University Company Awards
The professor of the University of Valencia will give the conference «Contributions of the University and the Knowledge Society»
Francisco Pérez García, Professor at the University of Valencia and Research Director of the IVIE (Valencian Institute of Economic Research), will give the conference “Contributions of the University and the Knowledge Society.“
Graduate with Extraordinary Award and National End of Degree Award, and doctor in Economic Sciences. Pérez García is Professor of Economic Analysis at the University of Valencia and research director of the Valencian Institute of Economic Research. His fields of specialization are economic growth, competitiveness, regional economics, educational economics and public economics.
He has published sixty books in collaboration and one hundred and eighty articles in national and international specialized magazines. He has six recognized levels of research productivity and the citations of his publications generate an H index of 30. He has directed nine doctoral theses and more than a hundred research projects, including several from the National R&D&i Plan and the EU.
He is a regular lecturer at many institutions and has visited more than fifty universities and research centers in Spain, Europe and America. He is principal investigator of a group of research excellence (Prometeo) of the Generalitat Valenciana. In November 2010 he received the VIII Premi Societat Catalana d’Economia.
Ingeteam and the University of Santiago de Compostela, winners of the Business University Award
Ingeteam and the University of Santiago de Compostela have been awarded the Business University Awards that were presented today at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
The Spanish Network of Business University Foundations (REDFUE) promotes the Business University Awards, which this year reach their eleventh edition, with the aim of recognizing examples of continued cooperation between companies and universities.
The jury’s decision has valued Ingeteam’s collaboration with different Spanish universities. Ingeteam is a company that is installed in 22 countries with a workforce of around 4,000 people. It specializes in power and control electronics, rotating electrical machines, electrical engineering and automation projects, as well as electrical generation. Throughout its history, the company has been firmly committed to technological development since it invests 7% of its turnover in the research of new products, maintains constant links with universities and technology centers, works to obtain patents and protection of industrial property and presents a constant increase in the hiring of qualified technicians in the different areas of R&D.
Eduardo Giménez, Corporate Marketing Director of Ingeteam, highlighted the great support they receive from technology centers and universities. “For this reason, we receive the award every time we collaborate with a university.”
Regarding the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), the Jury has valued the high level of transfer. For almost three decades this institution has shown its commitment to the transfer of research results to society. Thus, the USC is the first Spanish university in PCT patent applications and has been a pioneer in transfer management under Technology-Based Company models, promoting the first university entrepreneurship program (Concept Company) and creating Unirisco, the first venture capital company. and university initiative. In addition, the USC maintains an open and consolidated relationship with the company, with an average of 250 R&D contracts per year, more than 400 loyal clients/partners and the management of four Mixed University-Business Units.
“For us – stated the rector of the USC, Juan Viaño Rey –, this recognition implies greater self-demand and the reward for a career and a reiterated commitment to the social value of public research and its role in the consolidation of a model of sustainable economic and social growth”. The Compostela rector recalled that his university’s commitment to the transfer of R&D has resulted in 300 promoted companies, of which more than 50 are of a highly innovative technological nature.
In his speech, the president of REDFUE, Eduardo Manrique, highlighted that “companies in a few years will need different workers and therefore it is necessary to identify the profile of the “employee of the future” to train them now. It is essential that the labor market, in general, and the educational system in particular, be prepared and offer adequate responses. Therefore, not only companies have to prepare but also universities.”
The event was chaired by Marcial Marín, Secretary of State for Education, Vocational Training and Universities. Marina Villegas, Director of the State Research Agency, and Jorge Sáinz, Secretary General of Universities, have also attended.