be an engine of growth because of its capacity to generate wealth and employment, a focus that has gained prominence since the start of the financial crisis in 2008. This review by the “la Caixa” Social Observatory comments on two books that analyse this issue from very different perspectives.
Spain’s Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation;
Spain’s Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation, Carmen Vela, describes in this interview the strengths of the current system and highlights those fronts being worked on with regard to the medium and long term.
Paloma Miravitlles, Fariza Achcaoucaou, Ana Núñez-Carballosa and Laura Guitart-Tarrés, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Barcelona;
On the global economic map drawn up by the financial crisis of 2008, the emerging countries are displacing the developed countries in the attracting of foreign investment in R&D. What factors influence this phenomenon and how does it affect countries such as Spain?
This index allows comparison of the level of innovation in different regions. Measuring variables such as infrastructures, business activity or tangible results, it shows that in Spain there is still much work to be done.
Dr. Katrien Maes, Chief Policy Officer, League of European Research Universities (LERU);
Increasingly, certain areas of research – such as biomedicine – incorporate the sex and gender dimension into their projects. However, despite its relevance, this question continues to be a pending assignment in the majority of cases.