Agreement between ANECA and the University Centre for Defence for the evaluation of research projects

The National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) and the University Centre for Defence at the Spanish Naval Academy (CUD-ENM), a centre attached to the University of Vigo, today signed an agreement for the evaluation by ANECA of the research projects submitted for CUD’s calls for research project grants over the term of the agreement.

To conduct these evaluations, ANECA commits to:

• Creating an ad hoc committee of up to six experts, who will be responsible for evaluating the applications received. The profile of these experts will be professor level with at least 3 six-year research periods or similar experience in the international sphere, from areas of knowledge related the areas of the applications submitted.
• Convening the evaluation committee within a month following the receipt of all documentation, to complete the evaluation.
• Providing the panel with the criteria to apply for the evaluation of the applications.
• Issuing an evaluation report for each application, with justification and relevant observations. The evaluation process will be completed a month after the formation of the committee.

The evaluation of the applications will be completed in accordance with the criteria, methods and priorities established for each call of the CUD-ENM.

Present for the signing of the agreement were:

• Mercedes Siles Molina, Director of ANECA.
• Clelia Martínez Maza, Director of the Evaluation of Academic Staff Division ANECA.
• Alfonso Vallés Sales, Head of the Education and Institutions Team.
• José Martín Dávila, Director of the University Centre of Defence - Spanish Naval Academy.
• Belén Barragáns Martínez, Deputy Director of the University Centre of Defence - Spanish Naval Academy.
• Pedro José García Cifo, Director General of Recruiting and Military Education. 
• Juan Manuel Sánchez Aldao, Deputy Director General of Military Education.

Mercedes Siles Molina highlighted how this agreement “exemplifies the new ground being covered with our mission to generate trust in institutions that help Spain advance in the area of higher education; a path we will take together with great success”. She also acknowledged the trust placed in ANECA.

For his part, Pedro José García Cifo, General Director of Recruiting and Military Education, said that they have always chosen to "work with ANECA” to set the standards and correct way of doing things to be recognised by society and the university sector.

For Clelia Martínez Maza the agreement signed today shows that both institutions “will move forward in the same direction” and reflects “the high level of quality demanded by the CUD-ENM”.

José Martín Dávila underlined the challenge this agreement represents for the Centre, which ensures that the research projects funded are of “sufficient quality and are evaluated objectively”.