Writing in Nature this month, Spain’s Science Secretary Carmen Vela called the country’s 2012 research budget “the most austere in our democratic history.” The portion of the budget that is mostly devoted to grants and subsidies was slashed 22.5% to €475 million ($591 million). She stated that the size of Spain’s research system must be reduced, citing duplicate institutions and activities. Also, competitiveness will be considered when allocating funding. To implement 2011’s Science, Technology and Innovation law, a government agency will be established to increase the efficiency of public R&D funding. Ms. Vela encouraged Spain’s scientists to compete for the €80 billion available as part of Europe’s Horizon 2020 Framework program. She stated that Spain will support only those scientists and projects that are likely to succeed and that internationally established scientists will be more likely to receive domestic funding. The combined number of Juan de la Cierva postdoctoral grants, Torres Quevedo industrial-research grants, and grants for staffing universities and public research organizations will be reduced from 960 to 700–800 in 2012. There will also be 75 less Ramón y Cajal grants for scientists, but the program’s funding will jump €9 million to €54 million. Spain’s Researcher Staff Training program was funded at the same amount as last year.

Source: Nature