The conference "University-SME collaboration", organized by Pimec, positions the Industrial Doctorate Plan as a key tool for democratizing access to innovation and connecting business needs with high-level academic talent.
In an increasingly complex global economic environment, research is no longer a luxury reserved for large corporations, but a strategic necessity for the survival and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises. This was the central premise of the conference held yesterday at the Pimec Forum , under the title ” Talent and research to transform SMEs “, where they discussed how to strengthen the links between the productive fabric and the Catalan knowledge system.
The event served to highlight the fundamental role of the Industrial Doctorate Plan (DI Plan) as an effective transfer mechanism. Xavier Segura , president of Pimec Universitats, opened the session with a strong message about the urgency of this paradigm shift: “Today we need research and SMEs more than ever. Our industry is entering a world where the rules have changed.”
A public policy for the entire business fabric
During the session, representatives of the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat de Catalunya detailed the instruments available to promote this public-private collaboration. Jordi Alba , technical director of the Industrial Doctorates Plan, combatted the prejudice that high-level research is far from the reality of SMEs: ” Industrial Doctorates are a key public policy for SMEs: we make the most of doctoral talent and knowledge transfer to advance the challenges of the Catalan business fabric” , stated Alba. This modality allows companies to incorporate research talent to develop strategic projects of 3 to 4 years, generating a specialized knowledge asset within the organization.
For her part, Elsa Delgado , a technician in Knowledge Transfer and Innovation, framed these efforts within a broader country strategy, recalling that Catalonia has positioned itself as a Strong Innovator in the European ranking. ” The impetus for knowledge transfer allows us to energize the R&D&I ecosystem and work with all the agents in the value chain ,” highlighted Delgado, underlining the importance of connecting research infrastructures with the market.
Real impact, from theory to application
The subsequent round table gave voice to the real protagonists of these projects: universities, companies and doctors. The debate showed that the success of Industrial Doctorates lies in their ability to align interests that are often considered opposing. Joan Torrent, professor and director of Management Research at the UOC, called for greater fluidity in these relationships: “The university must introduce the notion of social impact at the beginning of the project. The company-university movement should be more fluid.”
From the company’s perspective, Ginés Molina-Abri l, Data Optimization Engineer at CLIQPOD , explained how the incorporation of an industrial PhD student changes the internal work dynamics: “Industrial PhD projects allow us to tackle problems differently, with a long-term perspective.” This view was reinforced by Coloma Ballester, director of the UPF Doctoral School, who celebrated the program’s ability to materialize basic science: “The benefit of Industrial PhDs is the immediate return: it allows us to find a balance between the short and long term.”
The day concluded by focusing on human capital. Laura Portell , industrial doctor from UPF and the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities, shared her personal experience, highlighting the training value of the dual model. “It has given me a broader and dual vision. I advise new industrial doctoral students to take advantage of the opportunity to do research that will have an impact,” she said.
With initiatives like this, Pimec and the Generalitat reaffirm that innovation is not just a matter of technology, but of talent and strategic collaboration, elements where Industrial Doctorates are consolidated as a cornerstone.
