The Councilor for University, Innovation and Digital Transformation of the Government of Navarra, Patricia Fanlo, visited the University of Navarra today to learn about its projects at subject of research and sustainability, such as BIOMA Center. Accompanied by Ana Burusco, Director General of the University, and Agurtzane Martínez, Director General of Science, Technology and Innovation, they also toured the facilities of Cima.

The visit began with a meeting with the government team, in which the president, María Iraburu, explained some data of the center as that in its 7 campus work more than 6,700 professionals, -4,472 of them in Navarra- or that in its 16 Schools and schools study 13,577 students, 3,920 of international origin.

In subject university, the partnership of the department of University, Innovation and Digital Transformation with this academic institution is materialized through initiatives such as the general call for scholarships for programs of study university, the annual edition of the summer courses or the subsidy to projects carried out by the university Chairs .

Regarding the research, the president pointed out that the University has increased its scientific production in the last two decades, thanks to the implementation of new centers research, the development of the degree program professional researcher and the increase in the capacity to attract funding. He also highlighted the special commitment, within the 2025 Strategy, to a research focused on the care of people and the environment, centered on personalized medicine, with special attention to oncological diseases, rare diseases and palliative medicine.

This commitment of the University of Navarra is also aligned with that of the Regional Executive, which is defined in the Integral Strategy of Personalized Medicine of Navarra 2020-2030 and which aims to offer more precise and timely care to each patient, placing the person at the center of the health attendance in the region. As regards support for degree program research, the Government of Navarra has different grants, such as the WIT predoctoral grants, thanks to which several researchers are developing their projects at the University of Navarra in the fields of health and energy, or the ANDIA postdoctoral grants, which have allowed, for example, the incorporation of staff researcher to the team of the Institute of Science of the data and Artificial Intelligence.

They then participated in a presentation of project BIOMA, which, also supported by the central Executive, promotes a research multidisciplinary and applied through the Biodiversity and Environment Institute, the teaching, entrepreneurship, and the knowledge dissemination through the Science Museum. They also learned about Women for Science and Technology, an initiative of a group of women from the Schools of Science that aims to promote the professional excellence of women in STEM areas.

Councilor Patricia Fanlo and General Directors Ana Burusco and Agurtzane Martínez, together with the University of Navarra's president , María Iraburu, and other members of Office of the Executive Council.

Navarre, competitive thanks to the partnership public-private

Finally, they visited Cima accompanied by its general director , José Andrés Gómez Cantero. The commitment of the Government of Navarra with the research that is developed in the Cima is reflected through the projects of the different calls of the Departments of Education, Industry, Health and University, Innovation and Digital Transformation. During the tour, the evolution of awards in recent years and data of calls of this Department in Investigo Contracts, Collaborative Projects (with Navarrabiomed and other SINAI agents) and contributions as a member of IdisNA, among others, were presented. In 2023 these grants from department University, Innovation and Digital Transformation to Cima amounted to around 3 million euros and financed, among others, research on cancer, cardiovascular diseases or the treatment of chronic respiratory infections.

"Meetings like today's," said president María Iraburu, "show that when public administration, universities, research, and companies work together, the impact of our research and its transfer to society is greater. In Navarra we have a great example in the biomedical research , with data to back it up. Working in this context of partnership allows Navarra to be competitive and have a position of greater leadership."

For her part, Councilor Patricia Fanlo also stressed the positive results of this public-private partnership , on which the generation and attraction of talent, the contribution to the labor market of highly qualified professionals, the reinforcement of a research of excellence and the creation of a model of knowledge based on people are based in Navarre. "The benefits of this ecosystem revert, ultimately written request, to society as a whole and make it possible to build a more prosperous future," he said.