Catalonian fellowship programme enhances the innovative potential of researchers
The EU-funded BP (Post-doctoral programme Beatriu de Pinos) project addressed incoming and outgoing schemes. The former supported career development by offering researchers of all nationalities the opportunity to train for and conduct an independent research career in a Catalan institution. The latter reinforced the international dimension of the careers of researchers holding a doctoral degree from a Catalan university. The programme was administered by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants, the Catalan government body that manages regional grants for universities and research and promotes research and science. Fellows in the outgoing scheme underwent training. They acquired new knowledge in a high-level institution established in another EU, Associated Country or Third Country for a 24-month period, with the possibility of a 12-month return phase at a Catalonia-based organisation. The four-year international mobility postdoctoral programme responded to the two main objectives of the Catalan Research and Innovation Plan. The first was to increase the dimension of the research and development system by attracting talent and promoting the incorporation of young researchers in the system. The second was to boost researcher mobility at a transnational level, allowing knowledge transfer between EU countries and regions and between the public and private sectors. Overall, 76 postdoctoral researchers who were Catalonia residents travelled abroad and developed their fellowships in 15 countries. The United States was the most common destination, attracting over 27 % of the fellows, followed by France and the United Kingdom with about 15 %. In addition, 54 researchers representing 9 nationalities were granted positions in the Catalan research system via the incoming scheme. Spanish researchers received the most grants, followed by Italian and French researchers at about 13 % and 5 %, respectively. BP upgraded the quality of junior postdoctoral researchers in Catalonia. It also addressed the fragmentation of regional programmes by increasing Europe-wide mobility possibilities for training and career development of researchers in the European Research Area (ERA).