Obra Social «la Caixa» and Catalan universities present RecerCaixa

Associació Catalana d'Universitats Públiques (ACUP)

The savings bank «la Caixa» has set up a new research grant programme to help scientists working at different universities and centres of Catalonia as well as to attract international researchers working on innovative projects. The Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP) will be in charge of putting the programme into motion and informing the public of its actions, and will be directed by former UAB Rector Lluís Ferrer

14/12/2009

Isidre Fainé, president of «la Caixa» and the Foundation «la Caixa», and Imma Tubella, president of the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP), signed on 14 December a collaboration agreement to begin working on RecerCaixa, a new programme aimed at promoting research in Catalonia and with two main objectives: to offer support to research professionals working in universities or centres of Catalonia and attract researchers from other countries by focusing on the most innovative projects. The signing of the agreement was presided by Josep Huguet, Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise.
The Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP) will be in charge of putting the programme into motion and informing the public of its actions with the help of Obra Social «la Caixa», which will provide nine million euros in funding until 2014, and under the direction of former UAB Rector Lluís Ferrer.

The agreement is based on the conviction that Catalonia is currently experiencing a large boom in scientific production and that its research teams need more consolidation to create tradition and reinforce the image of Catalonia as a region focused on top quality science where professionals receive the support of society.
The main objectives of RecerCaixa are to promote scientific research, technological advances and the translation of scientific knowledge to these advances as well as to offer solutions for today's society; to contribute to the consolidation of Catalonia as one of the main poles of creation of scientific knowledge with the aim of expanding the international projection of the science carried out in the country; the promotion of a knowledge-based economy; awareness-raising and participation of individuals in the process of producing scientific knowledge and in the assessment of a scientific culture and knowledge, the dissemination of this knowledge and the training of society.

This will be carried out by awarding economic aids to scientific projects of acknowledged value; the awarding of grants and other types of aids for the training and mobility of researchers; the organisation of conferences, workshops, seminars, training and dissemination activities; and if possible, the use of selected scientific projects carried out by ACUP researchers for activities organised by the museums CosmoCaixa and CaixaForum, articles published in «Col·lecció d'Estudis Socials», as well as for future programmes of the Foundation «la Caixa».