European Research Commissioner inaugurates the Institute of European Studies (IEE)

On Friday 16 December, Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation; Arcadi Navarro, Secretary of Universities and Research of the Government of Catalonia; and Margarita Arboix, Rector of the UAB, inaugurated the Institute of European Studies (IEE) at a presentation which was held at the conference hall (Sala d'Actes) of the Rectorat building. The IEE-UAB will work as an interdisciplinary centre dedicated to the research into and training of issues related to the European Union. The event will include the participation of UAB researchers in charge of coordinating European research projects.

The IEE-UAB centre for studies and research was created with the aim of fostering joint and interdisciplinary research into European Union-related topics. It is one of the UAB's commitments to focus on multidisciplinary projects aiming to combine aspects from the legal, economic, foreign, geopolitical, sociological, cultural and health sciences fields. Directed by lecturer Josep María de Dios Marcer from the Department of Private Law, the IEE-UAB will include some twenty researchers from different disciplines, and plans to incorporate young professionals with the aim of guaranteeing a continuity in the research. The centre will work with institutions, agents and society in general, with the aim of making the expertise and experience of its research members available to all sectors of society requesting it.

This was the first visit of the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation to Catalonia, one of the European regions demonstrating to have a great capacity to attract funding from EU research programmes and participate in innovative projects. The EU research framework programme Horizon 2020 includes a record budget of 76.880 billion Euros for the 2014-2020 period and integrates all phases of research and innovation. From the generation of knowledge to more market-oriented activities: in the first two years, Catalonia has received almost 310 million Euros in funding, representing 28% of Spain's total funding and 2.5% of the amount allocated by the European Commission. Up until today, a total of 327 Catalonian entities have participated, 193 of which are businesses (85% of these small and medium-sized enterprises). Universities received a total of 84 million Euros for 192 projects; and research centres were allocated 68 million Euros for 162 projects.

Data for the funding of research projects under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme place the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona as the second university in Spain in terms of funding volume. The UAB will receive 25.42 million Euros which will go to 43 research projects.