ICTA-UAB receives the María de Maeztu Excellence Accreditation

Corbera, accompanied by ICTA-UAB Director Isabel Pont, is now handing over the leadership of the excellence unit to Dan Brockington, who will lead the strategic programme over the next four years. 

The ceremony, held in Zaragoza, was presided over by the Spanish Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, who highlighted that the Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu centres represent “the forefront of a Spain that relies on science as a key pillar of its democratic, social, and economic project".

The Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu accreditations are granted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), through the State Research Agency (AEI), to research centres and units of excellence in Spain. Minister Diana Morant underlined their “undisputed scientific leadership at international level” and stressed that these accreditations “represent a significant boost to the quality of Spanish scientific research.” As she pointed out, these accreditations are more than just formal recognition. 

For the upcoming 2025 call, which opened in April, the available funding has been increased to 78 million euros: “This is a commitment by the Government of Spain to your talent and the knowledge you represent. Since 2018, this programme has grown by 33% in the number of accreditations and 83% in funding,” she explained. This increase reflects the fact that “Spain today is a country of science and for science, a better country for research and innovation.” “This is the best moment in our history for science and research in Spain,” she concluded. 

The event, held at the University of Zaragoza, also featured the participation of the Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, Pilar Alegría. 

The final resolution of the 2024 call for ‘Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence’ and ‘María de Maeztu Units of Excellence’ has awarded a total of 75.7 million euros to support 9 centres and 8 units of excellence that stand out for their scientific impact and international leadership. 

In this 2024 call, Severo Ochoa centres will each receive 4.5 million euros, while the smaller María de Maeztu units will receive 2.25 million euros, both over a four-year period. 

The Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu accreditations aim to strengthen organisational structures, strategic research planning, and the promotion of best practices in research management. In addition, they seek to enhance the visibility of centres and units of excellence, foster internationalisation, and support the recruitment and retention of young research talent. 

 

2024 ‘María de Maeztu’ Units of Excellence 

• Departamento de Medicina y Ciencias de la Vida (MELIS-UPF) 
• Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA-UAB) 
• Centro de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Enfermedades Crónicas (CiMUS) 
• Institut de Ciencies del Cosmos (ICCUB) 
• Instituto de Ciencia Molecular (ICMOL) 
• IMDEA Software 
• Instituto Universitario de Investigación de Matemáticas de la Universidad de Sevilla (IMUS) 
• Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES) 

 

2024 ‘Severo Ochoa’ Centers of Excellence 

• Centro Nacional Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO)
• Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM) Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD)
• Instituto de Ciencias Fotónicas (ICFO)
• Institut Català d Investigació Química (ICIQ)
• Institut de Física d'Altes Energies (IFAE)
• Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
• Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM) Barcelona School of Economics (BSE)