Six-Year Transfer
The Resolution of 14 November 2018 of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity (CNEAI) (BOE of 26 November) introduced, as a pilot project, the evaluation of knowledge transfer and innovation activity for university faculty and research staff of public research organisations, replacing the scientific field 0 established in 2010.
The six year period recognises the impact, projection and visibility of significant knowledge transfer processes and results achieved by each applicant.
In the pilot call 16,790 applications were received, distributed by branches of knowledge as follows:
- Science 3,564 (21.25%)
- Health Sciences 1,648 (9.82%)
- Engineering and Architecture 5,293 (31.55%)
- Social and Legal Sciences 4,920 (29.33%)
- Arts and Humanities 1,349 (8.04%)
In order to carry out the evaluation, a Transfer Advisory Committee was appointed, composed of 10 experts (chair and 9 members) from all branches of knowledge, whose responsibility was to define and specify the criteria for evaluating the transfer merits and to evaluate the applications. For this task, the Committee was supported and advised by 156 academic specialists in the different areas of research and development.
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- Resolution of 28 November 2018, of the Secretary of State for Universities, Research, Development and Innovation, establishing the procedure and deadline for the submission of applications for the evaluation of research activity to the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity.
- Resolution of 14 February 2019, of the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation, appointing members of the Advisory Committees of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity.
- Resolution of 14 November 2018, of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity, publishing the specific criteria approved for each of the fields of evaluation.
- Resolution of 20 May 2019, of the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation, appointing experts to advise the Advisory Committees of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity, and amending and correcting errors in the Resolution of 14 February 2019, appointing members of the Advisory Committees of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity.
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ANECA document on knowledge transfer and exchange (2025)
The ANECA document “Knowledge transfer and exchange for the creation of social value. Conceptual bases and classification categories” proposes a conceptual and operational update on knowledge transfer and exchange between science and society.
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Recognized as strategic in European policies for the valorization of knowledge and in the recent reforms of the Science Law (2022) and the Organic Law on the University System (2023), the transfer and exchange of knowledge is consolidated as an essential element for the generation of social value. In this context, the document contributes to reflection on this subject and promotes a shared understanding, all from a broad and inclusive view of the ecosystem of universities, science, and innovation.
The document was prepared between 2024 and 2025 based on an analytical and participatory process. In the first phase, led by Irene Ramos Vielba, advisory member of ANECA, internal work was carried out on reviewing the literature, the regulatory framework, and institutional practices, which made it possible to establish a conceptual basis and, based on pre-existing models, propose categories for classifying knowledge transfer and exchange activities. Subsequently, a participatory process was launched with the collaboration of various agents in the ecosystem, including universities, public research organizations, transfer offices, regional agencies, and research staff. The sessions and debates, chaired by Pilar Paneque, director of ANECA, facilitated the incorporation of contributions from different professional and disciplinary perspectives.
The resulting framework identifies the key elements that define the concept of knowledge transfer and exchange, in line with its evolution, as well as a proposed categorization that reflects the diversity of practices. Its purpose is to facilitate the identification and classification of these activities, allowing for their proper assessment as individual contributions by university faculty and research staff in the Spanish science system. The defining keys to knowledge transfer and exchange and the proposed categories in this document will serve as a reference for the evaluation programs implemented by ANECA.