Wednesday, 2nd March 2022
Budget increase in the CALL DI-2022
The CALL DI-2022 of the Industrial Doctorates Plan of the Generalitat de Catalunya is open. The purpose of this call is to grant grants to research projects that are developed within the strategic framework of a company or entity in the business environment (foundations, non-profit institutions, NGOs, public bodies, etc.) and, at the same time, within a research group of a research body (Universities, Research Centers, Technology Centers and University Hospitals). In these projects, the doctoral student must carry out their research training, with the aim of doing a doctoral thesis in any field of knowledge and any business sector.
With the aim of consolidating the Industrial Doctorates Plan, Dr. Arnold. Gemma Geis, Minister of Research and Universities, announced last November 2021 that the call for Industrial Doctorates in 2022 would increase by 1.5 million euros, reaching the figure of 5,878,800 euros. This budget increase will allow to finance more Industrial Doctorate projects than in previous editions and, therefore, respond to the growing demand received by the Industrial Doctorates Plan.
During his last appearance before the Research Committee of the Parliament of Catalonia, he explained how this budget increase fulfills the objective of promoting research, innovation and knowledge transfer at the level of the most advanced countries, promoting the structuring of the country through the research of the Governing Plan of the 14th Legislature, foreseen in the measure "expanding the Industrial Doctorates Plan". Likewise, with the mission of promoting knowledge and its potential for transformation, it leaves universities and research centres to have a positive impact on society. In conclusion, favouring the transfer of knowledge to transform science into innovation by the productive, economic, social, cultural, educational and health fabric.
Similarly, this extension also responds to the agreement of the National Pact for the Knowledge Society to progressively and continuously increase public spending on R&D&I in Catalonia. The ultimate goal is to reach 1% of GDP while incentiving private investment, which should reach 2% in the same period. In short, to promote actions in R&D&I that for every euro invested by the Administration of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the private sector invests 2.
- Link to resolution REU/48/2022, of 17 January (DOGC No. 8589 – 21.1.2022), approving the regulatory bases of industrial doctorate grants (DI): https://dogc.gencat.cat/ca/document-del-dogc/?documentId=918539
- Link to resolution REU/435/2022, of 11 February, which opens the call for Industrial Doctorates (DI) 2022 (ref. BDNS 611708): https://dogc.gencat.cat/ca/document-del-dogc/?documentId=921300
Assessment and impact data of the 2021 Call
The campaign phase of the CALL DI-2021 promoted 157 proposals, of which 131 applications were formalized and 113 grants have been granted: 99 from the co-financing modality and 14 from specific aid. 10 applications have been reserved, as the demand has exceeded the budget availability of 5.25 million euros – initial budget expanded by 20%, in accordance with the regulatory bases. All applications in reserve may be accepted as there are no acceptances of the grants previously granted and, therefore, financial resources are released.
This year 98 different companies have worked as a business environment, 72 (74%) of which had not previously participated in the call. Of the total, 49 are SMEs, which represent 46% of projects with aid; 15 are large companies (17%), 16 start-ups or spin-offs (17%) and 18 non-profit organisations (20%). Compared to previous editions, a greater participation of spin-offs and non-profit entities stands out, to the detriment of SMEs.
As for the academic field, for the first time, all Catalan universities have participated, with the granting of the first project to the Abat Oliba-CEU University. Six CERCA centres (FSJD, IFAE, IREC, IRTA, IRBB and IGTP – these last two centres have also participated for the first time–), the CSIC and EURECAT. It involved 108 researchers from 97 recognized research groups. Once again, the number of new participants has been increased: 74% of researchers and 34% of the research groups participated for the first time.
According to the field of knowledge of the research group, it can be seen that more than half of the grants awarded (52.2%) are for research groups in the field of Engineering and Architecture, leaving in the background the groups in the fields of Social Sciences (15%), Medical and Health Sciences (9.7%) and Life Sciences 1 and 2 (8%). The field of projects is much more distributed: 23% are in the field of Health Sciences and Biomedical Sciences, 18.6% in the ICT field, 14.2% in Social Sciences and 13.3% in Chemical Sciences and Technologies.
Closed the CALL DI-2021 and to date, from the Industrial Doctorates Plan, more than 800 collaborative research projects have been promoted, with the participation of more than 530 different companies and institutions. However, the 12 universities of the Catalan system and 25 CERCA centres have participated, as well as centres of the CSIC, EURECAT and other agents of the research system (involving more than 600 researchers from more than 390 different SGR research groups). From an economic point of view, almost 105 million euros have been invested, 2/3 of which come from the business environment. Finally, more than 200 doctoral theses of the Plan have already been defended.
How to apply for the grant
- You can apply for the grant at this link.
- Previously, it is necessary to have submitted a proposal (link to the form) for publication on the website
Terms
- For the first partial resolution: from the day following the publication of this resolution in the DOGC (March 1) and until April 14, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., local time in Barcelona.
- For the second partial resolution: from April 15, 2022 to June 9, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., local time in Barcelona.
- For the third partial resolution: from June 10, 2022 to October 6, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., local time in Barcelona.
- For the fourth partial resolution: from October 7, 2022 to December 9, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., local time in Barcelona.
Responsible bodies
- Department of Research and Universities
- Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR)
Contact
- Jesús Ruiz de la Torre
E-mail: jruizdelatorre@gencat.cat
Phone number: 933105081 - George Alba
E-mail: jordi.albag@csuc.cat
Telephone number: 93 103 12 15
Website of the Industrial Doctorates Plan: doctoratsindustrials.gencat.cat
