The ruling on the grant was made by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) as part of the ERDF Catalonia Operational Programme 2014-2020 call, in which the Knowledge Transfer and Valorisation Centre at our university submitted an application. 

The grant is intended for universities that, likes ours, are involved in transfer and valorisation activities. With this ERDF grant, the centre will undertake a series of actions aimed at promoting research and improving transfer indicators. 

The main objectives of the project include establishing a standardised valorisation process (with transfer, patent and technology-based company indicators); increasing the competitiveness of research findings; fostering relations between the business and university worlds; consolidating entrepreneurship; streamlining and prioritising research on the basis of efficiency (teams, resources, staff) and market proximity; and launching social projects. 

The ERDF provides funds for actions aimed at promoting growth and employment, as well as European territorial cooperation, for the purpose of strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion and redressing the European Union’s main regional imbalances. This aid is managed directly by the central, autonomic and local public authorities, thanks to funds allocated a priori to carry out projects in the respective territories. One of the aims of the fund is to promote research, technological development and innovation.