The Cotec Foundation for Innovation has reported today that, according to newly released data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in 2022, Spain invested more in R&D than ever, with 19.3 billion euros. The figure is 12% more than in 2021, the largest year-on-year increase since 2007 and the eighth consecutive year of growth. Continuing with its analysis, Cotec highlights that business investment in R&D is growing by 12%, reaching 10,969 million, but that this investment is increasingly concentrated. In 2022, 11,890 companies carry out R&D activities, 2,417 less than in 2008. These, however, invest 2,872 million euros more than those. Public investment in R&D grew by 11%, to 8,356 million. These figures have meant that Spain is ahead of Italy for the first time in R&D investment in nine years, due, in part, to the sharp drop in the neighboring country, to 1.33% of GDP. Spain, with 1.44%, is still far from the target of 2.12 for 2027.
The good data, which is exceptional due to European funds, continues to imply an insufficient pace to reach the objective set by the Government in 2020. To achieve this and get closer to the investment of the most advanced countries, it would be necessary to grow five years in a row at a average of 13%. The foundation explains why, in addition to growth, if the country intends to approach the figures of the most advanced countries, it must prioritize investment in science and innovation. Although nominal investment grew 12 percentage points in the last year, investment in R&D as a percentage of GDP only grew from 1.41% to 1.44%. This is because the Spanish economy also grew a lot, 10.2% in 2022.
Today, Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved a package of calls from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities with a budget of 1,000 million euros. This amount, which comes from the national budget and not from European recovery funds, will be used to finance research projects and pay the researchers who will carry out the task.
The call for Knowledge Generation projects, which are the basis of basic research in Spain and finances more than 3,000 research groups each year, will be endowed with 655 million euros (5% more than in 2022) expandable to 50 further. This call will include predoctoral contracts for researchers who participate in these projects while completing their doctorate. In addition, the Government has approved the main call for biomedical research projects, the Strategic Action in Health, which will have just over 138 million euros, expandable by 40 million.
Regarding funding for researchers, the minimum salaries of people doing doctorates have increased for the second consecutive year. It rises 7.1% this year and accumulates 15% adding the two years. The minimum wage for aid is also increased.Juan de la Cierva‘, to incorporate young researchers, with 10% this year and a growth of 30% since 2018, and the ‘Ramón y Cajal’, to incorporate scientists with outstanding careers, with 5% this year and 19% since 2018 In total, the ‘Juan de la Cierva’ aid will involve an investment of 36 million that can be increased by 3 million more. The ‘Ramón y Cajal’ will total 130 million, expandable by 15 more.
The Government has also authorized the call for aid ‘Beatriz Galindo‘, which has an endowment of more than 19 million euros, expandable by a further 325,000 euros. This call aims to attract 100 prestigious professors to Spanish public universities who are currently developing projects abroad. 60 senior ‘Beatriz Galindo’ teachers will be hired with a minimum salary of 90,000 euros and 40 junior ‘Beatriz Galindo’ teachers with a salary of 60,000 euros.
In her speech after the meeting of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities stated that “these calls represent an increase in the budget of more than 65% since Pedro Sánchez became president.” “Since 2018, the science budget has doubled, being the highest budget in the history of our country, and the largest public job offer in the science system in the last 15 years has been approved,” she added.
You can follow SUBJECT in Facebook, x and instagramor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
#Spain #overtakes #Italy #time #investment #GDP #years