The Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) has celebrated its meeting at the beginning of the academic year, in which Jaime García del Barrio, director of the center, reviewed some milestones of the academic year 20-21 and pointed out some challenges for the next three years.

Firstly, he welcomed the continuous improvement in research production, which is reflected in the percentage of papers published in journals of high scientific impact. Last year, 113 articles and reviews were published in journals, 90% in the first and second quartile; 14 books and 8 chapters. 

On the other hand, he thanked for the efforts made to obtain external funding. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 66 projects were submitted to competitive calls. Among other grants, several were obtained from the European Commission: one scholarship Marie Curie; three projects funded in the Erasmus+ call; and one in the H2020 call, in the framework of the 'Science with and for Society' program. 

Jaime García del Barrio also highlighted the progress made in attracting non-competitive resources from private entities and sponsors. Of particular note are partnership from the "La Caixa" Foundation and the Ramón Areces Foundation for the creation of the Global Palliative Care Observatory ATLANTES; from the Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno Foundation to create the International Center for Neuroscience and Ethics (CINET), in which group 'Mente-cerebro' participates; and from the Fundación Ciudadanía y Valores (FUNCIVA) for academic initiatives and research.

A new strategic plan

During the academic year 2020-2021, the ICS has made progress in the development of a strategic plan that will set the direction for the next five years. The groups of work, in which members of the board and researchers have participated, have proposed six main lines of action: to be a center of attraction and development of researchers, to establish a system of quality and continuous improvement of scientific production, to improve the internal functioning and boost the external relations of the center, to increase competitive and non-competitive funding, to give visibility and boost the transforming effect of the research in society, and to find common challenges to favor the partnership among researchers.

The director of the ICS recalled the differential characteristics of the center and its mission statement: "A research center in Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Navarra that develops projects with an interdisciplinary character and Christian inspiration to understand the human being and respond to the global challenges of society".

He also stressed the need to attract and retain talent researcher and to promote opportunities for partnership, both among members of the groups and projects and with the different Schools of the University and with the University of Navarra Museum.