Catalonia has eight Cities of Science and Innovation

BY BIOCAT

Of the 30 Spanish cities that have received for the first time the City of Science and Innovation Award from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Micinn), eight are in Catalonia: Barcelona, Mataró, Terrassa, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Manresa, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Viladecans and Vilanova del Camí.

This way, the Micinn recognizes the city councils that have showed a main commitment with R+D+i and its contribution from the local sphere to the change of productive model. The innovation projects which have been considered cover scientific and technological parks, knowledge centers and business incubators, as well as those whose objective is to improve green economy, promote innovation in the health and care economy, local administration modernization, cultural centers and scientific-technological disclosure centre, amongst other.

Thanks to this distinction, these cities will have a series of profits within R+D+i politics and will form part of the Network of Cities of Science and Innovation (Innpulso):

• Preferential consideration of these cities for the location of scientific and technological installations, publicly owned or participated, and to host Micinn network R+D+i information centers (network PIDI).
• Preference for organizing department meetings with the autonomous communities and other R+D agents, and to host congresses and seminars of their public research organisms.
• Promotion and impulse of collaborative projects between cities in the Network of Cities of Science and Innovation.
• Integration of this network as referent within the Micinn-MITYC working group on scientific tourism.
• International promotion of the Cities of Science and Innovation in international events related with R+D+i and development based on knowledge.
• License to use the award in the city communications and promotion, both at a national and international level.

The award is for three years and renewable according to the actions done during this period.

The awards ceremony will take place in Madrid at the beginning of this year and will count with the presence of the Prince and Princess of Asturias.