The Spanish government has launched proceedings for the first call for applications for the new Sexenio de Transferencia announced Science Minister Diana Morant on 24 September 2026 at the opening of the 2026/2027 academic year at the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena which was presided over by King Felipe VI The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities confirmed the announcement in a statement and placed it within the higher education policy of the current legislature.
According to the ministry, this is a complementary system for recognising and remunerating staff at public universities, assessing their work in transferring research findings to business and society. Its aim, it said, is to strengthen cooperation between research institutions and companies and turn knowledge into practical solutions. The measure is part of a broader government package to support universities with additional resources and more staff, as Morant reaffirmed. The formal setting of the event underscores the political visibility of the issue without pre-empting the details of the scheme.
Separately, Europa Press and Servimedia also reported on Morant’s appearance and the start of the technical and procedural work to prepare the call. As of 24 September, no specific details were available on assessment criteria, deadlines, responsibilities or funding levels. According to the ministry, these points are to be set out and published in subsequent administrative acts. Only once they are published will applicants have the legal and practical certainty they need to apply.
A formally regulated Sexenio de Transferencia could create incentives for applied research, spin-offs and cooperation with business. Its benefits for researchers and institutions will, however, depend on how the criteria are designed, how comparable they are across disciplines and whether funding is secured. Different research profiles and transfer pathways make a uniform assessment framework difficult; transparency and clear evidence requirements are therefore essential.
In particular in Spain, where responsibility for higher education lies largely with the autonomous communities , implementation requires close coordination between national and regional levels. For public universities, the key issue is how the ministry will embed recognition of knowledge-transfer activities within its organisational structures and how this recognition will affect staff careers and pay. What is documented so far is the start of procedural steps and the minister’s public announcement; the specific call and assessment criteria, as well as the budget, remain open.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).