The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, known in its early years as Secretary of State for Universities and Research, is the second highest office of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of the Government of Spain. The Secretary of State is appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Science Minister.
As the second highest office of the Ministry, the Secretary of State is responsible for the direction of the responsibilities assigned to the Ministry over science, R&D&I and universities. The Secretary of State designs and directs, in coordination with the Secretary of State for Education, the scholarship and study aid programs and coordinated the efforts of the different Spanish public administrations and the European institutions.
The Secretary of State also takes care of the well administration and distribution of the European Union funds destined to universities, science and research and it secures the equal and universal access and no discrimination to universities and science with special attention to the role of women in this area.
Because of his position, the Secretary of State is also the president of the State Research Agency and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology.
History The Secretariat of State was created for the first time in 1977 with the name of Secretariat of State for Universities and Innovation and was integrated in the Ministry of Education and Science but it was soon replaced by the Ministry of Universities and Science created in 1979. This ministry was suppressed in 1981 and the secretariat of state was activated again and integrated in the Ministry of Education.
The significant modification happened in 2000. During the Second Aznar Government, the Ministry of Science and Technology was created and assumed the competences over R&D&I and science, but the competences over universities were maintained in the Ministry of Education. At this time, the Secretary of State for Education assumed the competences over universities and in the Ministry of Science was created the Secretariat of State for Scientific and Technological Policy.
In 2004, the Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero merged the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and the Secretariat of State for Universities and Research was created again. In his second government, Zapatero revived the Ministry of Science but split the secretariat of state in two. In 2009 the Secretariat of State for Universities was suppressed and all its competences were assumed by the General Secretariat of Universities in the Ministry of Education.
In 2012, the new government of Mariano Rajoy continued with the major austerity plan started by Zapatero to improve the economy which started with the reduction of dozens of high-ranking officials. This provoked that disappearance of the Ministry of Science and most of its competences were granted to the Ministry of Economy, which had as one of its major departments the Secretariat of State for Research, Development and Innovation. The General Secretariat for Universities was also eliminated and its competences were assumed, once again, by the Secretary of State for Education.
Once that the crisis was over, the change of government in 2018 it brought with it the enlargement of the State Administration with the creation of new ministerial departments like the Ministry of Science, that assumed its old competences.
Names Secretary of State for Universities and Research (1977–1979; 1981–1996; 2004–2008) Secretary of State for Universities, Research and Innovation (1996–2000) Secretary of State for Education and Universities (2000–2004) Secretary of State for Scientific and Technological Policy (2000–2004) Secretary of State for Universities and Research (2004–2008). Secretary of State for Universities (2008–2009) Secretary of State for Research (2008–2011) Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation (2011–2018). Secretary of State for Education, Vocational Training and Universities (2011–2018). Secretary of State for Universities, Research, Development and Innovation (2018–2020) Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities (2023–)
Structure To carry out its duties, the Secretariat of State is divided in five major departments and two non-ministerial bodies: The General Secretariat for Research. It is the department responsible for the promotion of R&D&I, the promotion of the Spanish participation in the European Union R&D&I programs and the scientific divulgation. It also supervises all the scientific institutions of the country. The General Secretariat for Universities. It is a department that has a long history inside of the Administration and that sometimes was granted with autonomy. It's the highest university body responsible for developing the university policy, it elaborates regulation drafts and it promotes the scientific collaboration in universities in coordination with the General Secretariat for Research. The General Secretariat for Innovation. It is the department responsible for innovation and knowledge transfer. The General Secretariat for Innovation is divided in three departments: the Deputy Directorate-General for Innovation Promotion, the Deputy Directorate-General for Innovation Coordination and aTechnical Cabinet. The Directorate-General for Planning, Coordination and Knowledge Transfer. The Special Commissioner for Vanguard Health.
Along with the mentioned departments, the Secretariat of State is the directly responsible of the State Research Agency and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology.
List of state secretaries Image Name Term of office Ministers serving under Prime Minister Began Ended Days of serviceLuis González Seara13 July 19776 January 1979Íñigo CaveroAdolfo Suárez Competences assumed by Luis González Seara as Minister of Universities and Research between 1979 and 1981Manuel Cobo del Rosal16 March 198121 December 1981Juan Antonio Ortega y Díaz-AmbronaLeopoldo Calvo-SoteloSaturnino de la Plaza Pérez21 December 19818 December 1982Federico Mayor ZaragozaCarmina Virgili8 December 19824 May 1985José María MaravallFelipe GonzálezJuan Manuel Rojo Alaminos4 May 19851 August 1992José María MaravallJavier SolanaElías Fereres Castiel1 August 199213 September 1994Alfredo Pérez RubalcabaGustavo Suárez PertierraEmilio Octavio de Toledo y Ubieto13 September 19942 October 1995Gustavo Suárez PertierraJerónimo SaavedraEnric Banda Tarradellas2 October 199511 May 1996Jerónimo SaavedraFernando Tejerina García11 May 199612 July 1997Esperanza AguirreJosé María AznarManuel Jesús González González12 July 199723 January 1999Jorge Fernández Díaz23 January 19996 May 2000Mariano RajoyJulio Iglesias de UsselSecretary of State for Education and Universities6 May 200020 April 2004Pilar del CastilloRamón Marimón SuñolSecretary of State for Scientific and Technological Policy6 May 20003 August 2002Anna BirulésPedro MorenésSecretary of State for Scientific and Technological Policy3 August 200220 April 2004Josep PiquéSalvador Ordoñez Delgado20 April 20046 May 2006María Jesús San SegundoJosé Luis Rodríguez ZapateroMiguel Ángel Quintanilla6 May 200616 April 2008María Jesús San SegundoCarlos Martínez AlonsoSecretary of State for Research15 April 20085 December 2009Cristina GarmendiaMárius Rubiralta i AlcañizSecretary of State for Universities21 April 200825 April 2009Cristina Garmendia University competences assumed by the General Secretary of Universities between 2009 and 2011Felipe Pétriz CalvoSecretary of State for Research5 December 200924 December 2011Cristina GarmendiaCarmen VelaSecretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation31 December 201119 June 2018Luis de GuindosMariano RajoyMontserrat GomendioSecretary of State for Education, Vocational Training and Universities14 January 20124 July 2015José Ignacio WertMarcial Marín HellínSecretary of State for Education, Vocational Training and Universities4 July 201519 June 2018Íñigo Méndez de VigoÁngeles Heras Caballero19 June 201815 January 2020Pedro DuquePedro SánchezJuan Cruz Cigudosa8 December 2023IncumbentDiana Morant
The coloured secretaries of state hadn't all the competences described in this article.
References
External links Marca España (Brand Spain) website