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.

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?

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.