The Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP) recently presented its report " Indicators of research and Innovation in Catalan Public Universities," a publication that analyzes the work of the Catalan public university system in three areas: the financial resources obtained for research (both competitive and non-competitive funds), the resulting scientific output (also in terms of quality and impact) and t he activity generated in the field of knowledge transfer (linked to the generation of patents, spin-offs and university-business chairs).

The report, which updates the indicators presented in the 2012 edition, highlights the strength of the Catalan system as a whole, while also warning of a trend towards a reduction in the funding raised for R + D (20% less in 2011 than in 2010). Much of this reduction is due to lower levels of non-competitive fundraising (mainly contracts with companies) which declined by 40% compared to the previous year. By contrast, income from competitive funding (Catalan, Spanish and European programmes) only fell by 9%, because despite the gradual decline in national and state allocations, Catalonia continues to be highly competitive on a European scale.

According to the figures presented, UPF is the most competitive university in terms of attracting funds, since the amount received in 2011 from competitive and non-competitive calls accounted for 29% of its overall budget (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Competitive and non-competitive fundraising by university and % of their total budget. 2011.

Likewise, researchers at the University continue to be the most productive in the system, with funding raised by doctoral teaching and research staff (PDI) at UPF which was three times the average for the system in 2011 (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Funds raised for R+D+I by number of doctoral teaching and research staff (PDI). 2011.

The report also assesses the scientific output of the Catalan universities, which continue to have an average number of publications per full-time doctor researcher (1.18) which is higher than the Spanish average (0.60). As for the quality of this output, as measured by the standardized average impact in the period 2006-2010, four Catalan universities are among the top five in Spain, in a list headed by UPF (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Overview of Spanish universities by impact and scientific output, 2006-2010.

Finally, the report also evaluates the position of the system in terms of indicators related to innovation and knowledge transfer. With a volume of funding from non-competitive funds amounting to approximately 7.5 million € in 2011, only 7.6% of the total for the system, this is an area in which UPF expects to grow in the coming years (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Non-competitive funds raised by the public universities and associated bodies. 2011.

The report was presented on 13 December in the historic building of the University of Barcelona, by the secretary of the ACUP and rector of Rovira i Virgili University, Francesc X. Grau. The event was attended by the Government of Catalonia's Director General of Universities, Lluís Jofre; the President of the ACUP and Rector of the Autonomous University of Barcelona Ferran Sancho, and the vice-rector for Research at the University of Barcelona, Jordi Alberch.