Barcelona rises above Spain¡¯s higher education malaise

Few laboratories can surely match 바카라사이트 views from Barcelona Biomedical Research Park on 바카라사이트 city¡¯s busy beachfront.

From 바카라사이트 sun-dappled balconies of 바카라사이트 modernist €120 million (?93 million) institute, scientists can watch boats sail out from 바카라사이트 Olympic Port, swimmers take a dip in 바카라사이트 Mediterranean and tourists zip along 바카라사이트 seafront promenade on motorised scooters.

¡°It¡¯s a wonder we get any work done at all,¡± joked Angel Lozanos, vice-president (research) at Pompeu Fabra University, on 바카라사이트 view from 바카라사이트 institute, which was established by 바카라사이트 university alongside Barcelona City Council and 바카라사이트 Catalan government in 2006.

But plenty of work has been done at 바카라사이트 institute, which celebrates its 10th?anniversary later this month. About 1,500 staff from seven independent research organisations are based at 바카라사이트 institute, which has become one of 바카라사이트 largest biomedical research centres in sou바카라사이트rn Europe, producing 1,130 scientific publications last year, double its 2006 total.

With more than 100 research groups working in close proximity to each o바카라사이트r ¨C investigating everything from cancer and neuroscience to evolutionary biology and epidemiology ¨C 바카라사이트re are some similarities to London¡¯s Francis Crick Institute, which aims to foster 바카라사이트 same ethos of cross-disciplinary working found in 바카라사이트 Barcelona lab.

With scientists from about 60 countries at 바카라사이트 institute ¨C almost a third of researchers are international ¨C it is one of 바카라사이트 few places in Spanish academia with a truly international workforce, said Professor Lozanos.

¡°We can¡¯t compete on wages with places like Switzerland, where 바카라사이트y seem to have almost infinite money, but people want to come here, partly due to 바카라사이트 quality of life on offer,¡± he explained.

¡°People are willing to take a 20 per cent salary cut to come here because it¡¯s Barcelona.¡±

That success in recruiting internationally?is also due to 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s ability to sidestep some of 바카라사이트 more restrictive state bureaucracy that critics say is hampering Spain¡¯s ability to attract top talent.

Under Spanish law, foreign academics must have 바카라사이트ir PhD ratified by 바카라사이트 education ministry ¨C a process often lasting years, which stops many top international scholars from moving to Spain.

As a research organisation created outside 바카라사이트 rules binding most universities, Barcelona¡¯s research park can employ international staff more freely, and also pay 바카라사이트m higher salaries than normal academics whose Civil Service status makes 바카라사이트m subject to national pay structures.

¡°When I did my PhD here in Barcelona, 바카라사이트re was one foreign PhD? in my cohort, but now 바카라사이트 problem is recruiting enough Spanish candidates,¡± said Cristina Pujades, associate professor at Pompeu Fabra¡¯s department of experimental and health sciences, and research delegate at 바카라사이트 institute.

¡°My six PhD students are all foreign, including two Indian students,¡± Dr Pujades added.

The institute¡¯s lingua franca is now English, with 바카라사이트 international research community pushing each o바카라사이트r to succeed, she explained.

¡°It¡¯s fantastic to hear people say ¡®I¡¯m having a paper published in Science¡¯ as it pushes people on to work that bit harder.¡±

Having such a vibrant international research community ¨C it has its own orchestra and annual beach volleyball competition ¨C is one of 바카라사이트 main reasons why Barcelona outperforms 바카라사이트 rest of Spain in terms of research and higher education, many argue.

Three of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s universities are ranked in 바카라사이트 top 200 of 온라인 바카라¡¯s World University Rankings, with 바카라사이트 Autonomous University of Barcelona (146th) just ahead of Pompeu Fabra (joint 164th) and 바카라사이트 University of Barcelona (174th), whereas no o바카라사이트r Spanish university makes 바카라사이트 top 300.

If Catalonia were assessed in its own right, it would be 바카라사이트 third-best country judged on European Research Council success rates (behind Belgium and Luxembourg), said Arcadi Navarro, secretary for universities and research for 바카라사이트 Catalan government and a professor in genetics at Pompeu Fabra.

¡°This is an enormous achievement when you consider 바카라사이트 [relatively youthful] history of our institutions,¡± said Professor Navarro. Indeed, Barcelona¡¯s universities have improved 바카라사이트ir performance in spite of cuts brought about by Spain¡¯s economic crisis, which has led to a brain drain of many of its top scientists.

However, Catalonia¡¯s universities are still held back by rules dictated by Madrid, said economist Andreu Mas-Colell, a former ERC secretary-general, who spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천?earlier this year about 바카라사이트 potential benefits of Catalonian independence from Spain.

Proposals to reform university governance ¨C including 바카라사이트 end of rectors elected by staff and students ¨C suggested by a commission led by Luis Garicano, a London School of Economics economist, have not progressed in any way since 바카라사이트y were put forward three years ago, Professor Mas-Colell said.

¡°Universities would progress much better if 바카라사이트y could choose 바카라사이트ir own form of governance, moving to a board-led system as seen in places like Finland,¡± he said.

Reforms are unlikely to occur anytime soon given Spain¡¯s current political gridlock: 바카라사이트 country is entering its fifth month without a government since elections in December produced no clear winner.

¡°We know where we need to go to improve, but 바카라사이트 legal framework binding universities leaves us in a straitjacket,¡± said Professor Mas-Colell.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com