At a ceremony held on 5 September 2024 at the CaixaForum in Madrid, several research institutes of the University of Barcelona received the Severo Ochoa and Maria de Maeztu accreditations of excellence, which recognize the outstanding work of the research institutes for the period 2018-2023. These distinctions, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the State Research Agency (AEI), value the transformative capacity of these centres to face the great challenges of today's society. The Spanish Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, who presided over the ceremony, highlighted the role of these institutes in the development of an innovative industry and their contribution to the well-being of citizens.
Among the institutes in which the UB participates that have been recognized with Severo Ochoa accreditations in the 2023 call are the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), a pioneer in bioengineering; the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), a leader in research into diseases such as cancer; the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), dedicated to research into haematological diseases; the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), distinguished for its work in global public health; and the Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre (CREAF), noted for its research into environmental issues with a high socio-economic impact.
Each of these Severo Ochoa institutes will receive 4.5 million euros in funding over four years, strengthening their research capacity and attracting international talent.
In addition, several UB-specific centres recognized with the Maria de Maeztu accreditation for the 2018 - 2023 period received an award from Diana Morant in recognition of their excellence:
- The Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB), specializing in cosmology and astrophysics.
- The Institute of Neurosciences (UBneuro), which has renewed its accreditation for the 2022-2026 period thanks to its innovative contributions in neuroscience.
- The Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (IQTC), with a long history in computational chemistry.
- The Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety Research (INSA-UB), a benchmark in nutrition, quality and food safety.
- The Barcelona Institute for Analytic Philosophy (BIAP), dedicated to philosophical research.
- The Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (IQTC), with a long history in computational chemistry.
During the ceremony, Morant stressed that the institutions accredited with these seals of excellence put their talent at the service of society. She recalled that the government has increased the annual budget allocated to these centres by 80%, from 42 to 76 million euros between 2018 and 2023. This increase reflects the commitment to scientific research as an essential pillar for well-being, innovation and global competitiveness.
The event included the attendance of important figures such as the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, Juan Cruz Cigudosa, and the director of the State Research Agency, Domènec Espriu, who highlighted the high competitive level of these awards and the rigorous selection process.
With this recognition, UB-specific research institutes demonstrate their international leadership, pushing forward new frontiers in research and consolidating their contribution to scientific and technological progress.
