HR4RS stamp
Albert Rose
The Rey Juan Carlos University signed this Tuesday, together with the rest of Madrid's public universities and six IMDEA foundations -Madrid Institutes of Advanced Studies- a plan endowed with 49 million euros for research projects on the fight against the coronavirus. The URJC would receive an amount of 5.783.000 euros to launch its scientific initiatives.
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has generated a deep crisis in Europe and the rest of the world with social and economic consequences of unprecedented severity in recent history. To deal with this situation, the European Council approved the creation of a recovery instrument, called 'Next Generation EU', with the aim of responding jointly to the crisis.
The aid provided through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Recovery Aid for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU) will serve to develop 26 large applied research studies in the twelve Madrid institutions.
The projects will make it possible to acquire and develop knowledge and techniques, in addition to using existing ones in the creation of products, processes or services with which to deal with both COVID-19 and future pandemics.
As a complement, the purchase of technical scientific equipment will be paid to expand the capacities of the working groups, positioning them at a higher international level and, in addition, improving the early warning skills and the resilience of the R&D system of the Community of Madrid in these situations.
Madrid's R&D shows muscle
The Minister of Education, Universities and Science and spokesman for the regional Executive, Enrique Ossorio, attended this Tuesday the presentation of the agreements reached in this matter, which took place at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. The rector of the URJC and president of CRUMA, Javier Ramos, was present at the event, together with the rest of the rectors of the Madrid universities.
For his part, Ramos highlighted the importance of research in these times and the need for its financing: “Few economic policies are as decisive and have a greater impact on society than those dedicated to education and research. The ones dedicated to the university”, he assured.
In another aspect, the rector highlighted the "joint vindication of the role of universities, research institutes, the European model of agreements and the involvement of the Autonomous Community". In addition, he called for a "courageous policy" that bets on universities and research because "without them, without us, societies do not advance," he concluded.