A study highlights the weakness of the business sector in research
Molecular biology scientist at a Portuguese research center. /
Spain is lagging behind in scientific production, according to a study by the “la Caixa” Foundation
The Great Recession, the crisis that broke out in 2008, has left Spain behind in scientific production and in the number of researchers compared to European countries and the most advanced OECD countries. Barely one in four university students study science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In addition, our country barely has seven researchers for every thousand employed persons, and those dedicated to R&D activities are weighed down by precariousness. Added to all this is that companies spend little on research and development.
These are some of the conclusions of the study 'Human resources for research in Spain and Portugal', by researchers Laura Cruz Castro and Luis Sanz Menéndez (CSIC), Tiago Santos Pereira (Universidade de Coimbra) and Cláudia Sarrico (Universidade do Minho). The research is part of the dossier 'Research and innovation in Spain and Portugal', sponsored by the Social Observatory of the »la Caixa» Foundation.
According to this report, despite the advances experienced in other decades, Spain is lagging behind in the last ten years. Proof of this is the reduced presence in the business sector of people with a doctorate. Thus, less than 6% of doctors work in private companies, a circumstance that encourages the brain drain. Another fact that demonstrates the scant relevance of the private sector in science is that the proportion of personnel employed in private companies represents 38%, compared to the 55% EU average.
Business investment in R&D in relation to GDP, at 0.7%, is approximately half the average for the European Union, which represents only 1.67%. Spain is even further from the 2.05% of the US and the 2.6% of Japan.
In the country, the proportion of patents generated by the business sector is lower than the European average. In the early 2000s, Spain filed less than fifty applications per billion euros with the European Patent Office (EPO). All in all, growth throughout the 2010-2020 period was higher than the European average (6%), to the point that these registrations grew by 23%.
brain drain
To reverse the situation, experts advocate relaunching policies focused on demand. However, there is a risk that supply-demand imbalances in science will force highly-skilled workers to migrate in search of career opportunities they do not find here.
If measured by the researchers' publications in prestigious journals, the impact of Spanish scientific production is rather modest. Works appearing in reference publications are limited to 9%, far behind Denmark (14%), Germany and Austria (11%) and Italy (10%).
In the coming years, the specialists warn, "collaboration between science and business, and public-private partnerships will be crucial" so that Spain can receive the European aid provided for in the European Commission's recovery plan.
The authors of the report attest to the increase in higher education students (graduates and doctorates) in recent years, even above the European average. But the public sector cannot absorb it, so a greater involvement of the private company is necessary.
