The Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación has resolved the R&D aid program for an amount of 10.32 million euros aimed at hiring 95 young predoctoral researchers in nine Andalusian universities and 14 research and innovation organizations. The selected candidates have until May to join their destinations.
According to the distribution of funds, the nine public universities in Andalusia – corresponding to those located in the eight capitals and the Pablo de Olavide University – concentrate the largest amount of resources, totaling 8.15 million euros. This amount represents 79% of the total and allows for the hiring of 75 researchers. In addition to academic institutions, another 12 centers and institutes dependent on the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have also received incentives, receiving 1.96 million (19%) to hire 18 predoctoral researchers. Among them, the Doñana Biological Station has an amount of 326,258 euros, the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences will receive 217,745 euros, the Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER) has secured a grant of 216,665 euros, and the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (108,332 euros).
On the other hand, in the field of the Andalusian Government, specifically in the Ministry of Health and Consumption, the Andalusian Public Foundation for Health Research Management in Seville (FISEVI) is the recipient of a grant of 109,292 euros. Finally, Loyola Andalusia University benefits from 109,052 euros.
This line of incentives aims to promote the formation of excellence in new research talent in doctoral programs at Andalusian universities to achieve a doctorate with international mention. The duration of the aids will be four years, but in order to encourage the completion of the thesis in a shorter period, doctoral students who complete it in three years will be offered a postdoctoral guidance contract for the remaining year with the entity receiving the grants. Additionally, the contracts include an additional contribution aimed at conducting stays of up to three months at universities and foreign research centers of recognized prestige in order to obtain this international mention in their doctoral thesis.
The 95 contracts and the overall budget are distributed among the nine major branches of knowledge, with the highest amount of aid concentrated in the areas of natural resources, energy, and the environment; information and communication technologies; and production and construction technologies, with a total of 1.53 million and 14 contracts for each of them. The fields of health sciences and techniques; agribusiness and food; and exact and experimental sciences have a budget of 1.20 million euros each, allowing for the training of eleven young researchers. On the other hand, the program includes the formalization of ten contracts in the field of biology and biotechnology with a cost of 1.09 million euros. In the case of social, economic, and legal sciences; and humanities and artistic creation, the Ministry of University has allocated 549,164 euros for each of these two spheres of knowledge, allowing for coverage of five contracts in each case.
Entities of the Andalusian knowledge system have been responsible for applying for the grants by proposing candidates. The maximum grant per researcher is 109,832 euros during the program duration. The annual amount to finance salary payments and social security contributions will be 23,609 euros for the first and second year, 25,295 euros for the third year, and increasing to 31,619 euros for the fourth year. In addition to this amount, a grant ranging between 3,090 and 5,700 euros, depending on the destination of the doctoral student’s mobility, is provided to cover stays abroad.
Applications have been evaluated by the Agency for Scientific and University Quality of Andalusia (ACCUA) according to a series of criteria related to the candidate’s average grade and the curriculum vitae of the doctoral thesis director, taking into account publications, research projects, patents, and transfer activities in which they have participated, as well as the predoctoral training capacity of the thesis director.
This call is co-financed with the European Social Fund Plus, within the FSE+ Program of Andalusia 2021-2027, which prioritizes the hiring, training, and mobility of research personnel, technologists, technical staff, and other R&D&I professionals in universities, research centers, and innovation organizations.
Support for the entire research career
In the context of supporting the Andalusian knowledge system, the Andalusian Government pays special attention to supporting and accompanying research talent from the beginning of their training as technical support staff for R&D&I and their predoctoral training to their subsequent professional performance, through various incentive programs for postdoctoral hiring and through the Emergia program for more established and prestigious professionals. With this comprehensive approach, the aim is to enhance the excellence of the research career and attract profiles capable of making valuable contributions to the Andalusian knowledge system, as well as promoting the progress of science in the community.