Research and development
According to data from the National Statistics Institute’s (INE) High-Tech Indicators, the region of Madrid is the country’s leader in R&D efforts. Expenditure per inhabitant reached 620.6 euros in 2008, almost double the national average (318.5). Madrid also stands out due to the percentage of the total number of employed persons in the region working in R&D, with 17.4 research staff per thousand workers.
Therefore, internal expenditure in the Community of Madrid on R&D is as much as 3.9 billion euros, positioning it as Spain’s leader with 26.7% of the country’s total.
Along these lines, the region is home to a large percentage of national employment in R&D activities, with 54,159 full-time workers, or 24.5% of the country’s total.
Investment in R&D makes up 2.1% of Madrid’s GDP, which is greater than the national percentage of 1.4% and the European percentage of 1.9% (2008).
Madrid’s R&D system stands out thanks to its high level of development, with the private sector representing the majority of R&D expenditure, 57.7% of the total. This percentage is greater than the private sector’s degree of participation in the whole of Spain (55.1%).
The level of participation of Madrid’s organizations in the various Framework Programs (FP) is comparable to the region’s relative importance with regards to national research. According to data from 2008, Madrid represents 35.4% of Spanish return, which is a 3.8% increase over the FP6 return.
In addition, the level of participation of Madrid companies is very high, contributing to almost half of financing (49%), and within said companies the presence of SMEs is very significant (67% of participating companies).
Universities in the Community of Madrid
With approximately 300,000 students, 13 universities and 31 university campuses, the Community of Madrid has become the main focal point for universities in the country and the third most important in Europe (behind only Paris and London). Three public universities with campuses in the city of Madrid, the universities Complutense, Autónoma and Politécnica, stand out as they receive 50% of the region’s enrolled students.
The Universidad Complutense, in first place, as well as three other Madrid universities among the top ten (Politécnica de Madrid, Autónoma de Madrid and Carlos III), are among the best-ranked universities according to the newspaper El Mundo based on the top 50 in-demand degrees for the 2009-2010 academic year.
The region is home to 3 of the 5 Campuses of International Excellence awarded in Spain.
Universities:
. Universidad de Alcalá
. Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio
. Universidad Antonio Nebrija
. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
. Universidad Camilo José Cela
. Universidad Carlos III
. Universidad Complutense de Madrid
. Universidad Europea de Madrid
. Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
. Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas
. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
. Universidad San Pablo CEU
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