Research Centers in Spain

In the Spanish Science and Technology System (SECYT), there are four structural areas of activity: the public research, development, and innovation (R&D&I) system; R&D&I support organizations; companies; and society. In recent years, the R&D expenditure in Spain (1.07% of the GDP in 2004) has shown a high growth rate, more than 25% annually, as a result of the public and private commitment to expansion of research activities in Spain. The construction of the ESS represents a definitive impetus to place the country and Europe at the highest levels of scientific excellence in the world. There is also the Map of Singular Scientific and Technological Installations (ICTS), which contains more than fifty installations related to different areas of research distributed throughout Spain. This agreement regarding the map heralds an unprecedented fostering of research in Spain.

The European Spallation Neutron Source is included in this map. The Public Research Organisations (OPI) carry out most of the R&D&I activities, financed with public funds, and often manage some of the programmes included in the national plans. The main OPI is the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), as well as the Energy, Environment and Technology Research Centre (CIEMAT), Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME), Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), National Agricultural and Foods Research and Technology Institute (INIA), and Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC), in which the government of the Canary Islands also takes part.