Chairs of Excellence Program

Action: Chairs of Excellence Program

Area: Scientific Improvement

Action: Chairs of Excellence Program

Objetives: Fostering excellence in research by attracting top international researchers and scholars to the University thereby boosting our departments, institutes and research groups by increasing and improving international ties, as well as improving scientific-theoretical capabilities, developing stable collaborations and sharing teaching and research experiences with renowned researchers and scholars.

This action aims to contribute to the fourth Campus Carlos III objective which is Increasing the research capacity of the University as a whole, supporting strategic lines.
 

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid has distinguished itself by considering international activity as one of its central axes in achieving its goals of excellence in teaching and research. One of the priority lines since the University founding has been attracting talent in order to help consolidate the university project that the university community wants and which society demands, expressed in the 2010-2015 strategic plan and in the Campus of Excellence project awarded to the University in the first call. In order to accomplish these objectives of internationalization and the attracting of talent, the University has always counted on the invaluable support of Banco Santander.

In 2007 both of these institutions signed an agreement regarding the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid-Banco Santander Chairs of Excellence Program, whose objective was to foment research excellence by attracting top international researchers and scholars to the University so as to foster international ties of our departments, institutes, and research groups, thereby improving their scientific-technical capacities, developing stable collaborations and sharing teaching and research experiences with these world-class researchers and scholars.
 

In the Program’s fourth call, 73 Chairs of Excellence were awarded in areas related to the activity of the University. Selected researchers proceed from universities, scientific institutes and research instituions, which include, among others: MIT, London School of Economics, Max Plank Institute, and the University of Chicago, University of California, Cambridge University, Boston University, University of Minnesota, the University of Paris, and Stanford University. In Annex I of the Progress Report (Description) there are several tables containing the centers, countries of origin, and the University department of destination for the different professors who have taken part in this program.

The contribution of these Chairs has been vital, from their role as researchers of reference to their work, academic merit, and their teaching and research which have produced joint works and projects, student exchange programs, publications, etc.

To date, there have been four public calls (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010) each one with a budget of 1,200,000€, co-funded by both parties, for incorporation into the University of 10 to 20 world-class researchers and scholars for a period of six months to a year, receiving between 60,000 and 120,000 euros, according to the period.