In a ceremony held at the University of Zaragoza's Paranymph Building on 17 July, the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) was awarded a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence in the accreditation system organized by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the Spanish State Research Agency. This is the third occasion on which the award for scientific excellence, knowledge transfer and international leadership has been given to the ICCUB, which is presided over by Professor Xavier Luri of the UB's Department of Quantum Physics and Astrophysics. Professor Licia Verde, scientific director of ICCUB, accepted the award on behalf of the Institute, underscoring the collective effort and dedication of all its research teams.
The award was officially presented during a ceremony held at the University of Zaragoza (UNIZAR) and attended by various government and university authorities: Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant; Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, Pilar Alegría; President of the Higher Council for Scientific Research, Eloísa del Pino; UNIZAR's Vice-Rector for Scientific Policy, Pilar Pina Iritia, and Vice-Rector for Innovation, Transfer and Continuing Education, Manuel Gonzalez Badía; and finally, State Research Agency Director José Manuel Fernández de Labastida.
In his address, Fernández de Labastida lauded the programme as "a pillar of Spanish R&D&I", highlighting its role in bolstering Spanish leadership in the scientific community. "Committing to excellence allows us to gain leverage in processes of transformation," he said, "not only in science and technology but at an economic and social level".
The 2024 call for Severo Ochoa centres of excellence and María de Maeztu units of excellence has awarded a total of €75.7 million to recognize and fund nine centres and eight units of excellence that stand out for their scientific impact and leadership. Each Severo Ochoa centre will receive a total of 4.5 million euros in structural funding over four years, while the María de Maeztu units will receive 2.25 million euros over the same period to strengthen their strategic research programmes and talent development.
Last Wednesday's María de Maeztu recognition of the ICCUB reinforces the Institute's role as a leading centre for fundamental research and innovation in astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology, and supports its mission to advance knowledge and train the next generation of scientists.
Since their beginnings, the Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu calls have distinguished a number of institutes and centres belonging to or associated with the University of Barcelona. In effect, the UB is currently the institution with the most María de Maeztu units of excellence in Spain, bringing together the Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB), the Institute of Neurosciences (UBneuro), the Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (IQTC), the Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA) and the Barcelona Institute of Analytic Philosophy (BIAP).
