Sources: Ikerbasque
Ikerbasque closed the 2010 financial year with over 100 salaried researchers from 22 countries
About to celebrate its fifth anniversary, the Basque Science Foundation
IKERBASQUE has consolidated its position with over 100 top-class
salaried researchers from 22 countries integrated into the Basque
Science, Technology and Innovation System. Universities and R&D
Centres, both public and private, are benefiting from the contribution
of experts in a vast range of fields from experimental science to
humanities, via medicine, technical and engineering or social science
studies.At the end of 2010, the payroll of scientists recruited by
IKERBASQUE to work in the Basque Country included 77 senior permanent
researchers and 22 visitors hired to develop a fixed-term project. They
were all selected through an international selection process in which
the Basque Foundation worked with an external Evaluation Committee of 55
assessors from 15 countries, co-ordinated by a Scientific Committee
that brings together seven internationally outstanding researchers in
their various fields.
The IKERBASQUE researcher profile is a European national with a
Doctorate from a prestigious university on the Old Continent, over 15
years research experience in at least three European or North American
universities or R&D Centres, and who has led research teams and
received EU funding for their projects.
In addition to bringing value to the Basque System of Science,
Technology and Innovation, hiring top-class international scientists
also brings economic benefits. In this way, while IKERBASQUE's budget
reached 8 million euros in 2010, its researchers achieved a return of
5.5 million euros to cover the cost of scientific projects in grants and
other calls for proposals.
In addition, in 2010, the European Commission recognised Ikerbasque as
one of the best initiatives in the EU framework for scientific
development and gave the Foundation 5 million euros to hire researchers
in the next 4 years, as part of the Marie Curie European programme. Also
attesting to the good work of the researchers recruited by the
Foundation to work in the Basque Country is the fact that three
individuals received prestigious ERC Starting Grants, from the European
Research Council under its third call for proposals, with a combined
budget of around 5 million Euros for research relating to nanotechnology
applications and a theoretical study in the field of quantum physics.